Bongiorno! July 2018. Tuscany, Italy. Scouted six hill towns, two monasteries, Florence, Pisa and Venice. I was 10years 8mo.
Venice, Italy
CANALS, GONDOLAS, BRIDGES
• My fourth trip to Italy
Montaione, Tuscany
ITALIAN HILL TOWN WITH SCENIC VIEWS
INFO
Montaione, Tuscany, Italy
• Montaione found in document from year 981
• 35 kilometres southwest of Florence
• Church of San Regolo
• Elevation 373m
• Restaurant Osteria Del Pesce Rosso Montaione: beef dinner
San Vivaldo Monastery, Montaione
MONASTERY AND CHAPELS FROM 1500s
• Also called as New Jerusalem for pilgrimage, many chapels
• San Vivaldo Restaurant: rabbit dinner
Certaldo, Tuscany
BY FUNICULAR FROM CERTALDO BASSO TO CERTALDO ALTO
INFO
Certaldo, Tuscany, Italy
• The existence of castle-village is documented in 1164
• Certaldo Basso, lower town, Certaldo Alto, medieval upper town
• Certaldo funicular (1999) lifts 200m from Basso to Alto
• Ceramic coats of arms and frescoes from 13-16th century
• Writer Giovanni Boccaccio, Decameron (100 stories 1349-1353)
• Arts shows
• Grande Aurora (2016) by Franco Mauro Franchi (1951-)
• Palazzo Pretorio from 12th century, symbol of Certaldo Alto
July 2018
Certaldo
Italy
San Gimignano, Italy
ITALIAN HILL TOWN WITH TOWERS AND THE FEEL
INFO
San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy
• Origins: 3rd century BC Etruscan village
• Fourteen towers of varying heights
• Well-preserved houses, encircling wall, eight entrances
• Ubisoft Assassins Creed video game for PS4, Xbox
• Known for saffron, Golden Ham and white wines
• Artist Escher: woodcut of San Gimignano towers (1923)
• Elevation 324m
July 2018
San Gimignano, Italy
Volterra, Italy
ITALIAN HILL TOP TOWN WITH ALABASTER
INFO
Volterra, Tuscany, Italy
• Built on foundations of Etruscan village, on alabaster cliffs
• Walls date back to the 5th century B.C.
• The main gate Porta dell’Arco to the city
• Piazza and Palazzo dei Priori, frescoes
• Volterra Cathedral, city walls, alabaster shops
• The legend of the witches of Volterra
• Elevation 531m
• Rossi Alabastri Laboratorio, Workshop, Shopping since 1912
• Urban installation, its first creation was in 1988
• 2018: Concept Armando Punzo
"Gentles words. How to break the principle of reality to escape an apparently unchanging humanity"
Tuscany views, Italy
OLIVE, WINE AND WHEAT WITH SIDEFLIPS
The Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore
BENEDICTINE MONASTERY FOUNDED IN 1313
• On the way to Asciano hill town
Asciano, Italy
A SLEEPY, LITTLE, HOT ITALIAN HILL TOWN
INFO
Asciano, Tuscany, Italy
• Origins: 5th century BC Etruscan
• Surrounded by walls in 1351
• 11th century Romanesque basilica of Sant'Agata
• Elevation 200m
Buonconvento, Italy
A SMALL ITALIAN HILL TOWN
INFO
Buonconvento, Tuscany, Italy
• Buonconvento "happy place" mentioned in 1100
• Surrounded by walls in 1371
• German emperor Henry VII died here
• Elevation 147m
Pisa, Italy
THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA
• The Pisa Tower, construction began in 1173, completed in 1372
• Located behind Pisa’s cathedral, has over 5 million visitors a year
• Reaching the top takes 269 steps
July 2018
Pisa, Italy
Holding Pisa:
- done
Florence, Italy
STREETS, ARTS, RESTAURANTS, ICE-CREAM
• Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio: Medusa (1597)
• Perseus decapitated snakes-haired Medusa, her last moment alive
• Florence Cathedral of Saint Mary of the flowers
• Loggia dei Lanzi at Piazza del la Signoria
• Ponte Vecchio, the only bridge across the River Arno until 1218
• Restaurant Fuoco Matto Pizza & Grill: beef dinner, I recommend
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy
BOTTICELLI, BOTTICINI, LEONARDO DA VINCI, GRISONI, DURER
• First Corridor (East) aka Gallery of Statues, sculptures since 1589
• Sculpture: Hercules and Centaur Nessus
• Sandro Botticelli: Primavera aka Spring (1480)
• Francesco Botticini: The Three Archangels and Tobias (1470)
• Left: Archangels Michael and Raphael, Tobias, Archangel Gabriel
• Tribuna, octagonal room, work-of-art itself, completed 1584
• Tribuna was a gallery before Uffizi Palace was transformed to gallery
• Second Corridor of Uffizi Gallery (three corridors)
• Niobe Room No.42, Sala della Niobe, sculptures, Grisoni's painting
INFO
GREEK MYTHOLOGY - THE NIOBE MYTH
• Niobe was the daughter of Tantalus and wife of Amphion, Thebes king
• Niobe had fourteen children, seven male and seven female: Niobids
• Niobe laughed at goddess Latona, two children, Apollo and Artemis
• Pride. Punishment. Latona sent her sons to kill Niobe’s children
• Niobe turned into a marble block
• The sculptures were found in Rome, near Porta San Giovanni in 1583
• Guido Reni: David with the Head of Goliath (1605)
• Guido made two similar paintings, the other is in Louvre Museum
Flights, Hotels, Route Map
FINNAIR FLIGHTS, TWO HOTELS
• Hotel had a rooftop viewing deck
• Venice to/back Florence by fast train (180km/h) 2 hours
• Touring in Tuscany with friends by car about 500km
• Montaione, hill town, good restaurant
-- Restaurant Osteria Del Pesce Rosso Montaione
• San Vivaldo Monastery, Montaione
• Certaldo, medieval hill town with arts
• San Gimignano, hill town, fourteen towers
• Volterra, hill town, alabaster
• The Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, monastery
• Asciano, hill town
• Buonconvento, a little Tuscany hill town
• Pisa, the leaning tower
• Florence, Uffici Gallery, good restaurant
-- Restaurant Fuoco Matto Pizza & Grill
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