The Rose Garden, Florence
Just realised that I've only got one more month in Italy. Time flies when you enjoy yourself.
Today to Santa Croce, and me with no Baedeker (or Lonely Planet either). Miss Lavish would be proud of me. ("Set an exam at Dover, and turn back all who can't pass it") .I have to agree with her, you see all the people reading the notes and wonder it they are really seeing the artwork/architecture. I hate those audio commentaries too; they are OK for general background, but can be horribly patronising for individual works - "see how the artist has outlined the figures in black" - yes, I can see that, thanks.
I didn't know that Santa Croce was a Franciscan establishment. One of Giotto's greatest works, "The Death of St Francis" is a fresco here on the wall of the Bardi Chapel (yes, this is the chapel that Mr Emerson upset the Vicar in - "the chapel is rather small for two parties, we will incommode you no longer!") The Bardi family rivalled the Medici in wealth during the 14th c, but were bankrupted when Edward IV of England reneged on a loan. Put not your faith in princes, indeed. The Bardi name lives on though, in this chapel, the Via dei Bardi, and the Palazzo, Giardino and Villa Bardino.
Cross by Cimabue (?) badly damaged in the flood of 1966.
Rossini's tomb
Galileo's tomb
Donatello's Annunciation
Cloisters of Santa Croce
Elijah goes heavenward in his flaming chariot
Porta San Giorgio
Wandered on from Santa Croce up into the hills up toward the Piazzale Michelangelo, along the old wall from Porta San Giorgio and up the steps of Via San Salvatore al Monte. The Rose Garden was open, not many flowers yet, but a lot of people enjoying the spring sun.
Top of the street under Porta San Giorgio. The wisteria was in full flower everywhere.
Looking across to the Giardino Bardini (to right of the old city wall)
Ahhh, Firenze!
The only really friendly cat I met in the whole of Italy! He'd parked himself right by the steps into the Rose Garden, and was accepting adoration from all comers. A character cat.
how absolutely lovely. I want to walk the Visari corridor next time I go to Florence.
ReplyDeleteEchoing librarygirl. It is truly beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAnd how nice to hear of someone else who rejects those audio commentaries. Condescending indeed.
Off topic: Word verification has taken to putting their vile numbers on some pleasant scenery. An old railway station this time. An improvement.