Florence, Piazza del Duomo.

  

Living next to Piazza del Duomo is an unique experience. In the early morning you will be awaked by the sound of bells, at the same time that one bird will begin to sing near your balcony.

If you are lucky, someone very kind will prepare for you one delicious cappuccino while you admire the wonderful sculptures of the Duomo's facade. Now all is done, but it took six centuries to build this cathedral. These brave men of the past didn't have computer programs to design buildings, there were not modern cranes at that time. I tried to imagine how they worked to achieve this kind of perfection.

These innovative men of the Renaissance, workers, sculptors, painters, architects were like angels inspired by one superior intelligence, they were angels with faith. 



Florence, Arno river.

Florence, Ponte Vecchio.

At the end of the day, when the jewelers and  goldsmiths stores of Ponte Vecchio are closed. There are in this place an appointment for many visitors, this is the time of the sunset, and all tourists are ready to see the spectacle, a dazzling of orange and blue colors illuminate the river and the hills while the sun slowly hides. Everybody wants and tries to make more pictures at this moment. And I wondered myself why the sunsets are so wonderful in Ponte Vecchio. This is perhaps one of the places where God shows his best watercolors, his best material construction, and then He inspires to the artists from Florence to paint their paintings, to sculpt their sculptures, to build their palaces, temples, cathedral, and to design  their costumes, dresses, shoes, jewels…This is also a magical and wonderful  place of the city, specially at this time, the sunset.

Florence, "The Medicis" : also a fascinating book.

You can find in Florence many interesting books about some relevant personages (architects, scultpters, painters, kings) and families, one of these families were the Medicis.

The Medicis were a Italian family  very well known and prestigious : we  must  remember that their name is linked to the Florence’s history. The Medicis  ruled  Florence  for three  hundred  years,  although in some periods the political struggle forced them to give up the power. From Cosme el Viejo (1389-1464) until Juan Gastón (1671-1737) the last King of the dynasty, the family live in Florence  not only the age of the splendor but  also the decadence times. Then in all Europe appeared  the national states and the market economy.

 I personally admire two of the Medicis, Lorenzo el Magnífico  and Catalina de Medicis. Catalina became king of France, she always tried to maintain the unity of the country in spite of the wars  between  Catholics and Protestants. She brought to the French royal court many Italian artists, Catalina also introduced in France Italian perfumes, the use of fork on the table, and many delicious Italian recipes.  On a personal  level  with her strong character, she could stand the infidelities of her weak husband with Diana de Poitiers, and also to manage the country in a very difficult moments. Catalina was a cultivated person and also dedicated to the education of her children who later were kings of France.

    

Florence, a pleasant city to walk and to enjoy the nature.

The first thing you notice when you exit from the Florence’s airport is the essence of plants, pines, lavender and flowers. You will see immediately the high Tuscana’s mountains with its forests and the cypress trees surrounding the city and the Arno river.

If you visit the town during the spring or autumn, take your time to walk around the Boboli’s garden far away of the crowds of tourists, you’ll probably find a quiet place to read, to admire a source or to spend a pleasant time with your friends.

Florence, Santa Maria del Fiore (The Duomo).

Florence, a city to dream, to discover and to enjoy.

Today I’d like to remember one of the most beautiful and mystical places of the city. This is the Duomo, Santa Maria del Fiore, this is the house of God and of His people. But the Duomo, like every other church, is above all “the house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:7).

So it is also your house, even if you are not Florentine, even if you are not a believer. You can feel the peace of the place.

It took six centuries to build the Duomo. The works of Art inside Florence Cathedral bear a complex of civic and religious meanings, all centred on the idea of the dignity of the human being and of the grandeur and nobility accorded to him by God.