October 25 walkabout

On Saturday, October 25, I decided to explore the western side of Florence. Most of my dealings are on the east and north sides of town. And since Sarah was busy with school work I took the opportunity to look around a little. I had no real plans except that I wanted to go into two of the three remaining large churches that I had yet to visit in Florence. So after this excursion I had been into all of the major churches in Florence with the lone exception of the one for which Florence is best known: the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, aka the Duomo. That church will have to wait.


I began by casually strolling along the north-south streets in the center of town from Calzaioli (a street with which I am very familiar) west to Via de Tornabuoni (a street with which I am less familiar). The picture above is from Tornabuoni looking west towards the spot where Via della Vigna Nuovo and some other street come together.


Then I worked my way back east and north to San Lorenzo (seen above). It is a huge church. Unfortunately, there are no pictures allowed inside this church or in Santa Maria Novella, my other destination. I was going to use some online images of the works of art in these churches but decided against it. There is nothing inside that I had heard of before, but I am definitely glad I went into both. I think that some things like Bronzino's Martyrdom of St. Lawrence in San Lorenzo and most of the works in Santa Maria Novella would be well worth seeing in person, but the little images of these works of art wouldn't be adequate. So, too bad. No images for you. Donatello's two bronze pulpits are also definitely worth seeing. I did not pay the extra fees to go into the Medici Chapel and the Laurentian Library this time. But I do plan on going sometime with Sarah.


Here is a shot of people on top of the Duomo from inside San Lorenzo's courtyard.


Next to San Lorenzo is a market of sorts, which is next to the building that houses the market that I went to with Sarah and Kellin many moons ago. There's a posting of that day somewhere.


I then walked by the Fortezza di Basso, which is now a conference center, on my way to find some lunch.


I settled for kabob since I had no luck finding anything else that looked apetizing. Then I went into Santa Maria Novella, not the train station (which I've been in many times) but the church right around the corner. Again, no pictures allowed but it is an amazing church. After walking around the interior twice I sat and just enjoyed the view for a while. Meanwhile, I became aware of a growing amount of noise outside. So I left to find out what was going on.


Typical. There was some sort of rally going on. I have no idea what the flags they were waving represented so I have no idea what the rally was about. Oh well. Nothing new.


Here is the front of Santa Maria Novella, the side I see on our route to the train station. The piazza in front of the church has been under construction since before I came to Florence and I have no idea why. It looks ready, whatever they've done to it.


From there I walked south and west toward the Arno and stopped at a church that not even Sarah has been to. The little church of Ognissanti is near where Sarah and Kellin were originally supposed to live, before the last minute flea infestation, on Borgo Ognissanti.


Pictures were allowed in this church, but I felt bad since some people were praying. This robed fellow got up while I was looking around. When I went into an open door to explore more, I almost interrupted his hearing of another person's confession. Not to worry. I don't speak Italian so I don't know what her sins were.


There was some Ghirlandaio and some Botticelli (who might be buried there) and this statue of Mary that looked like it was crying.


From Ognissanti I went across the Ponte Amerigo Vespucci and down to a little concrete area along the river. I don't know if it's true, but someone told me that without these little dams in the river it would slow to a trickle at times. So it looks like the river is always full o' water.


I saw this rare and beautiful creature and managed to catch a couple of photos of him before he strolled away. Nature! Goulet.


This stick would surely have drowned had it not been fo this passing life preserver.


From there I walked along the old city walls for a while. I was going to walk along them as long as I could to see where it took me, but I got tired and hungry and confused.


This is the Porta San Frediano. Neat.


From there I tried to see another small church but they were about to start mass. So I wandered around the Oltrarno for a while heading in the general direction of home. I made it back to the river and took some boring pictures. Here is the Ponte Vecchio. You can see the backs of the shops that line both sides of the bridge, the constant crowd of people, and part of the Vasari Corridor (above the arches) that goes from the Palazzo Vecchio to the Palazzo Pitti.
There you have it.