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Splendour of Florence
By Dr. Nihal D. Amerasekera
I have always wanted to visit Florence having read about its history as a teenager. Almost five decades later came my chance to fulfil my dream. After the winter snow and storms, I chose to visit Florence in May this year with my friend and colleague Fida, an effervescent Jordanian.

Florence means flower. I couldn’t have described its beauty any better. The city lies in the middle of the Italian peninsula and is the capital of the region of Tuscany. It is a city of half a million people living mostly by the Arno river.
We arrived at the sleepy Vespucci airport on a warm Thursday afternoon. Despite the lack of urgency to process our papers and send us on our way there were plenty of smiles and politeness to make up for it. The Grand Majestic Hotel where we stayed was neither grand nor majestic, but it was cosy and comfortable and the service prompt and proper.

The city was founded by the Romans in the first century B.C. After the excesses and decadence of the barbaric ages its resurgence began between the 11th and 15th centuries. The Medici family ruled Tuscany from the 15th century and transformed the city to its present glory in art and culture, politics and economic power. In 1860 Tuscany became part of the Kingdom of Italy. Florence remained its capital and became the summer retreat and playground for the rich and famous European aristocracy. Tony Blair takes his summer vacation in Tuscany.

The survival of so many fine Gothic and Renaissance buildings is part of Tuscany’s immense appeal. The shape of arches, doorways and windows give a clue to its style and when it was built. Tuscany has been at the forefront of the artistic revolution and records the transition from the stylised charm of medieval art to the pristine beauty of the Renaissance. The Medici family were responsible for commissioning some of the great works of Renaissance art and are remembered with much affection by the Florentines.

The best sights of the city can be seen on foot as they are encompassed within a small area. The Cathedral forms the focal point to this historic city. Its eight-sided Dome was designed by Brunelleschi. The sheer beauty and size of the frescoes on the interior of the dome took my breath away. The door on the east side of the baptistery was named by Michelangelo as the Gate of Paradise and contains detailed carvings from the Old Testament.

There are numerous galleries and museums to vet the appetite of the occasional tourist and the seasoned connoisseur. My favourite was the Uffizi, completed in 1580 as an office building but later assigned to display the Medici art treasures-it is the oldest gallery in the world. There are ancient Greek and Roman sculptures and a vast collection of art from Gothic to High Renaissance.
It took us a whole day to absorb the beauty of this marvellous treasure and would have taken us a lot longer if we allowed our emotions to take control. Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, Leonardo Da Vinci’s Annunciation, Michelangelo’s The Holy Family, Raphael’s Madonna of the Goldfinch and the many works of Rubens, Van Dyke, Caravaggio and Rembrandt kept us busy and focussed. The sensuous painting of Venus of Urbino by Titian was my special favourite for its sheer artistic brilliance although it was condemned at the time for portraying a Goddess in such an immodest pose.

Florence is a treasure trove of history, art and sculpture. To appreciate its elegance, one requires diligence, energy and enthusiasm. When our enthusiasm flagged, we took to the Florentine cuisine. Fida is an orthodox Muslim and he looked for a menu without pork and alcohol. The many types of pasta and pizzas cooked in virgin olive oil suited him well. I kept to a cholesterol-filled western carnivorous diet with lavish amounts of red wine to wash it down.

The river Arno runs through the city. In the summer it is reduced to a trickle and its pollution rises to unacceptable level. Its most famous bridge is the Ponte Vecchio. There are many goldsmiths at work here exhibiting their wares in the shops on the bridge. Built in 1345 it survived World War II. The bridge is especially attractive at sunset viewed from the embankment. The Gothic church of Santa Maria Novella contains some of the most important works of art in Florence. The church has a marvellous façade of inlaid marble.

The Boboli gardens are not to be missed. It is an excellent example of Renaissance landscape architecture formerly owned by the Medici family. Its hedges with geometric patterns and the tall cypress trees show an unusual but pleasing contrast of shapes and sizes.

In the Academy Gallery the most famous sculpture is Michelangelo’s David (1501). The anatomical detail of the sculpture is absolutely stunning.
We walked the length and breadth of the city many times over absorbing the atmosphere and appreciating its ambience. By the end of the week the bricks and mortar made us claustrophobic and we decided to take a short bus ride to the Piazzale Michelangelo at the edge of the city to get a panoramic view of Florence and the river Arno.

That was indeed a breath of fresh air. During our stay we had remarkably good weather. The days were hot but not humid and the nights were warm enough for people to gather in the squares of the city centre to wine and dine and also listen to classical and popular music played by buskers and local bands. The Florentines seem to enjoy a wonderfully relaxed outdoor lifestyle. Many of them spoke English and were helpful. I never saw the infamous Latin temper.

Florence exhibits unparalelled beauty and sophistication. There was no let-up in the sheer richness we saw and experienced. A week would be the minimum time required to appreciate its vast treasures and the extraordinary beauty of its lush green countryside. We left the city with a sackful of pleasant memories and a heavy heart. We took the return flight to London from Pisa which was an hour’s train journey from Florence.

The trip past olive groves and vast acres of vineyards was a treat and gave us a cross section of life in Tuscany. Some lived in small shacks in screaming poverty whilst others lived in plush palaces. Five thousand years of civilisation, religion, democracy, socialism, communism and even the European Union have failed to change this. We live in such an iniquitous world. The sheer physical sensation of being in Florence is powerful and exhilarating. Its splendour and enduring charm will remain a magnet for travellers for centuries to come.

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