Last image of Florence

The Ponte Vecchio by Abby

Last class this morning!

We had our last official class period on this grey Friday morning! We learned about the history of theater, and we toured the Teatro della Pergola, which was built by the Medici in the 17th century as their personal theater, and then opened to the paying public around 1720 (correct any errors, please, Sherry!)
We will meet tomorrow night for our farewell dinner at the Osteria dei Benci. Pictures coming soon!
I sense we are all feeling a mix of emotions; sadness about the end of interim and leaving Florence and happiness about returning to home, friends and family.

Today in Fiesole

Today we went up to Fiesole, a little town in the hills above Florence. We visited the Cathedral, San Francesco and the archaeological excavations of the Etruscan and Roman cities. We had a fabulous lunch in a little osteria, and took a hike up Monte Ceceri.

Here is a view of the Roman theater in Fiesole


And here is the group!

The last couple of days...

A view of the Synagogue

We are wrapping up things here in Florence. The cold front from Russia blew in the other day, and life is nearly Minnesota cold. We have been exploring nineteenth and twentieth-century Florence. On Tuesday we looked at the paintings of the Macchiaioli (19th-century painters concerned with Italian unification and the study of light) at the Gallery of Modern Art in the Palazzo Pitti, visited the 19th-century synagogue and learned about the history of the Jewish community in Florence. Yesterday morning we talked about Fascism and learned about the architecture of the Florence train station, built by Giovanni Michelucci from 1932-35.

Yesterday afternoon we were treated to a lecture by Niall Atkinson. Niall told us about his current research project on the function of architecture, images and bells (yes, bells!) in the Ciompi (woolworkers) revolt in Florence in 1378. We looked at Orsanmichele, the Palazzo Vecchio, the Bargello and the Badia in the context of his talk. It was so interesting that I hardly noticed the numbness in my toes!


Here is Linnea's image of Nanni di Banco's Four Crowned Martyrs from the exterior of Orsanmichele. (This is a copy of the sculpture, the original is in a museum.)


The belltowers of the Bargello and the Badia by Rachael.

Various pictures

In Piazza San Marco


In the Jungle Room


Up near San Miniato

What's up with the sunglasses?

Free weekend highlights

Parma baptistery, by Linnea


Siena, Piazzo del Campo, by Abby


Ravenna, Sant'Apollinare in Classe, by Chris

English Cemetery - Free weekend

Today is the first day of the students' free weekend. Some have gone to Siena, some to Rome, others to Ravenna and one as far as Germany.

Yesterday we ended class at the Protestant Cemetery in Florence, the burial place of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Jean-Pierre Vieusseux, an 18-19th-century Swiss intellectual who lived and studied in Florence.

I have added pictures and additional posts to the blog, so be sure to scroll all the way down.


An image of the cemetery by Chris

Chris turns 22!

Here are some pictures from Chris' birthday party at the "beach house"!


Almost everyone was there


The Beach Boys sporting fashionable ties

San Marco and the Uffizi

Rachael's image of the Uffizi, designed by Vasari for his patron Cosimo I

Today was quite busy! We took in the dominican monastery of San Marco in the morning, where we studied Savonarola and Fra Angelico. In the afternoon we went to the Uffizi, where we studied the history of Florentine painting. Most of the students are planning a second trip to the Uffizi; we were all overcome by Stendahl syndrome!