Category Archives: Italy

Piazza della Signoria

Florence beautiful Italian city

Florence beautiful Italian city , I have been there 3 or 4 times and can’t wait to visit again. I saw a lot of the city and surrounding areas thanks to my good friend Francesca.

Piazza della Signoria is an L-shaped square in front of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. It was named after the Palazzo della Signoria, also called Palazzo Vecchio. It is the focal point of the origin and of the history of the Florentine Republic and still maintains its reputation as the political hub of the city. It is the meeting place of Florentines as well as the numerous tourists, located near Ponte Vecchio and Piazza del Duomo and gateway to Uffizi Gallery.

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Florence beautiful Italian city

Replicas of Michelangelo’s David have been made numerous times, in plaster, imitation marble, fibreglass, snow, and other materials. There are many full-sized replicas of the statue around the world, perhaps the most prominent being the one in the original’s position in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Italy, placed there in 1910. The original sculpture was moved indoors in 1873 to the Academia Gallery in Florence, where it attracts many visitors. Others were made for study at art academies in the late nineteenth century and later, while the statue has also been replicated for various commercial reasons or as artistic statements in their own right. Smaller replicas are often considered kitsch.

Florence’s Cathedral: the Duomo.

Florence’s cathedral stands tall over the city with its magnificent Renaissance dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. The cathedral named in honor of Santa Maria del Fiore is a vast Gothic structure built on the site of the 7th century church of Santa Reparata, the remains of which can be seen in the crypt.

On Ponte Vecchio the Old Bridge.

The Ponte Vecchio  is a Medieval arch bridge over the Arno River, in Florence, Italy, noted for still having shops built along it, as was once common in the early days. Butchers initially occupied the shops however the tenants now are jewelers, art dealers and souvenir sellers. The Ponte Vecchio’s two neighbouring bridges are the Ponte Santa Trinita and the Ponte alle Grazie.

Florence beautiful Italian city  Ponte Vecchio

The bridge spans the Arno at its narrowest point where it is believed that a bridge was first built in Roman times, when the via Cassia crossed the river at this point. The Roman piers were of stone, the superstructure of wood. The bridge first appears in a document of 996. After being destroyed by a flood in 1117 it was reconstructed in stone but swept away again in 1333  save two of its central piers, as noted by Giovanni Villani in his Nuova Cronica. It was rebuilt in 1345.

Ponte Vecchio, the Old Bridge.

Below you will see how the road near the bridge collapsed on May 26 2016.

Sink hole

Disaster strikes and 20 cars sink into the ground. It was very lucky it did not occur closer to the bridge.

View from Piazzale Michelangelo.

Probably one of the most photographed scenes in the world.

Piazzale Michelangelo.

Piazzale Michelangelo (Michelangelo Square) is a famous square with a magnificent panoramic view of Florence, Italy, and is a popular tourist destination in the Oltrarno district of the city. The famous view from this observation point overlooking the city has been reproduced on countless postcards and snapshots over the years.

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Palazzo Vecchio from Uffizi Gallery.

The Vecchio Palace with its huge clock tower, is one of the most architecturally interesting buildings in the city of Florence.

Florence beautiful Italian city

Artist at work in Florence.

David Herd with “Loggia del Porcellino”

Popular tradition has it that rubbing the nose brings fortune, so over time, the statue has acquired a certain shine in that spot. Visitors are encouraged to place a coin in the mouth of the boar after rubbing its nose, and superstition implies that the wish will be granted if the offering tumbles through the grate whence the water flows. The slope of the grate is such that most coins do fall through, and are collected by the city.

A beer with my friend Francesca.

Francesca & I first became friends when we met in Koh Samui Thailand in August 1999. The next photo is a flashback.

Koh Samui Thailand in August 1999.

Great memories from Koh Samui in 1999, my how time flies when you are having fun.

Caffè Italiano

Here is Francesca at Caffè Italiano, Via Isola delle Stinche, 11R-13R in Florence. Without a doubt this is the best pizza I have ever eaten in my life. You can’t book at this small restaurant, you must wait outside in the lane until there is a free table, believe me however, the wait is worth it.

I rest my case

If I remember correctly the magician who makes them is originally from Naples.

The Master Chef at Caffè Italiano

I certainly have never had a better pizza.

Brazilian dinner in Florence in 2000.

This was April 2000 we enjoyed a Brazilian dinner in Florence. I’m on the left, then comes Barbara, Franco, Francesca & Andrea.

David Herd & Barbara Manelli in April 2000

Memories of this beautiful Italian lady will stay with me for a long time.

Lets finish with another shot of the Old Bridge.

Arrivederci

Thanks for visiting my Florence beautiful Italian city photo blog.

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