Florence The City Of Renaissance - Florence Video Guide

[Music] Florence the capital of the region of Tuscany spreads on the banks of the Arno between the Adriatic and the Turanian seas almost in the middle of the Italian peninsula the urban complex of Florence is in itself a unique artistic realization the fruit of a continuous creation over more than six centuries leaving aside the museum's the greatest concentration of universally renowned works of art in the world is found right here [Music] Ponte Vecchio the oldest of Florence's six bridges is one of the city's best-known images probably dating back to Roman times with its stone pillars and wooden planks it was built in stone but then newly destroyed by a flood in 1333 it was rebuilt twelve years later the five arches became three and the main part was widened the shops housed under the porticoes first belonged to the commune a witch then rented them out but later on towards the fifteenth century they were sold to private owners and began to change through subsequent additions razed parts and external terraces extending towards the river and altering the original architecture in anarchical suggestive way [Music] you you [Music] you [Music] you santa maria del fiore also known simply as the duomo is the Cathedral of Florence known for its distinctive Renaissance dome it was built on the ancient sacred area of the Roman castrum the Basilica of Santa Reparata together with a number of other religious buildings they formed the original nucleus of what was to become the religious heart of today's Florence it's named st. Mary of the flower refers to the lily the symbol of Florence the Florence Cathedral is composed of three buildings the Duomo which is famous for its huge domed roof and is the fourth biggest Cathedral in the world the baptistry of san giovanni an octagonal building famous for the gates of paradise and jojos bell tower which stands to the side of the doorman the three huge bronze doors date from 1899 to 1903 they're adorned with scenes from the life of the Madonna [Music] the need to build a new cathedral emerged something that could rightly represent the power and stability of the Florentine Republic thus a civic value to be assigned to a religious monument the new cathedral built by the official municipal architect Arnulfo de cambio builder of palazzo vecchio was started as a public works and financed by the town hall itself outside what strikes one most is the uniformity of the whole religious complex due to the coherence of the architectural concept and the marble coverings in fact the cathedral facade was not built at the same time as the rest of the church but much later between 1871 in 1884 by emilio de fabrice to complete centuries of projects [Music] the project for the florence cathedral bell tower known as the Giotto bell tower was his Giotto dedicated years from 1334 to 1337 the air of his death to this tower created more as a decorative monument than a something purely functional preferring it to work on the nearby Cathedral assigned to him in the meantime building proceeded slowly as Giotto created both the external covering and the structure simultaneously thus slowing work down on his death he hadn't managed to see more than just the first part completed just up to the height of the pointed entrance in 1348 Andrea Pisano took his place and was then followed by Francesco LNT who terminated the works in 1359 in 1296 Arnulfo solemnly laid the first stone his project was highly innovative a church with ample spaces as a reminder of classical architecture with three naves and a white choir surrounded by a three leaf clover of ASPs another flower reference then covered by a huge cupola on all foes death was followed by a long period of abandonment when Francesca talent II took over from 1349 to 1359 the church plant was to be completed following a plan that was even more ambitious than arnall's [Music] the building of the dome on Florence's Cathedral by filippo brunelleschi can be considered one of the Renaissance his main building enterprises the highest expression of a new attitude placing man and his abilities at the center of the world and finding in classic antiquity the premises for cultural rebirth after the dark Middle Ages Renaissance society was based on completely different values to the medieval ones of chivalry and nobility the new ideals was self-sufficiency civic virtue intelligence and almost unlimited trust in man's abilities Brunelleschi had the brilliant idea of modeling on great Roman architecture like the monumental Pantheon dome that he'd studied and redesigned as a young man he designed an octagonal self-supporting dome that didn't need a center built from different materials stone down below where the curve was minimum for greater resistance and bricks above as they were lighter the baptistry comes across as a compact imposing geometric volume its octagonal structure has a really strong symbolic value the octagon represents the eighth day the one outside human life's earthly cycle in which Christ Rises and lives eternally and is an image associated with the Rite of baptism since early Christian times the building is the earthly image of a higher divine reality and for this reason tends to show itself in absolute direct shapes [Music] outside the famous bronze doors scam three fundamental steps in the history of this Monument besides the evolution of figurative culture and Florence inside the baptistery no surface is left undecorated the walls are clad with marble in harmonious geometric designs dating from the 11th century and the floor is paved with intarsia marble designs began in 1209 a mosaic by capo di Marco Aldo reminds the faithful of an EXOR believe I'm justice in the grotesque excited representation of the universal judgement 1262 1270 this work with its monstrous figures and dramatic intense narration was an important reference point for the florentine art environment [Music] Piazza Santa Maria Novella is one of the biggest squares and the historical center of Florence the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella with its famous Leon Battista Alberti facade overlooks the square Alberti really a scholar is one of the main Renaissance figures Kody fire of perspective principles and author of a series of important theoretical treatises Santa Maria Novella is one of the first Florentine basilica's its name comes from the substitution of a preceding 9th century oratory dedicated to Santa Maria delle Vigne year the basilica facade is a renaissance art masterpiece here Alberti framing this first fashio of the mid 1300s in the Douro tone of the general drawing used the renaissance principles that he himself had codified of architecture his application of irregular design ordered by mathematical and geometrical rules here architecture is considered a scenario of elements organized in a ratio of balance and harmony to be looked at as if it were a painting [Music] besides the basilica the square houses other important buildings the long portico of the hospital of san paolo and the adjacent monks pharmacy the ancient laboratory for herbes and medicinal plants distilled by monks to cure the sick and the pilgrims Florence like many Italian cities is filled with churches [Music] the first cloister on the right of the doorway is the so called Costra Verde the green cloister with strong yet harmonious proportions it takes its name from the frescoes originally painted in green clay by many artists of early 15th century including paolo cello one of the greatest Florentine Renaissance masters who painted here some of his best works like the flood and the sacrifice of Noah the cloister gives access to the refectory and to the Capello nettle Espanola in 1293 after the political success of the gills the new priors wanted to build a monument which would become the most important civic monument in florence the palazzo dei priori see to the Signoria later called palazzo vecchio according to tradition the central nucleus of the building was erected by an old for de cambio between $12.99 and 1304 the stone exterior of the palace hasn't changed much since the 14th century it has two rows of elegant gothic windows above the windows are painted coats of arms from the Florentine Republic [Music] the only part of the exterior thats elaborately decorated is the marble frieze which was added above the entrance in 1528 the inscription rex radium at Dominus domination was meant to remind the rulers that Christ was the only ruler on either side of the inscription is a gilded lion statue the building was completed 23 years later when a large Bell was hoisted into the impressive bell tower the Bell was told to announce public meetings or to warn of imminent danger the tower which is 94 meters high at the time a very impressive height his named Toure darden all four after the Italian architect and sculptor Arnulfo de cambio to whom the construction of the palazzo is attributed the first courtyard of Palazzo Vecchio was built in the first half of the 14th century and then modified by michelotto in the 15th century he replaced the pillars with cylindrical and octagonal columns and built the lodge Otto in the second half of the 16th century all the palace endured important works of modification executed by Vasari on the request of Cosimo the first de Medici the courtyard of palazzo vecchio was decorated in occasion of the wedding between francesco de Medici and Giovanna of Austria with plasters and paintings of austrian cities in honor of the spouse the historic center of Florence attests in an exceptional manner and by its unique coherence to its power as a merchant city of the Middle Ages and of the Renaissance from its past florence has preserved entire streets fortified palaces lodger fountains and the Ponte Vecchio bridge since the 1400s florence has exerted a predominant influence on the development of architecture and the monumental arts first in Italy and then throughout Europe [Music] the launcher of the Signoria or larger of the landsea so called because the Lanza connect II German mercenaries used it for their encampment in 1527 became an open-air Museum and one of the symbols of Florence dominating the square in spite of its detached position the lodger houses Renaissance and more recent works altogether but also ancient masterpieces starting with one of the two imposing marble lions that welcome visitors on the entrance steps [Music] here the classical sculptures include a group of six female figures [Music] the larger was built between 1376 in 1382 as a place where popular assemblies and the official ceremonies at the Florentine Republic all public were to be held the building with its late Gothic forms testifies to the taste for the classical but already announces the Renaissance the monument that stands out under the arcade is Perseus triumphantly holding up the severed head of the Medusa this bronze statue more than three meters high is the celebrated work of benvenuto cellini benvenuto cellini the Florentine artists began to work on the Perseus in August 15 45 and it's realization was to keep him occupied for approximately nine years the statue was commissioned to him by Cosimo the first after his appointment as Duke of the city [Music] built around the end of the thirteenth century as a symmetrical contrast to the city's religious center Piazza della Signoria was enlarged through demolitions at the tower houses of the Oh Berta T for a Bosque and other powerful Ghibelline II families ever since medieval times Piazza della Signoria has always been the civic center of Florentine life although some original buildings the logit a Pazhani and the church of saint cecilia and the ancient brick paving which gave it greater unity of style have now disappeared it remains in all its aspects a square of incomparable beauty and elegance a great many ruins of Rome and Florence were found underneath the medieval houses including some thermal baths and a workshop for the dyeing of cloth [Music] the fountain of neptune is the first public fountain in florence it was completed in 1575 and rises in piazza della signoria just in front of palazzo vecchio in the heart of the public life of florence some years before Cosimo the first de Medici assigned the work to Bartolomeo Ammannati who realized the big representation of the Florentines dominion over the sea Cosimo had just founded the Seaport of Livorno the fountain is ironically called beyond corner because of the remarkable difference between the ugly heavy central statue of Neptune and the slender figures of the satyrs and nymphs leaning on the waved border of the fountains there were two broad classes of Tuscan water fountains known in the 1500s the freestanding or isolated type designed for the center of a Piazza Court or garden and the engaged or wall fountain placed against a wall at the end of a square or courtyard the Florentine fountain figures that survived from that period are mainly variations on the popular theme of the puto however representations of fountains in contemporary Italian art indicate that a wide range of subjects generally based upon classical prototypes were common in the 1500s do feet see gallery covers an area of about 8,000 square meters and contains one of the most important collections of art of all times including classical sculpture and paintings on canvas and wood by 13th to 18th century Italian and foreign schools of the building renovation works started in Florence during the Grand Duchy of Cosimo the first a Medici the most important was undoubtedly the one started in 1560 in the space south of the square towards the river with asari was charged with building the main state magistracy buildings hence the name the effete sea after demolishing one of the oldest town quarters Vasari built a monumental u-shaped portico building a real masterpiece of late renaissance period architecture during the 19th century following indications left by the sorry 28th marble statues were sculpted once most of the building had been completed at considerable expense Cosimo had Vasari undertake another ambitious project a raised communication passageway connecting Palazzo Vecchio to palazzo pitti his official residence the gallery of the effete see was also the first museum ever to be open to the public in fact the Grand Duke granted permission to visit it on request from the Year 1591 it's for centuries of history make the effete see gallery the oldest Museum in the world do fitzy houses an immense artistic heritage comprising thousands of paintings that spanned from the medieval age to the present a great number of ancient sculptures miniatures and tapestries the Renaissance is the artistic and cultural period traditionally set between the 15th and 16th centuries characterized by an extraordinary artistic and literary flourishing and by the free development of thought derive by vision of life and reality independent from metaphysical and religious concepts expressed in a new manner thanks to the modern awareness gained by men after the long period of decadence experienced in the Middle Ages indeed defined the dark ages the cultural and scientific renovation started in Italy in the 16th century the public square of santa croce is one of the most evocative public squares in florence with a rectangular shape it's a great testimony of the Middle Ages in Italy characterized by the important presence of buildings like the palace tell aunt Ella the cot she said a story Palace and the beautiful santa croce church that dominates the entire public square the original lateral buildings that encircle the public square are still visible [Music] built by order of the friars of sant frances this venerable temple was raised upon the piazza santa croce where a small church belonging to the order of the franciscan monks had formerly stood they'd resolved to embellish and enlarge their church and cardinal matteo Daka Sparta general of the Franciscan Order proclaimed an indulgence to all contributors towards the undertaking the church was far enough advanced in 1324 services to be held in it though the facade was then a plain brick wall without facing or any other ornament Santa Croce was not singular in this respect for San Lorenzo and many other Florentine churches have never been decorated externally the construction of the new Basilica of Santa Croce was officially started in 1294 when the architect Arnulfo de cambio laid the first stone of what was to become a masterpiece of gothic art his design was based on spatial grandiosity with the structural elements carried out with rational clarity and sobriety Donatello and gibberty incomplete as the facade was executed some statues and a stained-glass window for it but it's only within the last few years that the city of Florence completed the work leaving untouched the grand Piazza which had been the scene of so many feasts and quarrels and upon which is now erected a statue to Dante [Music] adjacent to the church is the convent complex with its two cloisters in the picturesque first cloister to the side of the Church of Santa Croce one finds one of the greatest works by Filippo Brunelleschi the Patsy Chapel it dates from just three years before the death of the architect in 1443 the plan of the chapel is again the circle and the square a rectangular base is endowed with a conical central dome supported by fine veiled vaulting that one finds also in the porch running alongside the church aisle has a closed gallery containing gravestones and tools it's separated by convent buildings from the great cloister on the upper storey designed by Brunelleschi but only completed in 1453 seven years after his death [Music] the second cloister is the courtyard of Brunelleschi [Music] santa croce is a vast church it's most notable features are its sixteen chapels many of them decorated with frescoes and it's funerary monuments with the interior divided into three naves 114 point four five meters a chancel and a transept full of chapels patronage was reserved for the most illustrious families in this quarter of the city [Music] inside the church itself we can visit some of the principal monuments to italy's illustrious dead monuments erected here between the 15th and 20th centuries in the cappella majora is the altarpiece with saints Gregory Jerome Ambrose and Augustine by Giovanni del Biondo and the Madonna by Nicola depierre Jeremy [Music] the wooden crucifix in the body de verdun your Chapel in the left transept is by Donatello here is the annual or Gaddy altarpiece in the Renault Cheney Chapel the Baron Charlie politicked has many angels and saints which have come together in a radiata sembly during the Renaissance it became customary to prepare a cartoon or drawing of the same size as the fresco to be executed in order to facilitate the organization and the implementation of the work this design was transferred to the wall by making small holes in the drawing following the lines of the design this was then held up against the in Tonica the coat of wet plaster and colored dust or pounds was applied through the perforations to transfer the full design to the wall to be frescoed a large fresco was therefore made up of many small sections each corresponding to the amount of painting that the artist could complete before the plaster hardened [Music] Palazzo Pitti opening on to the boboli gardens was a more prestigious and appropriate alternative for the Medici than their residents in Palazzo Vecchio still the symbol of Florence's Republican past Cosimo and Eleonora decided to turn it into a princely Palace and charged Bartolomeo Ammannati with completing and above all enlarging the building by doubling its internal volume depth and adding side wings this bare 15th century building was transformed into the most monumental of the late Renaissance Florentine buildings the sloping frontage that forms the Piazza de PT is closed on three sides by the circling wings of the palace which the Florentines have always been reluctant to call the Royal Palace because of their innate tendency for understatement despite the fact that the building has housed all the ruling dynasties [Music] when the rich Florentine merchant Luca PT died the palace on the other side of the Arno was still unfinished it's never been proved that Brunelleschi was the author of this palace what's known for sure is that the building was much smaller than the present one at that time florence was governed by Petey's implacable adversaries the Medici and his destiny was to have it the building ended up in their hands when the rich wife of Cosimo de frst bought it with the parkin square lying in front of it as the house's official home in 1550 [Music] the palace' joins the Bali Gardens which is also a famous Florence landmark that overlooks the city of Florence atop the hillsides along the arno river the gardens are actually the courtyard of the palace which has water features grottoes statue in walkways that meander through the cypress trees along with Pitti palace in 1550 the Medici bought the boboli gardens behind the building the name Bob Willy is thought to come from the prior owner Nichole Lipari Coley called the Terry bowler was called in to transform the area into one of the most spectacular Renaissance Gardens [Music] petit collie worked at what he called his green architecture masterpiece until he died with the intervention and Mannerist inventions of famous artists like born tal NT Michelangelo and jumbo loan iya Bob early became a model for all European royal gardens including those in the Palace of Versailles [Music] Florence a first-rate economic and political power in Europe from the 14th to the 17th century was filled during the period with prestigious buildings which spoke of the man if ascents of the bankers and princes a stone's throw from piazza del duomo lies a place that reflects the past where one can still breathe the air of the old Florentine pataga the conservative restoration is necessary when the potato determines that a piece is becoming weak and needs work to prevent it from falling apart in order to achieve this level of detail the potato uses white green and red marble from the drama's original source mines whenever possible built on the site of an Etruscan settlement Florence the symbol of the renaissance rose to economic and cultural preeminence under the Medici in the 15th and 16th centuries the entire Renaissance city of Florence is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the most popular cities to visit in Italy

Channel: Travel And Discover

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Keywords: florence, florence travel guide, florence travel video, travel to florence, travel florence, florence italy, uffizi museum, uffizi museum florence, museum secrets uffizi, dome of florence cathedral, dome of florence basilica, dome of florence brunelleschi, azzurra music, florence italy tourism, travel and discover, tuscany tours from florence one day, tuscany tourist attractions, tuscany tourism, italy documentary, italy best city, best place italy, exploring florence

Id: 9bxOwS8LsTM

Length: 39min 0sec (2340 seconds)

Published: Mon Dec 10 2018