A Taste of Italy: Florence- A Date with Michelangelo at the Accademia Gallery

We could not be late today.  We were going to the Galleria dell'Accademia.

We were going to not only view but experience Michelangelo's great masterpiece,

David.

The street filled up with eager tourists and sightseers standing in line to 

see one of the world's greatest masterpieces.

Waiting in line to see

David.

Replica of David. 

I took this picture in the Palazzo Vecchio.
It is a replica of the original statue of David that we viewed in
the Academy of Fine Arts.
We could not take photographs in the Accademia Gallery,
so I do not have any original photos of the statue in the gallery.

This is a photo of the full reproduction of the statue where it originally stood
at the Palazzo Vecchio.
The reproduction was made out of bronze, not marble.
The original statue was installed here in 1504.
In 1873 the original statue of David was removed from the piazza,
 to protect it from damage, and displayed in the Accademia Gallery, Florence.
There is a special section in the Academy of fine Arts where the
statue is displayed. The section was made in the style of a church,
where the statue was originally to be displayed.

There is much that has been written about the magnificent statue of 

David.

Our tour guide was Andre.

He was knowledgeable about Michelangelo and the statue of David.

He was moved when he talked about Michelangelo and shared his knowledge of the enormous

carving from a block of Carrara marble, one of the whitest in the world.

And, I was moved by his narrative on this subject.

He has probably given hundreds of tours to eager travelers,

and he was still deeply moved when he explained the genius of Michelangelo.

You can't look at this without being in awe.

One lady in our group started to cry while others were speechless.

No one left without an impression of the perfection of this beautiful work of art.

Below is a picture of the statue taken from this link from the Accademia Gallery in Florence.

Michelangelo's David

The credit for this photo goes to, 

http://www.accademia.org/explore-museum/artworks/michelangelos-david/

This is a great source for more beautiful photos and information on

Michelangelo's David.

The statue is spectacular.

It took your breath away.

So much detail.

There are many people who have viewed pictures of "David",

but we experienced it.

What struck me most about this sculpture was the fact that

 Michelangelo was only 26 years old 

when he was commissioned to carve this massive piece of white marble.

And on top of that,

 the marble was flawed.

Two other sculptors were asked to carve the block of marble but had in the end rejected due to the presence of too many “taroli”, or imperfections, which may have threatened the stability of such a huge statue. This block of marble of exceptional dimensions remained therefore neglected for 25 years, lying within the courtyard of the Opera del Duomo (Vestry Board).

(http://www.accademia.org/explore-museum/artworks/michelangelos-david/)

Also, this is not the David of the Bible depicted  as a young Jewish shepherd boy.

This is a mature man.

The account of David comes from the Bible.

The account of the battle between David and Goliath is told in

 Book 1 Samuel. 

Saul and the Israelites are facing the Philistines near the Valley of Elah. Twice a day for 40 days, Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, comes out between the lines and challenges the Israelites to send out a champion of their own to decide the outcome in single combat. Only David, a young shepherd, accepts the challenge. Saul reluctantly agrees and offers his armor, which David declines since it is too large, taking only his sling and five stones from a brook. David and Goliath thus confront each other, Goliath with his armor and shield, David armed only with his rock, his sling, his faith in God and his courage. David hurls a stone from his sling with all his might and hits Goliath in the center of his forehead: Goliath falls on his face to the ground, and David then cuts off his head.

 Traditionally, David had been portrayed by most Florentine artists after his victory, 

triumphant over the slain Goliath.

Michelangelo instead, for the first time ever, 

chooses to depict David before the battle. 

David is tense: Michelangelo catches him at the apex of his concentration. He stands relaxed, but alert, resting on a classical pose known as contrapposto. 

(http://www.accademia.org/explore-museum/artworks/michelangelos-david/)

Michelangelo's philosophy was to be

"An instrument in the hands of God."

He was.

There is much written about the genius of this masterpiece.

You will realize the greatness of this work of art if you inform yourself and read

some articles about Michelangelo and his David.

Here is a start:

http://www.accademia.org/explore-museum/artworks/michelangelos-david/

http://totallyhistory.com/david-by-michelangelo/

http://www.italian-renaissance-art.com/Michelangelo-David.html

http://www.michelangelo.org/david.jsp

I say 

Genius

 and

 Masterpiece

 many times, but truly it is.

A Taste of Italy- On to Florence!

"I haven't been everywhere, but

it is on my list."

Susan Sontag

Today we are leaving Rome.

"Buon giorno."

We left Rome for Florence.

"The Cradle of the Renaissance."

We traveled through Umbria along the Highway of the Sun north into Tuscany

 and its hill-clad vineyards, which produce the famous Chianti wine.

The buildings are beautiful with red tile roofs basking in the 

Tuscan sun.

The rolling hills were clad with olive trees, vineyards, and Cypress trees.

We drove along the area in Tuscany where the movie

"Under the Tuscan Sun" was filmed.

We are arriving in Florence.

The Arno River runs through the center of the city.

Views of the narrow streets of Florence.

Arriving at The Grand Hotel Mediterraneo.

Our first views of Florence along the Arno.

We went on a walking expedition before dinner to get acquainted with the area.

We arrived in Florence and dined at the 

Finisterrae.

This quaint restaurant is located at a prime spot along the perimeter of Piazza Santa Croce.

We are with our traveling companions from Canada, Debbie and Jack.

Caso pasticceria.

Doug is enjoying his Italian cuisine...
Italians drink wine with every meal and use olive oil daily.
It is part of their lives.
This area is Chianti wine area.

Delizioso!

Chianti 
In addition to splendid landscapes,
Chianti's popularity is also directly tied to its fine red wines produced in the region
and known generally as Chianti wine.
The Chianti region, extending roughly over the two main city provinces of Florence and Siena,
is characterized by a combination of almost perfect weather and soil
that produces a precious wine considered one of the best wines around the world.

 The restaurant is conceived as a culinary voyage through the Mediterranean flavors and cuisines,

 a kaleidoscope of colors and fragrances, an excitement for the eyes...

I ordered pasta with pesto and bass fish with potatoes, olives, and cherry tomatoes.

 Espresso in Florence.

It doesn't get much better than that!

But then it does!

 After dinner we walked around the Piazza Santa Croce.

We will explore more of this famous landmark tomorrow.

I fell in love with Florence.

Firenze!

 Views of Florence at night on the way back to our hotel.

How romantic!  We strolled down the streets of Florence,
 looking into and stopping at some of the shops.

Back to our room at the Grand Hotel Mediterraneo.

Buona notte e sogni d'oro
 (good night and "golden dreams")

A Taste of Italy- Ruins of Rome

This is our last day in Rome and there is still much to see.

One of the highlights was the Colosseum.

The Colosseum
was once a private area but then turned into a public space for people to enjoy.
 It was known as the “killing field”.  (Yes, that is what they enjoyed watching.)
The Colosseum was also called the Flavian Amphitheatre.
The emperor Vespasian built it between 69 and 82 AD. It could hold 55,000-70,000 people at one time.  (Sources vary.)
 This was an outstanding project done by the Romans.
It is located in the center of Rome just east of the Roman Forum.

http://succesfulcivilization-lisa.weebly.com/roman-aqueducts-and-the-colosseum.html

 A view from the inside.

But first we traveled by bus to The Roman Forum for a walking tour.

Views of the Colosseum from the bus.

It was the largest amphitheatre built in the Roman empire.

On our walking tour of the Roman Forum.

The Arch of Titus,

built to celebrate the triumph of the emperor for the 

conquest of Jerusalem.

Our tour guide, Stefano, was very knowledgeable on Roman history.

The Roman Forum.

Some of the ancients aqueducts of Rome.

The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina.

The ruins of the Temple of Vesta in the middle.

So much scaffolding around Rome.

On the right, the Basilica Aemilia remains of the central nave.

The Colosseum.

The arched entrances allow easy access to over 55,000 spectators,

 who were seated according to rank from nobles to common men.

It was used for gladiator fights and hunting simulations involving ferocious and exotic animals. 

There are 80 arches to enter the Colosseum on the bottom tier.

Each are numbered with a Roman numeral.

We entered under LIV...54.

Spectators were given tickets in the form of numbered pottery shards, which directed them to the appropriate section and row. They accessed their seats via vomitoria (singular vomitorium), passageways that opened into a tier of seats from below or behind. These quickly dispersed people into their seats and, upon conclusion of the event or in an emergency evacuation, could permit their exit within only a few minutes. The name vomitoria derived from the Latin word for a rapid discharge, from which English derives the word vomit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum

It's a major tourist attraction, playing host to 3.9 million visitors each year.

The Colosseum in Rome is sporting a scaffolded in the fall of 2013 while awaiting renovations to its exterior. Work recently began on a three-year project that will clean the site, rebuild the exterior arches and reportedly open 25 percent more of the Colosseum's tunnels and cages to tourists. 

Tod's, Italy's luxury shoe brand, is footing the 25 million euro cost of the project -- that's 33 million dollars! -- in exchange for "promotional opportunities." The restoration should be complete by 2015. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/12/colosseum-renovations-scaffolding-photos_n_4078012.html

The distinctive exterior had three stories of arched entrances–a total of around 80–supported by semi-circular columns. Each story contained columns of a different order (or style): At the bottom were columns of the relatively simple Doric order, followed by Ionic and topped by the ornate Corinthian order. Located just near the main entrance to the Colosseum was the Arch of Constantine, built in A.D. 315 in honor of Constantine I’s victory over Maxentius at Pons Milvius.

http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/colosseum

Height: 157 feet
Perimeter: 1788 feet
 A football field could easily fit in it.

Inside, the Colosseum had seating for 55,000-70,000 spectators,
who may have been arranged according to social ranking but were most likely packed into the space like sardines in a can (judging by evidence from the seating at other Roman amphitheaters).
Awnings were unfurled from the top story in order to protect the audience from the hot Roman sun as they watched gladiatorial combats, hunts, wild animal fights and larger combats such as mock naval engagements (for which the arena was flooded with water) put on at great expense. The vast majority of the combatants who fought in front of Colosseum audiences in Ancient Rome were men (though there were some female gladiators). Gladiators were generally slaves, condemned criminals or prisoners of war.

http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/colosseum

The arena itself was 272 ft by 157 ft . It comprised a wooden floor covered by sand (the Latin word for sand is harena or arena), covering an elaborate underground structure called the hypogeum (literally meaning "underground").
 Little now remains of the original arena floor, but the hypogeum is still clearly visible.
 It consisted of a two-level subterranean network of tunnels and cages beneath the arena where gladiators and animals were held before contests began. Eighty vertical shafts provided instant access to the arena for caged animals and scenery pieces concealed underneath; larger hinged platforms, called hegmata, provided access for elephants and the like.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum

The hypogeum was connected by underground tunnels to a number of points outside the Colosseum. Animals and performers were brought through the tunnel from nearby stables, with the gladiators' barracks at the Ludus Magnus to the east also being connected by tunnels. Separate tunnels were provided for the Emperor and the Vestal Virgins to permit them to enter and exit the Colosseum without needing to pass through the crowds.
Substantial quantities of machinery also existed in the hypogeum. Elevators and pulleys raised and lowered scenery and props, as well as lifting caged animals to the surface for release. There is evidence for the existence of major hydraulic mechanisms and according to ancient accounts, it was possible to flood the arena rapidly, presumably via a connection to a nearby aqueduct.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum

Roman gladiators
were usually slaves, prisoners of war or condemned criminals. Most were men, but there were a few female gladiators. These combats were attended by the poor, the rich, and frequently the emperor himself. As gladiators fought, vicious cries and curses were heard from the audience around the Roman Colosseum. One contest after another was staged in the course of a single day. Should the ground become too soaked with blood, it was covered over with a fresh layer of sand and the performance went on. The gladiatorial games continued until Christianity progressively put an end to those parts of them which included the death of humans.

Gladiators
were also revered by ordinary people. They were the celebrities, the pop stars of their day, that the mob flocked to see for their entertainment. Like the Kardshianesque stars of modern day reality and talent shows successful gladiators were known and celebrated throughout the city. The details of the latest fights were spoken about by the mob in the tavernas and winebars long after fights were over while the wealthy commissioned portraits and frescos to commemorate famous matches. Some of the most famous gladiators had what can only be described as fan clubs that celebrated their achievements in graffiti around the city.

http://www.listland.com/top-10-cool-facts-about-roman-gladiators/

Top 10 Cool Facts About Roman Gladiators

10. Women fought as gladiators

9. Gladiators were the celebrity pin ups of their day

8. Roman emperors often toyed with being gladiators to impress the mob

7. Some gladiatorial contests were against animals instead of between people

6. Gladiators were ranked according to performance and according to their fighting method

5. Gladiators had their own trade unions

4. The mob did not use a thumbs down signal to call for a gladiator to be put to death

3. Not all gladiators were slaves

2. Gladiator games were part of Roman life for 700 years

1. Gladiators rarely fought to the death but if they did lose gladiators were expected to submit to death valiantly

More: Gladiators

Two millennia after sword-wielding gladiators fought to the death
on the blood-soaked sands of the Colosseum,
 Italy's culture minister has backed a plan to rebuild the floor of the Colosseum,
allowing visitors to stand where the gladiators once fought.

Currently only a small portion of the arena is covered by wooden boards,

 with the rest exposed to the elements – visitors are able to peer into the labyrinth of narrow tunnels and cramped stone cells that once housed caged animals and gladiators before they emerged into the arena via a network of lifts operated by slaves. 

There are no plans to recreate mock gladiatorial battles or fights with lions, leopards and bears. 

The minister said that only concerts and other cultural events would be held, insisting that ancient Rome’s monuments should not be turned into a cultural Disneyland. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/11247135/Colosseum-to-come-alive-again-2000-years-after-the-gladiators.html

Over 1 million animals died in the course of the Colosseum games.

The Colosseum has survived many earthquakes one of which caused the south side to collapse.

The last recorded games were held in the 6th century.

Our last views of Rome from the bus.

 On to Florence.

"Traveling-
it leaves you
speechless, then
turns you into a 
storyteller."
Ibn Battuta