We have unfinished business in the city of Firenze (Florence, pop 367,150 in 2022). The completion of our tour of churches designed by Filippo Brunelleschi is now eleven years delayed; we missed the Basilica di Santo Spirito. So, our hotel for this trip is in the Oltrarno, right in the Piazza Santo Spirito. No way we'll miss it again.
The flight from Lisboa is about three hours, and we arrive before lunchtime. Our view north from the Piazza is stellar. The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo, Arnolfo di Cambio, late 13th century; Campanile, Giotto di Bondone, 14th century; Cupola, Brunelleschi, 15th century) is in the center of the skyline, and the Palazzo Vecchio (di Cambio, late 13th century) is to the right.
From the loggia of the Palazzo Guadagni, we peer across the Piazza to the campanile and cupola of the Basilica di Santo Spirito (Brunelleschi, 15th century; Sagrestia, Giuliano da Sangallo, late 15th century).
Off in search of lunch, we dive into the permanent throng of tourists packing the Via de' Guicciardini and the Ponte Vecchio (14th century). We follow the Corridoio Vasariano (16th century) over the Arno.
Though a constant annoyance, the crowd is easily explained: with every turn and glance, the colors, forms, and the architecture of Firenze amaze. It is easily one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
On the other side, we take a right into the Piazza della Signoria and toward the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio (di Cambio, late 13th century).
The roadways and minor intersections are crossed with traffic from cycles, scooters, and cars – which we don't remember from our previous visit. Even within the Piazza della Signoria, there are trucks and cars crossing the space. Just behind the Palazzo Vecchio is where we find the shops selling fresh, warm, extra-crunchy schiacciatta sandwiches.
The Piazza is cool and breezy, but we join the tourists huddled on the steps of the Loggia dei Lanzi (14th century), in the company of David (copy of Michelangelo, early16th century), Ercole e Caco (Bartolommeo Bandinelli, 16th century), and at the center of the fontana, Nettuno (Bandinelli and Bartolomeo Ammannati, 16th century) – all beautifully (and recently?) clean.
As we eat, a crew of workers begins erecting barricades, and slowly moving flatbed trucks filled with street signs though the square; they may soon chase us out. Before we leave, we take one look back at the Loggia, to Ercole e il centauro Nesso (Giambologna, 16th century) and the Ratto della Sabine (Giambologna, 16th century). While everything in the Piazza is heroic and white, the violence stays in the shade of the Loggia.
We continue our walk and pass Orsanmichele (14th-15th centuries), a large palazzo block with external niches filled with sculpture from some of the best artists the Renaissance has to offer.
Next, we cross the Piazza della Repubblica; during our previous visit, we stayed here. It is satisfying to be reacquainted. The Apple Store is new (2015), and the giostra is on the other side of the Piazza now, but it feels the same as before.
Finally, from the Via Roma and the Piazza di San Giovanni, we arrive in the Piazza del Duomo.
The facciata (main facade), is the result of a design competition won by Emilio De Fabris in 1871 – so, a good visual match for the Campanile, but only one hundred and fifty years old. The beautiful mosaici in the tympana (Nicolò Barabino, 19th century) includes Cristo in trono con Maria e san Giovanni Battista, and the sculptural cycle of the Dodici Apostoli (Tito Sarrocchi, 19th century) centers on the Madonna col Bambino.
In front of the Duomo, the Battistero di San Giovanni (11th-12th centuries) is currently undergoing a major renovation. It is open to the public, but inside, the famous mosaici della volta (13th century) are not visible. However, outside, the Porta del Paradiso (east doors, Lorenzo Ghiberti, 1429-47) are always on display. Like the statuary in the Piazza della Signoria, the Ghiberti's panels are strikingly clean, and gleam in the sunlight reflected from the Duomo's marble.
The "Davide" panel, the bold youth who symbolizes of the city, is in the lower left. David beheads Goliath with the giant's own sword, and under David's feet is his sling. Saul watches from the center of the battle, while the city of Ierusalem stands in the background. In the small scene between the rocks David delivers Goliath's head to the city in triumph.
The middle pair, panels number five and six, use elaborate architectural frames to isolate the various parts of the stories. Incredibly, each panel contains multiple narrative elements. On the left is "Isacco, Esaù e Giacobbe", in which Issac is fooled by his wife, Rebekah, into giving his blessing to Jacob rather than Esau (start upper right, God telling Rebekah; finish lower right, Issac blessing Jacob). On the right is "Giuseppe", in which Joseph, abused and sold by his brothers, rises to power in Egypt, then returns home and forgives them (start at top, Joseph thrown into the well and sold; end far left, his brothers supplicating)
The circular structure of the "Giuseppe" panel is a tour de force in perspective construction, reinforced by the pavers which run against the view plane. The foreground figures emerge from the architecture almost fully in the round, while the opening scenes in the background are expressed in the rilievo schiacciato form – barely more than flat, like a pan of bread.
We work our way back to the Oltrarno and take a break before dinner. The sun begins to set and wash the city in warm tones, even though it's starting to get cold. From our window, the moon rises over the distant spire of the Basilica di Santa Croce (13th-14th centuries) and the tall belvedere at the northern edge of the Giardino di Boboli. Closer by, at our extreme right, the broad, dark block of the Palazzo Pitti (15th century) looms.
At night, when the afternoon winds subside, and the water surface turns glassy, the Arno glows with life. After a wonderful dinner, we gaze at the window and watch the city's light blink on.
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