Italian Trip Diary -- Day #14 -- Venice

Tuesday, June 26, 2001, Venice:

The following morning we were up early.  Piazza San Marco was already buzzing with tourists when we arrived about 10 a.m. 

Tourists in front of Basilica of San Marco.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

We walked through the square and Piazzetta which leads between the columns of St. Mark and St. Theodore to the Grand Canal with the Doges’ Palace on the east side.

West facade of the Doges Palace facing the Piazzetta.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

The distinctively Venetian facades on the Piazzetta and the Grand Canal consist of a long arcade of pointed arches at the ground level surmounted by a loggia with narrower ogive arches with quatrefoil openings between each arch on the first floor.  Above the loggia is a two story block of terra cotta and white bricks in diamond patterns which is pierced by large arched windows alternating with smaller round windows on the higher story. 

Balcony with Winged Lion of Saint Mark on cornice above.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

We decided to tour the Palace, which is built around a central court which uses many of the same architectural elements as the facades.

Facade in the courtyard of the Doges Palace.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

There is a monumental white marble staircase flanked at the top by gigantic statues of Mars and Neptune by Sansovino.

'Giants Staircase' flanked by 'Mars' and 'Neptune' by Sansovino.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

'Mars' by Sansovino from the top of ceremonial courtyard staircase.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

The palace contains many huge ornate rooms decorated with works by Tintoretto, Veronese and many others. 

Painted ceiling with elaborate plaster-work surround.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

Much of the art depicts and glorifies the exploits of the various doges and the significant events in the history of Venice. 

'Scala d'Oro' (Golden Staircase) in Doges Palace with elaborate plaster ceiling.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

Since Venice was a “republic” these rooms were designed for the communal functions of the state – meetings of the Grand Council, the Council of Ten, the Senate, etc.  The tour of the palace leads from the court rooms over the “Bridge of Sighs” to the prisons. 

'Bridge of Sighs' over which prisoners were lead from court to prison.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

The bridge is very cramped and many of the cells are incredibly tight – it would not have been a nice place to spend any time.

After the Doges’ Palace, we stopped for lunch in a square behind our hotel – tramazinni and sodas.  In the afternoon, we took the vaparetto from San Zaccaria just past the Doges’ Palace on the Riva degli Schiavonni to San Giorgio Maggiore which is located on its own island just off the tip of the Guidecca.

San Giorgio Maggiore on an island in the lagoon.  The church is by Palladio, but the facade was undergoing restoration when we were there.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

 

Church of Santa Maria della Pieta on Riva degli Schiavonni near the San Zaccario vaparetto stop.
The church was designed by Giorgio Massari and is the church where Vivaldi's was music master.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

Carl wasn’t fast enough getting off the vaparetto and ended up going to the next stop on the Guidecca and then taking one in the other direction to get back to San Giorgio.  George and Doug waited along the quay savoring the beautiful views back across the canal to San Marco and Santa Maria della Salute.

Piazzeta flanked by Campanile and Palazzo Ducale viewed from San Giorgio Maggiore.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

Santa Maria della Salute and Dogana from San Giorgio Maggiore.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

The church of San Giorgio Maggiore was designed by Palladio.  Unfortunately, the façade was covered with a scaffold, the cloisters were closed to the public and the elevator to the top of the campanile was not working.  We toured the interior which contains masterworks by Tintoretto and paintings by many other artists. 

Interior of the church of San Giorgio Maggiore by Palladio.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

The island itself is extremely tranquil and makes a wonderful retreat from the tourist hustle and bustle in the center of Venice.  We walked around to the far side of the island, which has a lovely marina and views across to the Lido.

When we got back to San Zaccaria on the vaparetto we decided to brave the crowds and visit the Basilica of San Marco.  

Basilica of San Marco.  The facade dates from the first half of the 13th Century.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

It is a remarkable Byzantine/Gothic building with five major domes rising above a façade of huge round arches on two levels filled with mosaics and surmounted by delicate gothic filigree. 

'Last Judgement' mosaic over main portal of Basilica of San Marco is a 19th century
replacement of an earlier version that cracked.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

The interior is breath-taking.  Every surface is covered with golden mosaics in an overwhelming profusion of Byzantine splendor.  In order to get a better vantage point we took the steep stairs to the right of the entrance up to the museum.  There is a balcony overlooking the nave which offers a close up view of the mosaics on the domes and arches away from the mayhem below. 

Nave of Basilica of San Marco looking east from balcony.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

This ceiling mosaic showing Christ flanked by the Virgin and St. John the Baptist caught our eyes because of the 'rainbow' motif.  It is obviously a fairly modern refurbishment of an older mosaic.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

Since we arrived in the late afternoon the sun was coming through the western windows and suffusing the entire volume of the basilica in warm, golden light. 

Mosaics on the main dome of Basilica of San Marco.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

The museum itself contains the original four horses of bronze that originally stood on the terrace above the main door

Originals of the 'Four Bronze Horses' that were installed over the entrance doors in 1254.
They were seized in 1204 in the sack of Constantinople during the 4th Crusade.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

(there are copies in the original spot) along with several other treasures. 

Replicas of the 'Four Horses' on the balcony overlooking Piazza San Marco.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

There is also a door leading out to the terrace above the entrance doors which offers wonderful views out over the piazza and across the piazzetta to the Grand Canal.  As it was nearly closing time, the terrace was less crowded than usual and became another oasis of calm floating above the crowds in the piazza below.

View of Piazetta with Palazzo Ducale on left, columns with the winged lion of Venice
and San Teodoro and the Dragon.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

We had dinner that evening in a romantic courtyard at Ristorante Antico Pignolo (San Marco, 451, Venezia, 041 5228123).  The food was excellent, but the meal was somewhat marred by a running argument between our captain and the busboy he was trying to train who looked increasingly harried as the evening wore on.  Several houses looked out on the courtyard where people were hanging out laundry or just hanging out.  It was a beautiful evening – warm and clear and a very Venetian one, too.

Italian Trip Diary -- Day #7 -- Florence to Siena

Tuesday, June 19, 2001, Florence to Siena:

We were so enamored with Florence that we asked the concierge if we could to delay our departure from the hotel as long as possible.  She allowed us an extra hour – until 1:00pm.  So we were able to visit the museum of the Duomo (Museo dell'Opera del Duomo) in the morning.  It is a wonderful museum which presents many of the treasures of the Duomo, the campanile and the baptistery in a beautiful, modern manner.  There were several restored panels by Ghiberti from the baptistery doors (the originals which were deteriorating from the atmospheric conditions). 

'Story of Esau and Jacob' panel by Lorenzo Ghiberti, gilded bronze, 1425 to 1452.
Restored original from East Doors of Baptistery.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

'Story of Cain and Abel' panel by Lorenzo Ghiberti, gilded bronze, 1425 to 1452.
Restored original from East Doors of Baptistery.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

(The entire set of original panels have now been restored and reassembled in this museum, displayed inside a giant 'casket').

There are also relief panels from the walls of the campanile.

One of the original relief panels from the Campanile.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

And original statues from the façades of the cathedral, the campanile and the baptisery are all displayed.

'Baptism of Christ'  originally above the East Doors of the Baptisery (replaced by copies).
Figures of Christ and John, the Baptist, begun by Andrea Sansavino and completed by Vincenzo Danti, 1501 to 1503.  Angel completed by Innocenzo Spinnazi in 1752.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

'Saint John, the Evangelist' by Donatello, marble, 1408-15, from facade of Duomo.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

'The Prophet Jeremiah' by Donatello, 1423-1427 from Campanile.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

Also there are lots of precious reliquaries and similar items.

Reliquary of gold and crystal containing chains.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

These fragments from an arch were beautifully displayed.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

But the most prized object is an unfinished (by now we are not surprised) 'Pieta' by Michaelangelo which supposedly includes a self-portrait and was intended for his own tomb.  Compared to other Michelangelo works that we saw in Florence, it seems rough, heavy and mournful – the figures each seem to be in a different scale and don’t relate easily to one another, creating great tension and requiring work from the observer to understand this grouping.

'Pieta' by Michelangelo, marble, 1547-1553.
 The hooded figure at top is thought to be a self-portrait -- this grouping was meant for
Michelangelo's tomb before he abandoned it.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

There is also a rather terse wood carving of “The Penitent Magdalene” by Donatello.

'The Penitent Magdalene' by Donatello, carved poplar, 1453 to 1455.
In this work Donatello may have conflated Mary Magdalene with Saint Mary of Egypt
 who lived as a hermit in the desert.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

In one room there are two white marble cantori (choir galleries) -- one by Donatello and one by Luca della Robbia – that are masterpieces of relief sculpture.

Choir Gallery with relief sculptures by Donatello, marble, 1433-39.  Notice how the figures continue behind the columns.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

Choir Gallery with relief sculptures by Lucca della Robbia, marble, 1431-1438.  
Photo by Blomme-McClure

Additional Relief Panels by Lucca della Robbia, marble, 1431-1438.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

We left Florence with reluctance, climbing up over the hills past the Piazzale Michaelangelo and San Miniato al Monte and savoring the views of the city for the last time.  The Autostrada to Siena runs through high green hills, many capped with hill towns or monasteries silhouetted against an increasingly cloudy sky.  Our arrival in Siena was inauspicious since we had incomplete directions to our hotel and proceeded to get lost in the maze of streets leading to the center of the city. Fortunately, signs to our hotel, the Jolly Hotel Siena (now the Hotel Excelsior, Piazza La Lizza, Siena; 0577 288448, http://www.nh-hotels.com/nh/en/hotels/italy/siena/nh-excelsior.html), appeared about the time we were getting a little frantic.

Our welcome at the hotel was chilly.  We were informed that due to a street fair the following morning we would have to park in a lot down the hill behind the fortress.  Carl accompanied the luggage up to the rooms, while George & I took the car down the hill to a crowded, but free, lot.  Returning to the hotel, we found that the hallways were dark and low-ceilinged, the rooms were tight and the whole place was pervaded with the smell of a sour cleaning solvent.  Fortunately, our corner room had a wonderful view over the stadium to the cathedral.

Siena Cathedral (Santa Maria Assunta) viewed from our room at the Jolly Hotel Siena.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

After a brief pause at the hotel, we decided to walk to the Piazza del Campo in the center of the city – the famous square where the Medieval horse race, the Pallio, is run once each summer.  

Piazza del Campo, Siena.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

It is a wonderful space – a huge fan shaped bowl that slopes down from the entrances to the stunning Palazzo Pubblico (the town hall) with a tall tower (Torre del Mangia) at the end of its façade.

Palazzo Pubblico (City Hall) of Siena begun in 1297.  The Torre del Mangia (bell tower)
was added in 1325 to 1344 with the crown designed by the painter, Lippo Memmi.
Photo by Blomme-McClure.

At the base of the Torre del Mangia is the Cappella di Piazza -- an al fresco chapel.
It was added in 1352 to thank the Virgin Mary for those who survived the Black Plague,
which dessimated Siena in 1348.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

Opposite the town hall is a beautiful fountain of gleaming white marble.

'Fonte Gaia' (Fountain of Joy) designed and built in 1419 by Jacopo della Quericia.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

'Madonna and Child' at center of 'Fonte Gaia' by Tito Sirrocchi, 1866.
The orginal sculptures by Jacopo della Quericia are now in a museum elsewhere in Siena.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

We found a table at Bar Manganelli on the square and had barely settled when an enormous thunder storm swept over the city.  It lasted for nearly 45 minutes, but we stayed comfortable and dry and enjoyed a nice, late afternoon lunch.  When the rains calmed down we made our way back to the hotel.

That evening we went out to dinner in a light rain to Antica Osteria da Divo (via Franciosa 25-29, Siena; 0577/284381; http://www.osteriadadivo.it/eng/chi-siamo.htm) a delightful restaurant in an ancient building tucked behind the cathedral.  The translation of the menu into English was hilarious and gave us all a case of the giggles, but the food and service were seriously wonderful.  During the course of our dinner the waiter dropped by to show us several desserts as they were being served to other customers.  Needless to say, we all had dessert.  The courses were interspersed with small “gifts” from the chef and the whole meal was capped off with a complimentary lemon liquor, Limoncello, which we all found refreshing.