Discover Florence from the Inside Blog entries

10-MUST works at the Uffizi gallery in Florence

eleonorazucconi@gmail.com — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:40:40 +0100

The Uffizi Gallery is one of the most important museums of the world.
One of those places that you have to see, at least once in life like the Louvre in Paris, the Prado in Madrid, the National Gallery in London, etc. ...
In the Uffizi you not only admire world masterpieces, you can especially appreciate and understand the development of Italian art from the Middle Ages (late 1200)Read More...

the explosion of the cart: Easter in Florence

eleonorazucconi@gmail.com — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:00:00 +0100

On Easter morning all Florentines crowd aroud the cathedral to see what the "Colombina" will do. The "colombina" is a rocket, shaped like a dove (dove=colomba in Italian) that is lit during the Mass (during the "Gloria"). So the colombina flies to the cart that is located exactly outside the main door inbeteween the Cathedral and the Baptistry, to explode it.

Medieval Soap Opera: the story of the Chatelaine de Vergy in Florence

eleonorazucconi@gmail.com — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:55:41 +0100

On the second floor of Palazzo Davanzati there is the bridal chamber of Tommaso Davizzi and of Catelana degli Alberti.
This bedroom is especially interesting because there are the frescos with the story of the Chatelaine de Vergy: an intrigue of love, seduction and betrayal that ends in tragedy.

This story appeared Read More...

Feb 18 and 20: see Michelangelo's facade for San Lorenzo's Church in Florence

eleonorazucconi@gmail.com — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:37:06 +0100

Anna Maria Luisa de Medici, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, last heir of the Medici family died in Florence, February 18th 1743. The city has decided to remember the Electress Palatine, that has been so important for Florence, in a very special way.
On the facade of San Lorenzo Basilica you'll be able to see the project that Michelangelo had thought for this church.

Pope Leo X (MediRead More...

St. Valentine and Florence: why not visiting a museum?

eleonorazucconi@gmail.com — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:25:52 +0100

People come to Florence to visit the city, to enjoy Italian food but especially to visit its museums.
In Florence there is so much to see. The artistic and cultural heritage is enornous ad it offers everybody the opportunity to enjoy the incomparable beauty and perfection of so many masterpieces.

This year the Ministy of Heritage and Culture, on the occasion of St. Valentine, GIFTS all lovers anRead More...

Brunelleschi’s Dome or Giotto’s Bell Tower? Which one to climb in Florence?

ezucconi@omniagroup.it — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:13:14 +0100

Both monuments are very beautiful and from both the view is great BUT despite the beauty and the peculiarity of Giotto’s Bell Tower, it is only a bell tower! One of the many bell towers that you can see and climb in Italy.Brunelleschi’s Dome represents on the other hand a unique experience in the world. For this reason it is in my top ten list!When you are about half the way up – there are a little bit more than 460 Read More...

What to do in Florence – 10 places you can’t miss for your first visit in Florence.

eleonorazucconi@gmail.com — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:22:05 +0100

Florence is no doubt a place that can be continuiously discovered: the more you know it, the more you realise that there is still so much you still need to know.
Florence is a lifelong love, at least for me.
So I thought to list my top 10 ten places: a list of those palaces, churces, museums that will make your trip to Florence memorable.

1. &nbRead More...

Stairs and Florence

eleonorazucconi@gmail.com — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:06:05 +0100

Florence, cradle of Renaissance, is indeed a medieval city. Just have a walk around in the city centre and you will easily recognise the narrow and winding streets and the many towers and the houses into which they have later developed.
For the longest time, stairs were considered an inconvenient necessity in architecture. They took up valuable living space, and so they were narrow aRead More...

Palazzo Davanzati: what you can’t miss when visiting Florence

eleonorazucconi@gmail.com — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:20:31 +0100

The palace – now Davanzati Museum was built middle of XIV century for the rich and powerful merchant family of the Davizzi.
In 1578 it was bought by the Davanzati und finally, at the beginning of the XX cen. by the antiquarian Elia Volpi. He restored it and transformed it into the ancient floretine house.
The original furniture was sold during the centuries and so was replaRead More...

KING ROSS, Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture

eleonorazucconi@gmail.com — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:36:19 +0100

Florence’s dome is a wonder, something incredible, for the time and for us today.
The genius of this construction was an old (for the time, because he was 40 years old) goldsmith who had visionary ideas on how to cover the big hole that there was just above the main altar of Florence Cathedral: Santa Maria del Fiore.

Climbing up Brunelleschi’s dome is a MUST when visiting Florence.Read More...

Epiphany or Befana? - Where do these names come from?

eleonorazucconi@gmail.com — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:21:46 +0100

The liturgical Christian calendar, in both Eastern and Western Church tradition, has - since the early Christian period – dedicated 6 January, to the celebration of the 'Epiphany'.
This word of Greek origin, means 'manifestation' and refers to the St. Matthew Gospel's event, where there is the visit of the 'Wise Men' to the newborn Jesus.

Crèche of the Florence Cathedral: Santa Maria del Fiore

eleonorazucconi@gmail.com — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:07:41 +0100

During the whole Christmas period, up to the Sunday after the Epiphany there is a very beautiful crèche to admire inside the Cathedral. It consists in an architectural structure erected in the central nave where there are eleven terracotta statues. They derive from sixteenth-century originals by the masters of Terracotta – heir of della Robbia techniques: BeneRead More...

Epiphany: the historical Cavalcade of the Magi

eleonorazucconi@gmail.com — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:17:17 +0100

During the XV century the lay confraternity dedicated to the Magi organized every three years (and then every five years) a solemn cavalcade with figures in magnificent costumes, meant to evoke the arrival of the three Wise Men in Bethlehem.

This Confraternity was so successfull that the most important citizens belonged to it including the members of the Medici family: Cosimo ThRead More...

Finally the sky of the Pazzi Chapel in the Santa Croce Basilica can be seen again!

ezucconi@omniagroup.it — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:17:14 +0100

The Pazzi chapel, located in the “first cloister” of Santa Croce, is one of the most beautiful examples of Renaissance architecture.

Its ceiling was in very bad conditions (50 percent of it was chipped away during the centuries) and so the Opera di Santa Croce undertook a restoration that lasted for 9 months and cost euro 70.000.

The restoration has brought to light almost all of the oriRead More...

Pontormo's deposition in Santa Felicita

ezucconi@omniagroup.it — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:32:48 +0100

A hidden jewel
Immediately after Ponte Vecchio, on the way to Palazzo Pitti you can find the oldest church of the city: Santa Felicita. Get the chance to discover one of the hidden treasures of Forence: Pontormo’s Deposition in the Capponi Chapel.

The chapel, designed by Brunelleschi for the former owners, the Barbadori family, was bought by Ludovico Capponi in 1525 who appointed Pontormo for Read More...

Disney Live! 3 Fairy Tales live in Florence

ezucconi@omniagroup.it — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Disney Live is touring Italy this year with three classic fairy tales. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast.
Let your children and yourself live this unforgettable experience at Florence's Nelson Mandela Forum from 25 till 29 November.

Hotel Kursaal & Ausonia is only a short bus ride from it. The bus stop of bus nr. 20 is just around the corner.

Creativity Fair in Florence from October 15th to 18th

ezucconi@omniagroup.it — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0100

The forth edition of The “CREATIVITY FAIR” will take place at the Fortezza da Basso from October 15 till 18.

This year the event will concentrate on the city and its continuous changes. Many expositions from all over the world: Seoul, Shangai, Montreal, Tokyo, Dubai, Il Cairo, San Paulo and Tokyo.

Theater, concerts, live performances and a lot of experts to talk and discuss about whRead More...