Florence

Denis and I spent two nights in the cultural capital of the Rennaisance.

A view of the Florence from Piazzele Michelangelo. The dome of the Duomo Cathedral towers above the city skyline flaunting the city's unparalleled influence in Renaissance art and architecture.



A closer view of the Duomo cathedral. The construction of this Cathedral began in the 13th century and today's structure represents 6 centuries of work. I'm told that this is the granddaddy of Renaissance ecclesial (Church) architecture.



The famous "Gates of Paradise" at the Duomo baptistry (sadly, I appear to be on the outside of these gates!).



The Palazzo Vecchio, one of the Medici palaces in the city.



The Uffizi Musuem. Apparently thsi was the first museum ever to be open to the public (in the 16th century). This famous museum boasts some of the most important European artwork from the 13th to 18th centuries.



Ponte Vecchio was once a cheap piece of real estate that attracted citizens and businesspeople who could not afford property on land. Today it is lined with gold and jewelry shops, where the cheap glitter captures the eyes and pocketbooks of many tourists.



One of the many narrow streets that are characteristic of Italian cities.



Michelangelo's David. While this is only a copy, I did get to see the real sculpture at the Accadamia Gallery. Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to take pictures of the real one...