Cities | Notes from Italy

Manarola, Italy: A Marvelous Village On The Mediterranean

Fri, May 11, 2012 By Theo Leave a Comment

Known in the past as magna roea due to the presence of a windmill, Manarola is a marvelous village set along the eastern layer of the Apennines and the Ligurian sea, and it’s one of the so-called Cinque Terre.

Panoramic View of Manarola, Italy

The typical multicolored, genoan-style houses, the presence of the little river Groppo, and the unique location of a complex built on the ridge of the mountain, creates a stunning and unbelievable picture.

The parallel alleys of the village, climbing up the rocky wall, are connected by slate stairways, making Manarola the perfect place for lovers of quiet holidays and photographers.

Street View of Manarola

It’s also recommendable during Christmas celebrations, when the hill of Manarola becomes a giant crib with human-sized figures, built among the olive groves and the vineyards, realized by the local artisan Mario Andreoli. This is the biggest crib in the world.

Manarola View

Every year, the same artist transforms the hill above Manarola in a Way of the Cross during Easter celebrations.

The main attractions of Manarola and the surrounding areas are the crystal sea and the nature. One of the favorite ways to explore the National Park of the Cinque Terre is the via dell’Amore (Road of Love), a panoramic path built in 1920 on the side of the mountain connecting Riomaggiore and Manarola, which is a part of a bigger path that connects the other villages, Monterosso, Corniglia and Vernazza. UNESCO rewarded this path in 1997 as World Heritage.

Via dell'Amore or Lovers Walk in Cinque Terre, Italy

Manarola has a long and important history; the first documents date its birth back to 830 AD.

The most valuable monuments in the village are the Romanesque churches, like San Lorenzo, with the impressive rose window representing a crown with human and lion heads and the paintings over the main altar representing Madonna, the Saints, and San Lorenzo. The church was built in 1338, more or less like the church of San Giovanni Battista in Riomaggiore.

The Church of San Giovanni Battista in Riomaggiore

It’s possible to admire the old castle, now transformed into a private house, the romantic cemetery placed on the edge of Punta Bonfiglio, and the characteristic winch used to lower the boats in the middle of the sea.

Lovers of cuisine will have to taste the fantastic flavor of the local wine, famous since the XII century, perfect with the fish specialties like the mussels and the anchovies of Monterosso. The olive oil was rewarded by the EU with the D.O.P. Mark and the grappa (a strong liqueur with digestive properties), is absolutely priceless.

It is definitely a place to visit.

Filed Under: Manarola Tagged With: Apennines, Architecture, church, Cinque Terre, italy, Ligurian sea, Manarola, unesco, Via dell'Amore, Vineyards

Venice, Italy – An Orientation to Venice

Tue, May 8, 2012 By Deanna Leave a Comment

There is no simply other city on Earth like Venice. Its iconic canals and unique cityscape have drawn visitors for centuries. Royalty, authors, statesmen, movie stars and ordinary people have come here, and been changed by the city’s spirit and beauty. They call it La Serenissima, meaning the most serene.

Venice. The Grand Canal - View from Rialto

From the Piazza San Marco to the Bridge of Sighs, and out to the Venetian Islands, a trip to Venice is a trip to the heart and the soul of Italy.

HOW TO GET TO VENICE

Arriving by plane

If you’re flying into Venice, you will probably arrive at Marco Polo airport, on the mainland.

Venice When Flying Into Marco Polo Airport

From here, there are several ways you can get to the city center and your hotel.
1) You can take a water taxi with set rates, depending on where you are going, and how many people are in your group. The water taxi is quite expensive.
2) You can take a water bus called Alilaguna. This costs much less than the taxi, and they have several lines that can take you all over the city. The ticket agent can tell you which stop is closest to your hotel, and then you can walk from that stop.
3) You can take a shuttle bus to Piazzale Roma, which is the bus / car / train hub in Venice. This is not exactly a charming introduction to Venice, but many people do arrive this way. From here, you could get a water taxi or vaporetto to your hotel, or just walk if you are staying near here.

You may fly into Treviso Airport instead, especially if you’re flying on Ryannair. From here, there are buses that take you to Piazzale Roma.

Water taxi prices
Alilaguna water bus from the airport
Airport shuttle bus

Arriving by train

Taking the train can be an excellent way to travel around Italy, or further afield in Europe. If you’re arriving in Venice on the train, you will pull into the Santa Lucia Railway Station, which sits at the entrance to the Grand Canal.

Italian Train

You can easily walk down the Strada Nuova to the city center from there, or you can take a vaporetto (water bus) from the jetties right across from the train station, or you can get a water taxi.

Arriving by car

Small Italian Car

With all the paintings and photos of boats and canals, you probably already realize that Venice is not the world’s most car-friendly city, but you can drive there. It will involve dropping off your rental car, or parking your car and leaving it before you head into the historic and watery center of town.

The Ponte della Liberta connects Venice to the mainland. This bridge will get you into Venice, to either the Tronchetto or Piazzale Roma, where there are a number of indoor and outdoor parking lots. You may have better luck finding a spot at Tronchetto, since Piazzale Roma is used by all the car rental agencies, and by every Venetian with a car. Parking fees vary from lot to lot.

Once you unload your luggage, you can easily reach the city center by taking a vaporetto (a Venice water bus), a water taxi, or you can walk.

LAYOUT OF VENICE

Venice (Venezia, in Italian) is one of the most charming cities you could ever visit, but it can also be daunting, for many of the same reasons. Built on more than 100 small islands in the saltwater Venetian Lagoon, along the shoreline of the Po and Piave Rivers, there are enough natural geographic barriers and diversions to make the most dedicated urban planner cry.

Venice From Above

While its winding streets, romantic bridges and watery canals are unique and picturesque; they can also be quite confounding.

It may seem like a bit of a maze, but once you figure it out, Venice is fairly accessible.

The old city center is divided into six parts, called sestieri. They are Castello, Cannaregio, San Marco, Santa Croce, Dorsoduro, and San Polo. The islands around Venice are Giudecca, San Giorgio, Murano, Burano, Torcello and the Lido.

WHERE TO STAY IN VENICE

Each of the districts in Venice and the Venetian Islands has its own distinct rhythm and flavor. San Marco is the heart of Venice, and it’s the tourist hot spot. If you’re in Venice for only a short time and want to see everything, you want to stay in San Marco.

People in San Marco

East of that is Castello, Venice’s largest and most varied district, stretching from near the Rialto out past the Arsenal and the Public Gardens. Furthest to the north is the mostly residential district of Cannaregio. These are both lovely districts with plenty of hotels if you’re planning a longer, more leisurely stay in Venice.

If you prefer to stay where there’s great nightlife, San Polo is home to Rialto Bridge, busy markets, and some of the finest restaurants in Venice. Arty and studenty Dorsoduro is also busy and vibrant.

Santa Croce is mostly residential, and where you will find the public garages, the ferry to the beaches on the Lido, and the port. This is the place to stay if you’re planning regular day trips outside the city.

Mestre is technically part of Venice, but sits on the Italian mainland. It’s your cheapest option, but it’s also the furthest out and the least appealing.

GETTING AROUND IN VENICE

You can easily make your way around the city by water bus, or vaporetto. There are also water taxis, but like at the airport, this is your most expensive option. If you just need to get from one side of the Grand Canal to the other, you can hop on a cheap and pretty gondola ferry, or traghetto, which cross at a number of places on the Grand Canal.

Gondolas Crossing The Grand Canal - Venice, Italy

The very best way to get around Venice is on foot.

Make sure you invest in a detailed map of Venice that includes all the vaporetto and traghetto stops.

Vapporetto (water bus) info & route map

Alilaguna water bus route map

EXPLORING VENICE

Make sure to take the time for a tour of the Venetian Islands. A three-hour excursion leaves from the pier at Riva degli Schiavoni, taking you past San Giorgio and San Francesco del Deserto, then makes stops and brief tours at Murano, Torcello and Burano. If you want more time to explore, vapporetti leave for the islands every hour from the Fondamenta Nuove. Check the water bus map and schedule for specifics on where you want to go.

If you feel like a day at the beach, head to the Lido, a narrow strip of land between Venice and the Adriatic Sea. It’s a 20 minute boat ride from St. Mark’s, and was built into a summer resort in the early 1900s.

Lido is a narrow strip of land between Venice and the Adriatic Sea

While it doesn’t compare with the best of sun spots in the Mediterranean, its leafy streets and sandy beaches are lovely, and a nice change from Venice.

Wherever you choose to stay in Venice, you are guaranteed to enjoy its enchanting canals, beautiful buildings and fascinating history. Wander its calli, campi and campielli without being afraid of getting lost. You’re bound to discover something fascinating around the next corner.

VENICE RESOURCES

General info on Venice

Filed Under: Transportation, Venice Tagged With: airplane, Architecture, canals, car, italy, tips, train, Transportation, travel, Venice

Florence, Italy – An Orientation to Florence

Wed, Dec 21, 2011 By Deanna 1 Comment

Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region of Italy. It is also one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy. If you are one of the ten million or so people throughout the world who say, “I want to go to Florence” each year and actually do so, then make the most of your trip by getting yourself oriented before you go. Otherwise, there is so much to see and do in Florence that you could end up wasting half your trip just deciding where to go on any given day.

If you are arriving by air, you have a few options. Recently upgraded, Amerigo Vespucci Airport now services over 2 million passengers every year. It only services direct flights from limited European destinations, though. International travelers need to get a connecting flight from [Read more...]

Filed Under: Florence Tagged With: Directions, duomo, Exploring, Florence, GPS, italy, Map, National Museum, Orientation, Tuscany, Uffizi Gallery

Genoa – the birth place of Christopher Columbus, blue-jeans and the ice cream

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 By Theo Leave a Comment

As the oldest capital of one of the maritime republics, Genoa nowadays belongs to the “Industrial Triangle” with Milan and Turin, and it’s one of the main ports in Europe. It’s symbol is the lighthouse of the old port known as “La Lanterna” (the lantern).

Famous also for being the birth place of Christopher Columbus, Genoa is a melting pot and an important center for culture and scientific research.

Portofino Genoa, Italian Riviera

The name “Genoa” comes from the loyalty to the roman empire: Janus was the double-faced god of the roman’s paganism, and Genoa, which looked the mountain from the back and the sea from the front, was called in this way, rendering homage to the god.

A Few Words of History

Genoa was led for about eight centuries by many types of government: republic, oligarchy, dukedom, and doges. The neutrality led the republic to fund a commercial empire that controlled the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, from Iraq to Palestine and from North Africa to the Spanish coasts. Genoa was able to control the economies of important empires: Swabia, of the Habsburg and Byzantine, until the rise of Napoleon that conquered the republic and looted the Bank of San Giorgio, the national institute and the eldest bank in the world.

The flag of the Republic is the famous Union Jack, used nowadays by the Royal Navy. In 1190, due to its authority in the Mediterranean Sea, the King of England asked the permission to the Doge to hoist the genoan flag on his ships to prevent the pirates’ attacks.

The famous Union Jack, used nowadays by the Royal Navy

What to see in Genoa

The old city of Genoa is a must-see, with its narrow alleys (carrugi) and little squares; one of the most famous areas is named “Boccadasse”, with its multicoloured boats and the long promenade, sprinkled with ice cream kiosks. Another interesting spot is the fountain of Piazza De Ferrari, the core of the town. And don’t miss a visit at the Aquarium, the second largest in Europe, built in the Expo Area in 1992 and inaugurated for the Colombian Celebrations 500 years after the journey of the famous navigator who discovered the New World.

One of the many narrow alleys called 'Carrugi'

In the suburbs there are two locations, Nervi and Pegli, respectively the Gates of the Eastern and Western Riviera.

The Palazzo Ducale, old headquarter of the Lords of the city, now a cultural center, is worth a visit; the old port and the Carlo Felice’s Theatre, damaged during the Second World War, was restored in the 90′s.

The Promenade Anita Garibaldi a path through the rocks above the sea, is absolutely wonderful. It leads the visitor along the three villas, Grimaldi-Fassio, Serra-Saluzzo and Gropallo, which are all connected to create a stunning park.

Witnesses of the ancient role of the city, Genoa has many forts: Forte Diamante, Forte Begato, Forte Tenaglia, Forte Giuliano, Forte San Martino, as well as others.

Fine Italian Ice-Cream

Some of them are totally abandoned, while some were transformed into cultural centers or used for the rock concerts and other musical events.

Ever wonder where the ice cream came from?

Genoa is the homeland of the Italian habit of aperitives, of the blue-jeans (jeans comes from Genes, the french name of Genoa), the national game of lotto (a national lottery). The Genoans are also considered the inventor of the ice cream.

Genoa is the native country of the Italian pesto, a kind of sauce for pasta obtained by mixing pine kernels, garlic, pecorino cheese, basil and olive oil; moreover, it was the homeland of soccer in Italy. James Spencer, a British doctor, founded the Genoa Cricket and Football Club in 1909, a legendary team that won nine Championships and one National Cup after the Second World War.

Filed Under: Genoa Tagged With: aquarium, blue jeans, christopher columbus, ferrari, fort, genoa culture, ice-cream, port, riviera, royal navy

Bologna – one of the most important Italian cities

Sat, Oct 29, 2011 By Theo Leave a Comment

Bologna is one of the most important Italian cities for history, culture, and economy, located in the middle of Padana plain, between the two rivers Reno and Savena.

Panoramic View of Bologna

The geographic position has always been basic for its economic role: the large number of canals (now buried), the short distance to the sea, and the presence of the biggest plain in Italy, made Bologna a sorting center for this part of Europe. The old downtown is perfectly conserved and the presence of traditional arcades was used to facilitate the markets and the promenades, also considering the tough weather conditions on winter.

A residential building in Bologna

Bologna has always been considered a cultural center. Founded by the Etrurians and inhabited by the Celts as well, Bologna became a big city during the Roman Empire and, after the barbarian invasions, was annexed by the French emperor Carlo Magno. During the Middle Ages Bologna founded one of the most important universities, the “Alma mater studiorum”, with a famous law school managed by two great jurists, Irnerio and Pepone.

Bologna paid a grievous tribute during the Second World War, becoming a symbol of the resistance against the Nazi army.

The historical area of the town is very well conserved: in piazza Maggiore there is the gothic Basilica of San Petronio (XVII century), with an arcade decorated by Jacopo Della Quercia; it’s also possible to admire the biggest sundial in the world, projected by the mathematician Cassini.

In the same square we can see the Palazzo Podestà , the Palazzo Comunale (the old head office of the municipality) and the Fountain of Neptune.

The Fountain of Neptune

The Archiginnasio, the old venue of the university, built by Antonio Morandi, with its anatomic theatre, (the anatomic lab), is a must-see and now transformed into the Public Library.

Other valuable sites are the church of San Domenico, the French-gothic church of San Francesco and the stunning Santo Stefano’s complex, also known as “Seven churches” due to the number of buildings connected in the same area and separated with gardens and cloisters.

And don’t forget to visit the Basilica of San Petronio, the gothic San Giacomo Maggiore, and the basilica of Santa Maria dei Servi, with paintings by Cimabue.

Anyway, the most famous portraits of Bologna are the ancient towers of Asinelli and Garisenda. During the Middle Ages Bologna had about ninety towers; nowadays there are only seventeen.

The San Petronio Basilica with its unfinished facade

Dante Alighieri in his Divina Commedia – Inferno, mentions the Garisenda Tower. While the tower of Asinelli was used by the physicist Guglielmini for his experiments about gravity.

Bologna has also a wall complex built by Federico Barbarossa.

The EU declared Bologna Capital of European Culture in 2000; in 2006 UNESCO as capital of music rewarded the city also.

Bologna is also the capital of some traditional Italian dishes: the tortellini, with the shape inspired by the navel of Venus, and the tagliatelle, homage for the hairs of Lucrezia Borgia, according to the legend.

In October the municipality organizes the Tortellino Day, with contests and tasting of this kind of pasta.

Other bolognese symbols are the tomato sauce, known as ragù (bolognese sauce), the cheese Certosino and the mortadella.

Filed Under: Bologna Tagged With: basilica, culture, downtown, economy, emperor, etrurians, History, middle ages, rivers, unesco

Venice, Italy – The art, the miracle, the inexpressible

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 By Theo 1 Comment

Venice is not just Venice. More than any other city in the past it has become transformed within the imaginations of artists, painters, poets, prose-writers. Yet it remains very much as it was at the height of its greatest artistic achievements, during the Renaissance.

Grand Canal Venice

As early as 1882, Henry James observed that the most obvious thing to say about Venice is that there is nothing left to say. Works of art associated with images of Venice tend to stick in my mind and evoke its atmosphere and architecture. Wagner regarded Venice as a good place in which to compose because you could see the crowds and yet to be alone. Palaces, canals, gondolas, effects of light seen across the Lagoon at dawn and sunset, dissolve into a colorful Romantic vision.

Venice: A city to get lost in

Street Shops

The advantage of getting lost was that one found so much. Every few yards there were surprises. A dark passage-way opens onto the wide brilliantly lit expanse of a square enclosed by houses of different heights with narrow steep shuttered windows in grey peeling walls. At each corner a calle leads out of the square. I do not know which to consider the continuation of the one by which I have entered. Nor I do care. On one side of the square there is a shop, with a window full of toys. In the square itself there is a booth where a few vegetables lie on a bench under a striped awning. Choosing at random my way out of the square I go along a calle which leads to a bridge over a canal.

St Mark’s Square: the heart of Venice

My wanderings throughout the years brought me always back to St Mark’s Square, which has been compared to a ball-room, but which to my mind is more like the central chamber, interior cavity of a body, containing the heart. For St Mark’s Basilica truly is the hollow centre of Venice, with its great arched porch, and two attendant porches on each side.

St Mark's Square

One never forgets on Venice that the city is completely unlike anywhere else. Venice is a marble lung at this end of the Adriatic which breathes in and breathes out each day, according to the tides, the sea. The harbor has entered into every crevice it the city, become its very existence. Thus transport in Venice means the sea – traditionally the gondola. This introduces into it an element or condition which is like a different dimension of time. To recognize this, one only has to consider, for example, the effect upon New York if all the streets and avenues of Manhattan were excavated and made into canals!

Filed Under: Venice Tagged With: Architecture, canals, getting lost, gondola, History, square, st mark's, Venice

Florence, Italy – The Medici and the Renaissance

Thu, May 26, 2011 By Theo 1 Comment

For hundreds of years, Florence, Italy was one of the most important cities in the world. From the 14th to the 16th century, this stunning Italian city played a pivotal role in our civilization.

Rooftops of Florence, seen from the Duomo

Florence was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, which finally pulled Europe out of the Dark Ages. Industry grew, as did philosophy, the arts, language and architecture. Famous artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci worked here, and a new era of learning blossomed.

Today, Florence is considered a global treasure and a world heritage site. The heart of the city is a landscape of lovely buildings, with the city’s trademark orange tiled roofs. Millions of tourists come to Florence every year to soak up the city’s beauty and culture, not to mention the wonderful food and wine of the entire region of Tuscany.

When touring the history, art and architecture of this breathtaking city, one name keeps repeating itself again and again; the Medici family.

The Medici – The most powerful family in Florence

The House of Medici was one of the most important families in all of Italian history. Over generations, they shaped the city of Florence, the country of Italy, and even Western civilization. Some scholars argue they were the most important family in the world. Today, you can see the legacy of this powerful family all around Florence.

Towards Pitti Palace while walking through the main axis of Boboli Gardens

The Medici family came to have great influence over banking in Florence in the late 1300s. Founding the Medici Bank, the family helped redefine banking practices, reinvent the use of currency, revitalize industry and strengthen the economies of all of Europe. The family bank grew to become the largest bank in Europe by the 15th century, making the family the wealthiest on the continent and putting an enormous amount of power into the Medici hands. Four popes were from the Medici family.

Renaissance Art and The Medici family

The statue of Neptune in Piazza Signoria

With the wealth and power of the House of Medici, the family was able to sponsor the arts and education in Florence. Today, the evidence of their influence and patronage can be seen all around Florence, and at some of the city’s most important sites.

Start off with a visit to the imposing Medici Palace, built in 1444 in the heart of the city. The Medici coat of arms can still be seen in its beautiful Renaissance courtyard.

Opposite the palace, the tombs of the Medicis can be found in the Church of San Lorenzo. The family died out in the early 1700s, and they are entombed here. Their books and manuscripts can also be found here in the Laurentian Library.

The Medici family commissioned hundreds of works of art which can be seen in a number of convents around Florence. In the middle of the city, Medici Street runs through the Old Market, where the family first settled in the early days of Florence.

Sculptures in the Piazza Signoria, under the Loggia, and in the Palazzo Vecchio pay tribute to the power of the Medici dukes. At the height of their influence, the Medici family shaped several iconic Florentine buildings, including the Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery, and the Pitti Palace. The Pitti Palace was where the Medicis ruled, in their grand building surrounded by the ornate Boboli Gardens.

Outside the city

The Tuscan countryside

Don’t forget to travel outside the city into the beautiful Tuscan countryside to visit one or more of the country Medici villas at Careggi, Poggio Imperiale or Cafaggiolo.

The House of Medici was one of the greatest families in the world, influencing the course of human history from their home in Florence. When you visit this world treasure and walk its picturesque cobblestone streets, or sit sipping a glass of chianti in one of its charming restaurants, take a moment to think about the family that ruled the world, and left an incredible legacy behind.

A view of Firenze roofs in Florence, Italy

Filed Under: Florence Tagged With: Architecture, art, boboli gardens, Florence, house of medici, italian, italy, leonardo da vinci, medici, michelangelo, renaissance, Tuscany

6 Favorite Things to Do in Naples, Italy

Thu, May 19, 2011 By Theo 3 Comments

Naples (Napoli) is one of the oldest cities in the world, and one of the most fascinating places to visit in Italy. Fought over by the Spanish, the Greeks, the French and the Italians, this charming city has been a center of European culture for thousands of years. Today, the historic city center of Naples is a World Heritage Site.

A trip to Italy is simply not complete without spending some time exploring the highlights of this area. Here are 6 things you won’t want to miss on your trip to Naples, Italy.

Have Pizza

Mouth watering pizzas of Naples

Naples is where pizza was invented. You simply can’t come here and not have some. Make sure to order pizza vera napoletana, which is Naples style. It must be made in a wood burning brick oven. The dough must be made the day before, and allowed to rise for at least ten hours.

Note that pizza makers here (pizzaoili) must complete a two-year apprenticeship before they are allowed to make your pizza. Go to Da Michele. They make only two kinds of pizza here (margherita and marinara) and have been doing it for nearly 150 years.

Step Back in Time

Visit the Historic Center of Naples. Just grab a map, and wander the streets. The city was founded around 500 BC, and flourished as an independent kingdom for centuries.

The narrow streets and religious appeal give the historic district of Naples a unique feeling that many compare to Jerusalem. Walk down the Spaccanapoli, or the Via San Biago, which is the street that runs right through the heart of the district. It’s crammed with great shops and restaurants.

The narrow streets of Naples

Cappella Sansevero

Make sure to visit this incredible chapel in the heart of the Historic District. It dates back to 1590, and is home to some of the most incredible works of art from the 18th century. The “Veiled Christ” was carved in the late 18th century by Guiseppe Sanmartino. Visitors say the veil covering the statue’s face looks as if it is made of thin fabric, instead of stone, and no one who looks on this sculpture remains unmoved.

Go to the Opera

The Teatro San Carlo in Naples is famous for its perfect acoustics. It’s also the oldest opera house still in operation anywhere in the world. Even if you don’t think you’ll enjoy the opera, it’s worth going once, and here is the place to do it.

Visit Pompeii and Herculaneum

Naples is the best place to stay if you plan on visiting one of Italy’s most popular and most tragic tourist attractions. In 79 AD, the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were wiped out by a volcanic eruption that lasted for two days. Pompeii is the more popular, but Herculaneum is just as spectacular and much quieter. It is possible to see both in one day.

The catastrophic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius froze both of these cities in time, offering millions of visitors today a glimpse of a day in the life of a Roman city. The plaster casts of the volcano’s victims are haunting echoes of thousands of lives cut short.

Go South

If you’re not planning to venture south to Italy’s breathtaking Amalfi Coast, change your plans. You can’t come home without at least a day or two in one of the stunning coastal towns of Positano, Maiori or Capri.

Filed Under: Naples Tagged With: amalfi, Food, herculaneum, Naples, napoli, opera, pizza, pompeii, sansevero, vesuvius, volcano

Siena – The great cathedral that could have been

Fri, Feb 11, 2011 By Theo 2 Comments

When you visit Siena, Italy, you will visit the Duomo of Siena. That is a given. If you don’t, you will probably be the first visitor to Siena since the 14th century not to. But what about the cathedral that isn’t there?

Siena's magnificent cathedral today. This would have been just a small part of the larger church they envisioned.

On the eastern side of the current church, lies what was meant to be the greatest cathedral in all of Europe. In 1339, the city of Siena was powerful and prosperous, and the city fathers launched this hugely ambitious plan. When completed, the Duomo Nuovo was going to dwarf the cathedral that stands today. In fact, it would have dwarfed St. Peter’s in Rome, and every other church in the world!

Then the Black Plague swept through the town in 1348, killing up to 80% of the city’s inhabitants. Along with this tragic loss of life, the dreams of the grandiose cathedral were swept away. It remains unfinished to this day.

To imagine what the Duomo Nuovo would have been like, look at the current cathedral, and picture a much larger church intersecting this one at right angles. The plan was that the current building would form the transepts of the Duomo Nuovo. What you see now would have been just the short part of the cross-shaped building.

You can walk outside the cathedral, and get a better feel for this. On the eastern side of the church, on Piazza Jacopo della Quercia, you can see outlines on the ground of where this was meant to stand. It’s quite astounding to see the scale of this, and imagine how much work would have gone into creating it.

Wander through the magnificent Duomo of Santa Maria dell’Assunta that stands today and imagine it on a grander scale – if you can. No doubt the same exquisitely inlaid marble floor would have been extended, but instead of a mere 52 panels depicting Biblical and historical scenes, there would be hundreds.

Scene from the elaborate marble designs on cathedral floor

Part of the Slaughter of the Innocents, one of the scenes done in marble on the cathedral floor

The black and white striped theme of the walls and pillars of the cathedral’s interior would have extended into the new cathedral, and the blue vaults, decorated with gold stars would have adorned the Duomo Nuovo as well. Great sculptors like Giovanni Pisano (who helped his father, Nicola create the pulpit in the existing cathedral) and Donatello, whose statue of John the Baptist adorns a chapel in the cathedral would have contributed to the new duomo’s splendor.

Remnants of the planned grand cathedral

Building a cathedral is a process that can go on for hundreds of years. So after the Black Plague, why didn’t they go back to work on the Duomo Nuovo?

It was probably because it was an overly ambitious project in the first place, that would have required immense amounts of money, manpower, and skilled artisans. It was also begun as kind of a rush job (as much as you can rush an enormous, elaborate, stone building like that!) They spent nine years on it, and much of the construction work they did in that time was unsound and eventually collapsed.

Instead of starting over on the huge cathedral, a wiser decision was made, and they continued to improve the current Duomo of Santa Maria dell’Assunta instead.

That marble floor, for instance, was developed for over 200 years, with 40 different artists contributing to it. The older panels, including the famous Wheel of Fortune and the She Wolf of Siena were actually graffiti, created by chiseling out the marble and filling the spaces with bitumen. Later on, in the 15th and early 16th centuries, under the watchful and capable eye of Alberto Aringhieri, more skilled artists and artisans completed the floor. The most renowned of these, Massacre of the Innocents, by Matteo di Giovanni, was completed in 1482 – ten years before Columbus sailed to America.

All that remains of the Duomo Nuovo, the most ambitious architectural project of the 14th century, are some markings on the pavement, a few columns and arches, and a magnificent door to the Baptistry staircase. The great cathedral that Could Have Been, will never be.

Fortunately, the great cathedral that IS, the Duomo of Siena, remains one of the most stunning examples of Gothic architecture in all of Italy.

Filed Under: Siena Tagged With: Architecture, cathedral, church, duomo, History, plague, Siena, Tuscany

Murano, Burano – When in Venice, Visit the Islands

Tue, Sep 21, 2010 By Theo 7 Comments

When you’re talking about visiting Venice, it’s tempting to focus on its world famous canals. It’s easy to understand why. From the birthplace of a pope, to the homes of Richard Wagner and Lord Byron, from the fictional homes of Othello and Desdemona, to Harry’s Bar (and the invention of the Bellini) – just one gondola ride down the Grand Canal has enough historic star power for a lifetime.

But no trip to Venice is truly complete without a visit to the tiny and beautiful lagoon islands.

Venice sits on a kind of archipelago, made up of many small islets, jutting into what’s known as the Venetian lagoon. The city of Venice is the largest settlement, but there are nearby islands, such as Murano, Burano, San Michele and Torcello, which are well worth experiencing.

Quiet canal on the small island of Burano

For centuries, Murano has been the home of the world’s best in stunning glassware. Burano is famous for its colorfully painted houses. San Michele is the final resting place of many famous names, and Torcello offers a once-in-a-lifetime look into the city’s past. Each island can be reached by waterbus, or vaporetto, and is just a short ride from Venice.

Murano

Murano is famous for blown glass

Murano is known as the “glass island”, because of its centuries-old glass production. The glass produced here is colorful and exquisite, and has been sought after around the world since the ninth century.

When you visit Murano, you can see the famous glass kilns lined up, and several are open to the public, so you can walk in and watch glass blowers creating their art. One of the oldest glassworks is Venini, whose works can be seen in museums around the world. If you want to learn more about the venerable tradition and see some wonderful historic pieces, check out the Glass Museum. Of course, no visit would be complete without out picking up a few stunning souvenirs of your own!

Burano
While Murano built an international reputation for its glass-making, neighboring Burano is famous for its lace work. The delicate pieces of art have been made here since the sixteenth century, and of course, there is a Lace Museum to find out how it’s done. Burano is the prettiest of the lagoon islands, with all of its houses painted in vibrant blues, yellows, purples and greens. Make sure to visit a bakery and sample the local bussolai burnanelli, light and delicious round butter biscuits.

Small shrine on Torcello

Torcello
Torcello has an altogether different feel. In the 10th century, nearly 10,000 people lived and worked on the island. Today, it’s home to only 20 people, but the ruins of the old buildings, churches and homes are still there, crumbling and overgrown. Its unique charm attracted Ernest Hemingway in the 1940s, and you can still have dinner at his favorite restaurant, Locanda Cipriani.

San Michele
San Michele also offers an interesting glimpse into the region’s past. As you walk through the walled cemetery, you can see the graves of Igor Stravinsky and Ezra Pound, among thousands of others.

For centuries, Venice has attracted visitors from around the world with its unique architecture and city planning. When it’s your turn to experience this incredible city, make sure to look past the obvious, and take the time to visit the lagoon islands for a truly wonderful glimpse into the region’s varied and picturesque past.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When you’re planning your trip to Venice, you also need to decide what to take. Check out Adventurous Wench for an extensive selection of travel clothing, travel purses, travel accessories and more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Filed Under: Venice Tagged With: burano, canals, crafts, glass, islands, lace, murano, torcello, Venice