Category: Architecture

Sweden: Stockholm on Foot

JWF 2 Comments

CAPITAL CITY

View toward the Grand Hotel, Stockholm

Stockholm is Sweden’s capital and largest city and is made up of numerous islands.  The city with a population of around one million is located at the juncture between a lake and an arm of the Baltic Sea.  Here, you are never far from water, and bridges and overpasses link some of the islands, making much of the city walkable.  Stockholm was founded in 1252 and officially recognized as the capital in 1436.  This was before Stockholm was fully liberated from the Danes in 1523. Today, Stockholm is a thriving center of commerce, industry, and culture, including the royal opera, philharmonic orchestra, and royal theater.

CITY PARKS

Berzelius Park

Berzelius with pigeon

As we wandered around exploring, we enjoyed several green spaces.  Berzelius Park is small with a statue of Jacob Berzelius (1779-1848), one of the fathers of modern chemistry, in the center.  Orange and yellow zinnias surround the statue while an outer ring of benches provides seating for contemplation.    

Enjoying the park

Kungstradgarden

Namaste Indian Festival booth

Kungstradgarden or King’s Garden is a large park in central Sweden.  Called by the locals, Kungsan, it is the site of friendly gatherings and festivals.  We admired the fountains, observed the locals, and wandered through the Indian cultural festival, Namaste Stkhlm.

Yoga in the park
Contemplating next move?

We were there as the festival was being set up and then again in the afternoon when it was a bustling scene of live music, colorful booths, and the tempting smells of Indian food.  We also watched a yoga class and noted a chess game in progress.

GAMLA STAN

Royal Place
Guard at his palace post
Nobel Prize Museum

Gamla Stan or Old Town was the original nucleus of the city of Stockholm.  It’s made up of three islands connected by bridges and overpasses.  Here one finds the Royal Palace, the Parliament building, and the German church among others. Also a museum devoted to the Nobel Prize. The Chief Penguin and I were fortunate to host a dinner in San Francisco for Nobel Prize winners from California several years ago; the head of this museum was in attendance.

Swedish Parliament

 Many of the buildings date from the 16th and 17th centuries and are impressive and large with colorful facades.

Lively square, Gamla Stan
Love these buildings!
In front of oldest bank building

 We walked up and down and around in this section taking lots of photos and then stopping for lunch at one of the many sidewalk cafes.  The Chief Penguin sampled the schnitzel with a local lager, while I ordered a Caesar salad with marinated chicken, a dish that seems to be on menus around the world.  This rendition had some bits of bacon and a few cherry tomatoes along with the requisite Parmesan and romaine lettuce.

Note: Header photo is of Storkyrkan, oldest church in Stockholm. All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Italy: Medicis in Florence

JWF 2 Comments

MICHELANGELO’S DAVID

First off, a detour from the Medicis to Michelangelo. The Chief Penguin got us tickets to the Accademia for Saturday to see David. Saturday morning was lovely, but it poured in the afternoon, which resulted in a long soggy walk there.  Our tickets were for 4:45 pm, but at 4:30, we weren’t sure we wanted more time standing in the rain, so we departed.   On Sunday, thanks to our guide Sasha, the CP got more tickets and then actually got in. He reminded me that the real David is very impressive in this well-lighted setting!

Michelangelo’s David (GCF)

MEDICI FAMILY

Yesterday morning was devoted to the Medici family and its generations of dukes and grand dukes, a powerful merchant family with strong ties to the church.  Two members of this family became popes, Leo X and Clement VII. 

Most people think of the Medici men like Cosimo and Lorenzo Medici, but in the 17th century, one woman ensured that the Medici art collection, with only a few exceptions, would remain in Florence forever. That woman was Anna Maria Luisa de Medici. She was the last lineal descendant of the main branch of Medicis. She had no children and was a patron of the arts. She’s represented in an impressive seated sculpture with a book on her lap in the lower level of the Medici Chapel.

Anna Maria Luisa de Medici

Our guide Sasha, a native of Denmark, but a resident of Italy for more than 30 years, was excellent with a lively manner and a sense of humor.  We put a lot of miles on our feet over several hours to visit the Medici Chapels, the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, and the San Marco Church. 

MEDICI CHAPELS

The Medici Chapels were our first stop, and there are two of them dating from the 16th and 17th centuries.  They are extensions to the Medici family’s official church, the Church of San Lorenzo.  Many might say that the décor of the huge church-like Chapel of the Princes is over the top.  Its colors are dark and somewhat somber, but the marble and and inlaid precious stone work is elaborate and very detailed. 

Altar in the Medici Chapel

 This chapel celebrates the grand dukes of the Medici family each with its own sarcophagus.  The men are actually buried elsewhere. Only two of the sarcophaguses have statues in the alcove above, that of Ferdinand who killed his younger brother and wife, and his son’s alcove.  The other alcoves remain empty and incomplete.

Statue of Ferdinand above his sarcophagus

This chapel was created in the 1600’s, but the intricate mosaic floor work wasn’t begun until 1874 and only completed in the 1960’s. The yellow marble is particularly striking. 

Rich colors of marble floor, Chapel of the Princes

The second chapel or mausoleum, called the New Sacristy, was designed by Michelangelo as a cube with a dome at the top. He oversaw its construction from 1520 to 1534. It is a complete contrast to the Chapel of Princes, in only black and white with sculptures of white marble.

Interior, New Sacristy

On opposite walls are two groups of marble statues.  In one, the Duke of Nemours , brother of Pope Leo X, is shown above his sarcophagus in military garb, while below are two reclining nudes, one a male representing day or awakening, and the other a female representing night.  These are powerful sculptures and dominate the space.

Figure of Night

On side wall is a Madonna grouping; Michelangelo sculpted the Virgin and child, but not the other two figures.

Michelangelo’s mother & infant

PALAZZO MEDICI RICCARDI

From here, we walked on to Palazzo Medici Riccardi.  This 15th century palace was the home of the Medicis and later bought by the Riccardi family, hence the name. 

Palazzo exterior with Medici coat of arms

It was designed by Michelozzo di Bartholomeo.  We stopped here to see the Magi Chapel with frescos by Benozzo Gozzoli and art by Flippo Lippi.  The colors on the frescos are vibrant even today.

Detail, Procession of the Magi (Gozzzoli)
Man in blue hat is Gozzoli
Adoration in the Forest (Lippi)

SAN MARCO CHURCH

Our last stop was San Marco Church. Originally founded in 1267 as a Benedictine monastery, it became home to Dominican monks of Fiesole some 150 years later due to Cosimo of Vecchio’s intervention.  Here we came to see the fresco, The Last Supper, by Domenico Ghirlandaio, painted in the late 15th century. Jesus is in the center with all but one apostle seated along his side; Judas is on the other side of the table facing Jesus. Despite what is to come, the scene is serene. (The photo below shows most, but not all of the fresco.)

We enjoyed our art-filled morning and came away with a greater appreciation for the Medicis’ power and influence and for the rich paintings and frescos they inspired.

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.) Header photo is the garden at Palazzo Medici Riccardi.

Italy: Fabulous Florence

JWF Leave a comment

MAIN SQUARE & DUOMO

David replica in main square

We’re re-discovering Florence and loving it!  Our first and only previous visit here was almost 50 years ago.  We wonder why we’ve not come back sooner.  Elegant and lively, not as overwhelming as Rome, and with its bridges, architecture, and marvelous art, it’s a gem.  Plus there’s a plethora of great small restaurants.

Fountain on edge of main square
Cathedral with its distinctive dome
Part of duomo facade

On Saturday, we were on our own.  We walked to the main square with the replica of Michelangelo’s David, joined the throngs outside the magnificent duomo or cathedral, and noted the nearby spurting fountain.  For me, the beauty of this duomo rivals that of Orvieto.

Detail of lovely marble on facade

I love the many shades of pink and rose and green marble and the intricate carvings. Begun in 1296, the cathedral was not completed until 1436. Given the long lines for entry, we did not go in, but rather just admired its exterior.

BAPTISTERY

We then went on to see the Florence Baptistery or Baptistery of St. John. This octagonal structure dates from 1059 and is the oldest monument in Florence. With its charcoal and white appearance and its many vertical and horizontal lines, it’s an attractive contrast to the duomo.

Florence Baptistery
Close up of baptistery facade

CITY VIEWS

Florence is magical and special almost any time and occasionally mysterious. It’s beautiful even in the rain.

Hotel terrace view after rain
Arched street in the dark
Nighttime reflections
End of a meal: cantucci & vin santo

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

.

Italy: Surprising Arezzo

JWF 1 Comment

ARREZO’S PLACE

Panoramic view of historic Arezzo

We arrived in Arezzo yesterday for three nights.  Arezzo is not as much on the tourist circuit as Siena, Cortona, and other Tuscan towns.  In fact, Debora, our lively guide today, described Arezzo as “the ugly duckling.”  It’s a real city and much bigger than Siena or Cortona, but it has not had the same influx of tourists until recently; consequently, it isn’t as prepared to receive them well.  Hotels in the central district, not far from the magnificent duomo and other ancient buildings, are scarce and even a bit tired.

Monaco statue & city beyond

 Our hotel is in a great location opposite Guido Monaco’s statue with a view up Via del Corso toward the cathedral. Its rooftop terrace provided the wonderful panoramic view above.

Music theorist and monk, Monaco, who lived in the 10th century, was responsible for inventing the names for the notes on the scale: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do.  Arezzo today celebrates music with festivals and the like. 

Town hall facade, Medici coat of arms in center

After many predictions of severe weather and rain, we had some spritzing followed by a steady real rain.  But we were able to enjoy a couple hours with Debora walking up the hill by the town hall to the impressive duomo. Later, we skirted a large park on our way to Piazza Grande with its mix of architecture from the medieval era to the Medicis to the Renaissance.  Arezzo was an Etruscan town, then Roman, then Medici and so on like others in Tuscany. 

DUOMO

Duomo from the rear

The Duomo was started in the 1300’s, but has had additions and renovations dating through the centuries up to the early 1900’s. It sits so high above the rest of the city that its sheer size as well as its position mean that it dominates the piazza.  It is dedicated to St. Donatus and in the interior is a 14th century arch named for him.  

Marble Arch of St. Donatus

There are also some lovely early 16th century stained glass windows whose intense reds and purples are still radiant today.

Stained glass, Arezzo Duomo

Pope Gregory X died in Arezzo in 1276 and there is a funerary monument to him from the 14th century.  The Chapel of the Madonna del Confort, about the size of a small church within the cathedral, offers a more intimate place for meditation. It was built beginning in 1796.  When we went in, the cathedral organ was playing, and it was peaceful and restful.  

Also of note here is a work by Pietro della Francesca, Mary Magdalene, from the 15th century. In bright colors and small details, she is portrayed with loose hair suggesting a prostitute, but also with a container of oil to wash the feet of Jesus.

Mary Magdalene

ROMAN ROOTS

Debora described the architecture of several buildings as being like lasagna, many layers of different styles.  It seemed an apt description, especially when later we popped into the Sugar Gallery through a 16th century archway and then walked on glass floors where only a foot below us were some beautiful stone mosaics. They belong to the Roman period. 

I liked this duck with its orange beak

 Lovely and preserved, over 2,000 years old, these mosaics looked fresh and contemporary. 

PIAZZA GRANDE

Piazza Grande

Piazza Grande is a true mix of styles with a row of flat medieval facades, the rounded apse of a church, a and a three level building with a clock tower whose layers span from medieval times to the Renaissance period. It’s a great slanted space with, of course, a café or two on the side.  

Medieval houses
In Piazza Grande
Santa Maria della Pieve

Twice a year, a jousting festival takes place in this piazza with participants on horseback from the four neighborhoods of Arezzo, competing against one another to hit a target. The piazza is called grand, and it is a grand and appealing space.

Tomorrow we will go into the Church of San Francesco to see the frescoes by Piero della Francesca.

Note:  All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)