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Florence - (Firenze)
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The architecture of Florence is more austere than in Rome, with a
fortress-like quality. Every building is some variation on yellow or crème
in color. The exceptions, of course, are the churches. Santa Maria del Fiore -
St. Mary of the Flowers - holds Brunellschi's famous orange-tiled dome. The
cathedral itself flaunts its pink, green and white marble façade, a shocking
contrast to the solemn, cool and dark interior. It's a surprising character
in a city of dignified yellow buildings, and seems to leap into one's vision
on the approach from one of Florence's narrow, ancient roads. The serene,
elegant façade of the Santa Croce (Holy Cross) church gives no hint of the
treasures within: she holds the tombs of the most famous and significant
Italians: Galileo, Michelangelo, Dante.
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Florence is a compact city, not designed for modern transportation. Much of
its "centro storico" is pedestrian only. Crossing the Ponte Vecchio over
Florence's river, the Arno, is an exercise in awareness and agility as
pedestrians fight their way along sidewalks, spilling out into the street to
dodge motor scooters and tiny cars.
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Florence has a preponderance of art. In the Piazza della Signoria, an outdoor
porch holds four sculptures, ravaged by the weather and modern pollution, but
beautiful testaments to the genius of their sculptors and the glory of the
Renaissance. In that Piazza is a replica of the famous David by Michelangelo,
where the statue orginally stood before it was relocated to the Accademia
gallery, in its own special room. Near the David is a large fountain of Neptune,
nicknamed "Biancone" by the locals, which means "Big White Thing." It says
something about Florence that a beautiful fountain can be scorned as subpar.
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Besides art, there are artisans. Gold and leather are the trademark crafts here,
and products both shoddy and exquisite can be found from the street peddlers to
exclusive shops. Food is something of an art here as well. Florentines resemble
the rest of Italy in that they take their food seriously and their dinners are
major events.
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Florence is nestled in Tuscany, the pleasant hilly countryside in Italy's
center, including two quaint towns,
San Gimignano and Siena.
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