We're up early to go to a self service laundry place around 10 minute walk from our hotel. Yesterday at the pool some guests told us about this place. This place is just being opened and a guy is washing the floor so he puts some chairs outside for us to sit on while the floor dries. This place has washers and dryers as well as a change machine. The guy explains to us how to get change for the machines. The place is immaculate. He leaves. After a bit we do a load of wash 30 minutes for 6€ and then put it in the dryer 40 minutes 4.5€. The machines have detergent and freshener in them. The clothes smell so good when they're done!
After doing our laundry we are back at our hotel for breakfast. I have juice, pineapple, some pastries/sweets, and green tea. We take a taxi to the Duomo complex. Cost 15€/$16.21.
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| Our taxi |
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Today's sightseeing is the Duomo complex. Made up of 4 buildings/monuments-the Cathedral, Baptistery, the museum, and the bell tower. I have booked the Ghiberti Pass for us on line for 30€/$33.15. We have timed entry of 11:45 am for Santa Reparata. We're early so we decide to visit the Baptistery first. Also known as the Baptistery of Saint John. Octagonal. Has 8 equal sides. One of the oldest buildings in the city constructed between 1059 and 1128. Florentine Romanesque style. Renowned for 3 sets of bronze doors with relief sculptures. South doors created by Andrea Pisano. There are 28 panels. 20 panels depicting scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist. North and east doors by Lorenzo Ghiberti. Michelangelo called the east doors the Gates of Paradise. 8 lower panels represent the 8 virtues of hope, faith, charity, humility, fortitude, temperance, justice, and prudence. Group of bronze statues above the gate which show the beheading of St. John the Baptist. (A competition was held to design the doors of the east side of the baptistery facing the cathedral. Ghiberti won over Filippo Brunelleschi. Eventually those doors would be moved to the north side and be replaced by Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise.) These north doors consist of 28 panels showing the life of Christ from the New Testament. The 8 lower panels show the 4 evangelists and church fathers St. Ambrose, St. Jerome, St. Gregory, and St. Augustine. Originally installed on the east side in place of Pisano's doors but later moved to the north side. Bronze statues over the northern gate show John the Baptist preaching to a Pharisee and Sadducee. East doors-Gates of Paradise. Ghiberti's second commission. 10 panels depicting scenes from the Old Testament. Each panel shows more than 1 episode. The Gates of Paradise in the Baptistery are copies. Originals in the Museo dell 'Opera del Duomo. There is restoration work being done on the mosaic ceiling. What is what is described quite well. We spend around 30 minutes here.
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| Restoration work being done on mosaic ceiling |
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| Floor |
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| Postcard |
Next is Santa Reparta. Walking to our entrance we pass a huge line of those waiting to get inside the Duomo! Access from the Cathedral "Porta Campanile"/south side beside Bell Tower entrance. We have timed entry of 11:45 am-12:15 pm for this. Site of the ancient basilica of Santa Reparata uncovered during an archaeological campaign from 1965-1973. Under the Duomo. One of the first Christian temples in the history of Florence. The underground site has a mosaic floor in geometric motifs with Solomonic knots, vases, and the figure of a grand peacock-symbol of eternity and resurrection. The site also includes remains from the still earlier Florence of Roman times. Series of burials with many funerary tombstones of the 14th century. Good signage. Numbered description panels help with direction of the visit. We spend 40 minutes here. Walking back up the short staircase we are inside the Duomo.
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Duomo. Also known as Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore. Built on the site of the 7th century church of Santa Reparata. UNESCO World Heritage site. One of Italy's largest churches. Neo Gothic. Begun in 1296 design Arnolfo di Cambio and completed 1436. Outside there are 2 important statues of architects Arnolfo di Cambio and Filippo Brunelleschi-imortant to the design and building of this mighty church. External walls covered in white, red, green marble with geometric figures and flowers. Filippo Brunelleschi's dome. He built one dome inside the other and connected them with common ribbing that stretched across-to lessen the crushing weight. New method brick laying-herringbone pattern interlocking each course of bricks with the course below-self supporting. You can climb the dome-463 steps-and you must book dome climb tickets. Inside I loved all the stained glass windows. Works of art from different eras including famous masterpieces from the 15th century such as the huge clock by Paolo Uccello. Many sculptures of the apostles and prophets. We spend 45 minutes here.
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Postcard
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| Postcard-Duomo |
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| Floors look like mosaic carpets |
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| Giorgio Vasari-Last Judgment |
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| Altar |
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| Clock above entrance designed in 1443 by Paolo Uccello in accordance with the ora italica where the 24th hour of the day ended at sunset and it still works! |
Museo dell 'Opera del Duomo. Contains many of the original works of art created for the Cathedral including the Baptistery and Giotto's Campanile. We spend 1 hour here.
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| Postcards-on the left is Door of Paradise and North Door on the right |
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| Ghiberti-Annunciazione |
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| North door-Baptistery-stories of Christ |
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| Door of Paradise-Old Testament stories |
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| A. Pisano-South Door-stories of St. John the Baptist |
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| Donatello-Saint Mary Magdalene as penitent |
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Giovanni del Biondo-St. Catherine of Alexandria with scenes of her life and portraits of the donors in prayer
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| Byzantine goldsmiths |
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| Michelangelo-Pieta |
Giotto's Bell Tower. Gothic. Exterior clad in white, red, and green marble. Geometric motifs and flowers. Multicolor marble reliefs which are now in the Museo. There are over 400 steps to climb for the panoramic view. The tower has 12 bells. Separate ticket for this. We just view this from the outside. Very impressive.
Last look at the Duomo complex of buildings we've just visited.
Walking back to where we've been told we can catch a taxi we come upon the Hard Rock. My stepdaughter collects the shot glasses. I've bought ones in Venice so now I buy them for her here. Cost 19.90€/$21.50. We have to wait a bit for taxis to show up. I've been having problems with my e-sim that I got for Italy. It seems it doesn't include cell phone service so I can't call for a taxi and texting hasn't helped. Taxi back to our hotel maybe 9.30€/$10.05.
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| Waiting for a taxi |
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| Our taxi |
Back at the hotel we spend some time relaxing by the pool. We're here for tea time. We ask reception to try to get us dinner reservation for tonight at Osteria Vini e Vecchi Sapori but they are fully booked for the next several nights. We remember one of the guests telling us about an amazing place they went for dinner. All that was mentioned was Giovanni and I've found 2 places with that name! So we just pick one that sounds like it might be good.
L 'Osteria Di Giovanni. Taxi from our hotel. Cost12.20€/$13.18. Place is not busy when we arrive at 7:30 pm. Seated at a nice table. Bread basket. Complimentary pasta bread bites-delicious. I was told the name but didn't write it down. Drinks-beer and house wine.
Fried zucchini flowers-tasty. I order filet mignon-done medium. Comes with roasted potatoes and swiss chard. It was very good and cooked exactly as I had ordered. Richard goes for the fish of the day which I did not write down but he said it was very good. It was not overcooked. Comes with roasted potatoes and vegetables. Dessert-tiramisu for me and pistachio gelato for Richard. Perfect way to end our meal but wait! Complimentary almond biscotti and limoncello shots and a bag of the biscotti to take with us! Cost 108€/$116.68.
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| Complimentary pasta bread things |
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| Bread basket |
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| Fried zucchini flowers |
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Filet mignon with roasted potatoes
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Fish of the day with roasted potatoes and vegetables
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| Menu |
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| Menu |
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| Complimentary biscotti |
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| Tiramisu |
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Pistachio gelato
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Complimentary package biscotti
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| Restaurant busy now |
Taxi back to our hotel at 9:15 pm. Cost 12.20€/$13.18. We have had a lovely dinner
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