A sampling of Florence

We like Rick Steves’ books and often use his tours as the basis for our explorations. Today, we took two of his Florence tours: the Renaissance Walk, which is an overview of Florence from the Duomo to the Arno (and a bit beyond) and the Duomo Museum tour. We also visited the other sites covered by the Duomo’s Ghilberti Pass (the Bapistery (which is being renovated) and the Crypt of Santa Reparata (inside the Duomo itself – having the pass meant we didn’t have to stand in the very long line for free entry to the Duomo).

I took many, many pictures. Here are some of the best.

From our AirBnB to the Duomo

Square of Italian Unity

Around the Doumo

Campanelle and Duomo
Replica “Gates of Paradise”
Atop the “Gates of Paradise”
In front of the Bell Tower

From the Duomo to Piazzza della Signoria

Piazza della Repubblica
Orsanmichele Church: St. George (Donatello) and St. Matthew (Ghiberti)
Keeping Florence Old
Orsanmichele Church: Madonna of the Rose (Tedesco)
Four Crowned Martyrs (di Banco)
St. George (Donatello)

Piazza della Signoria

Palazzo Vecchio
Not the real David
Perseus (Cellini)
Hercules and Cacus (Bandinelli)
David (replica)
Palazzo Vecchio interior
Neptune (Ammanati)
Savonarola was hanged here

Outside the Uffizi Gallery

Uffizi Courtyard: Giotto
Uffizi Courtyard: Donatello
Uffizi Courtyard: Cellini
Uffizi Courtyard: Leonardo
Uffizi Courtyard: Dante
Uffizi Courtyard: Petrarca
Uffizi Courtyard: Machiavelli (he looks like he’s plotting something)

Ponte Vecchio and Oltarno

Ponte Vecchio
Duomo from Ponte Vecchio

Returning to the Duomo

Albero della Pace (Roggi)
Loggia del Lanzi: The Rape of Polyxena (Fedi)

The Bapistery and the Cathedral itself

Florence Cathedral
On the Cathedral
Bapistery Ceiling (not currently visible)
David and Saul in the Bapistery
In the Bapistery
Duomo Dome interior
Dante and his Poem (di Michelino)
John Hawkwood (Uccello) – it’s in 3-D!
In the Crypt of Santa Reparata
In the Crypt of Santa Reparata
In the Crypt of Santa Reparata
Brunellischi’s Tomb

Duomo Museum (much of the art you see on the Duomo buildings isn’t original – the originals are in the museum!)

North Doors of the Bapistery
Mary in Majesty (di Cambio)
St. John the Evangelist (Donatello), St. Mark the Evangelist (Lamberti)
Four Doctors of the Church with a Roman-Period Sarcophagus
Bapistery South Doors
The Madonna of San Giorgio alla Costa (Bondone)
Saint Mary Magdalene as penitant (Donatello)
Michaelangelo’s final Pieta
Habbakuk (Donatello)
Jeremiah (Donatello)

And one last Golden Hour photo on the way back to our AirBnB

Santa Maria Novella (just your basic local Florentine church)

It was a rather full day.