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Friday, September 01, 2023

Florence Firenze, The City Which Couldn't Say No

Via Pisani 59  - there are just too many of those UNA in Florence 


Florence, the 2400-tonne machine that came to symbolise Snowy 2.0’s woes

Inside the Florence Tunnel Boring Machine being used for some of the tunnelling at Snowy 2.0.

The massive pumped hydroelectricity project high in the Australian Alps has been on a downward trajectory since the day it was announced.

 Obika of glorious food and high ceilings



Florence

The soul of Tuscany brims with Renaissance influence evident in its myriad architectural and artistic wonders.


The language spoken in the city during the 14th century came to be accepted as the model for what would become the Italian language. Thanks especially to the works of the Tuscans DantePetrarch and Boccacciothe Florentine dialect, above all the local dialects, was adopted as the basis for a national literary language.

Florence was a centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of that era.[5] It is considered by many academics[6] to have been the birthplace of the Renaissance, becoming a major artistic, cultural, commercial, political, economic and financial center.[7] During this time, Florence rose to a position of enormous influence in Italy, Europe, and beyond.[8] Its turbulent political history includes periods of rule by the powerful Medici family and numerous religious and republican revolutions.[9] From 1865 to 1871 the city served as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. The Florentine dialect forms the base of Standard Italian and it became the language of culture throughout Italy[10] due to the prestige of the masterpieces by Dante AlighieriPetrarchGiovanni BoccaccioNiccolò Machiavelli and Francesco Guicciardini.





Florence's museums, palaces, and churches house some of the greatest artistic treasures in the world. The most popular and important sites in Florence include the Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Uffizi, the Bargello, and the Accademia. The churches of Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce are veritable art galleries, and the library of San Lorenzo is a magnificent exhibition of Michelangelo's architectural genius. Wander some of the oldest streets in the city until you reach the Arno River, cross the Ponte Vecchio, and experience the "newest" area of Florence, the Oltrarno. Be sure to set aside time to see the vast and varied art collection housed in the Pitti Palace. When you grow weary of museums and monuments, head outdoors. Spend a day at the Boboli Gardens or climb the hill to the church of San Miniato al Monteto experience an enchanting view of Florence, Italy.