After the wedding, Chelsea and I headed out to Florence and Venice for a few days of exploring on our own. We stayed in a quaint B&B, between the train station and the Duomo, near Mercato Centrale.
Our first stop in Florence is the Accademia to see David.
Michelangelo's David. Carved in the 16th century. 17 feet of gorgeousness. Amazing that this was carved from one piece of marble!
When walking around the David, it seems as if he's alive. He looks at you from many angles--it's almost as if he'll jump down from his pedestal at any moment.
Doesn't it seem as if these ladies are chatting?
Beautiful gilded paintings depicting biblical stories and the life of Jesus. Many of the paintings were from the 14th-17th centuries. This is the nativity scene.
Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore
The Duomo in Florence (Firenze, Italia)
This Gothic cathedral has the third longest nave in Christendom. The facade is stunning. The dome in the background is the first Renaissance dome and the cathedral's claim to fame.
View of the dome from inside the cathedral
View from the nave of the church, up to the altar
City gate. Many Italian towns have high city walls, originally used to protect the cities from marauding intruders. Some city gates we've seen are the original Roman walls!
Giant bronze turtle statue in Piazza della Signoria
By artist Jan Fabre, this art was recently installed in the Piazza in mid-April. The artist is the man riding the turtle, which was common for the artist to appear in his art during Renaissance times. This as well as the placement amid Renaissance statues is a commentary to open the dialogue on modern art and the Renaissance.
Arno River. We crossed the bridge for lunch on our first day in Florence.
Me on a bridge over the Arno
Chelsea with the Arno River in the background
The Ponte Vecchio. This is the most famous bridge in Italy, and the only bridge that survived WWII in Florence. The bridge was first believed to have been built in Roman times, and was rebuilt in the 14th century. The elites used it initially to cross the river via the passageways above the shops below, so they did not have to mix with the commoners.
Right side of the bridge. There are still shops open on the bridge today.
Bridge center
Left side of the bridge
Some Italian doors are too big for my little Goldilocks
While others are just right!
We ate here for dinner, on recommendation from our dear friend Marit.
Looks simple, but is delicious!
After an amazing two nights in Florence, we are on our way to Venice!
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