Florence Tourist Sites - The Fortezza Da Basso And San Marco Districts

Florence Tourist Sites - The Fortezza Da Basso And San Marco Districts

By:


The Fortezza da Basso district of northern Florence is named for the magnificent, huge (34 thousand square meters or about 8,4 acres) fortress, officially called the Fortress of San Giovanni Battista, built in 1534. Given the ebullient nature of Italian politics in those days (have things changed?) it may be hard to believe that this fortress was never attacked. It might be very interesting to read the history of its secret passages.

The Fortezza da Basso now houses the main Exhibition Centre in Florence (Palazzo delle Esposizioni), and hosts the most important fairs and shows (from haute couture - for example Pitti Immagine Uomo and Pitti Immagine Bimbo - to arts and crafts, gifts shows, and the Congress Tourism Market Show). The major pavilion hosting many of these events designed by the architect Pierluigi Spadolini was inaugurated in 1977 and claims to be a world-class facility.

The Exhibition area of the Fortezza da Basso is connected to Florence's Palazzo dei Congressi and Palazzo Affari. The Palazzo dei Congressi occupies a Nineteenth Century villa that has been carefully restored. In contrast Palazzo Affari is a modern five-story structure equipped to handle 1800 people. These buildings are surrounded by a large park.

The other major attraction of this district is the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, the largest Italian library (only Rome's is in the same league) and one of the largest in Europe. Founded in 1714 when a scholar bequeathed his collection of some 30 thousand volumes, this library has grown to over 4 million. A major flood of the Arno River damaged up to one third of its volumes and periodicals.

The San Marco district of northeastern Florence owes it name to the Thirteenth Century Convent of San Marco, a church, monastery, and museum in the center of the district. Art lovers should make it a point to visit this beautiful, historic complex. The nearby museum of the Galleria dell'Accademia houses Michelangelo's statue of David, and it's the real thing. This Fine Arts Academy was founded in 1563, and was among the first schools to teach design, painting and sculpture. The gallery also hosts Michelangelo's San Matteo and paintings by other Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries Italian Masters. Make sure to visit the Giardino dei Semplici (botanical garden), housing flowers from all over the world. Sant'Apollonia was formerly a convent. Its major features are the cloister and refectory whose main wall is decorated with a famous mid-Fifteenth Century fresco representing the Ultima Cena (Last Supper). The Chiostro dello Scalzo was the entrance hall of the chapel that belonged to the Compagnia dei Disciplinari of Saint John the Baptist. It is called dello Scalzo (barefoot) because the friar holding the cross had the habit of going barefoot.

The Porta San Gallo, located in Liberty Square in the northernmost corner of the district, is one of Florence's oldest structures, dating back to the late Thirteenth Century. It was part of the fortification walls. Don't miss the two stone lions on the sides of the arch.

At the south end of the district you'll find the Ospedale degli Innocenti, a Fifteenth Century foundling hospital, considered an excellent example of early Italian Renaissance architecture. A major feature is the loggia facing the Piazza Santissima Annunziata built and managed by the Arte della Seta or Silk Guild of Florence, one of the wealthiest in the city. The Church of Santissima Annunziata, located in the square, dates from the mid-Thirteenth Century. It contains many frescoes, including one on the ceiling and another that legend says was completed by an angel. Another district church worth seeing is Santa Maria Maddalena de' Pazzi, dating back to the Fourteenth Century. Of course it boasts all sorts of artwork; its Major Chapel is considered the most interesting example of baroque decoration in Florence.

About the Author:
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but prefers drinking fine wine with the right foods. He teaches computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his Italian travel website www.travelitalytravel.com and his global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com featuring weekly bargain wine reviews.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

|

Loading...
Related....
Videos...

Recent Travel-and-Leisure Articles

Comments

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!

Loading

Site Navigation:

Copyright 2005-2011 ArticleSnatch, LLC - All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service.