"The ‘Cradle of the Renaissance’ opens before us–in the foreground is the Arno River and the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge and the only one here not destroyed during World War II…"
Dear International Living Reader,
When my husband and I visit the Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence, Italy, we always stop to admire a monument erected in the artist’s honor. The monument, comprised of bronze copies of Michelangelo’s David and the allegorical figures commissioned by Pope Clement VII for the Medici tombs, is located in the square’s center. We wander past the souvenir stands, with their film and postcards, bottled water, snacks, and calendars with photos of cats and cathedrals. We pause at the easels of painters displaying their impressions of the vast panorama that is Florence as seen from the height of the Piazzale.
The "Cradle of the Renaissance" opens before us–in the foreground is the Arno River and on the left the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge and the only one here not destroyed during World War II. Pedestrians crowd the bridge as they stop to gaze and often succumb to the temptations of the jewelry boutiques and displays of the goldsmiths’ fine work…glittering replacements for the butcher shops banished in the 1500s. On the highest section of the bridge is the Vasariano Corridor, a covered passageway that links the Pitti Palace and the Palazzo Vecchio. For three centuries it was a private passageway for the Medici’s before being opened to the public by King Vittorio Emanuele II in 1866.
I point to the Gate of San Niccolo, built in 1324 as a part of the city walls used for defense. It still stands, the only example of the original gates of Florence.
In the distance, a thick carpet of cypress trees covers the Florentine hills presenting a magnificent backdrop for the towers and belltowers of this memorable city. Spread beneath the Piazzale, we can see Santa Croce, the gothic church built by the Franciscans, in the 1200s, with its tombs of the famous, among them Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli. No wonder Santa Croce is often called Italy’s Westminster Abby. In the city’s heart, there’s the Duomo crowned by Brunelleschi’s red-tiled dome. To the right, the intimidating Bargello, a castle in 1225, police headquarters dating from the 16th century, a dungeon for the tortured and the scene of public executions for the damned, and eventually, from 1859, a museum renowned for 15th- and 16th-century Tuscan sculptures, the arms and armor of war, and della Robbia ceramics.
But this afternoon our attention strays to a young couple; they kiss, then he reaches into a shopping bag, removes a tee shirt, and pulls it over his head. On the shirt are stenciled the words, "WILL YOU MARRY ME?" The girl nods, blushes, and throws her arms around the boy as everyone in the square focuses on the happy pair. The boy’s grin is almost as wide as the Arno as he places a ring on her finger.
Congratulations are offered in many different tongues followed by hearty handshakes and backslaps. Photos are snapped and a romantic afternoon on the Piazzale Michelangelo will be long remembered.
Elise Warner
For International Living
——————————————————————————–
Romantic Italy
——————————————————————————–
* Dreamy hilltop villages bathed in golden light…churches and bell towers glowing in warm antique colors…seas of yellow sunflowers… Tuscany fits almost everyone’s notion of picture book Italy. For the best properties available right now in this sun-kissed region, contact International Living’s local representative, Carol Milligan, by e-mail: Italy@InternationalLiving.com.
*’La Dolce Vita’ means the sweet life…and life gets no sweeter than in sunny Italy. Fabulous food and wines…dreamy landscapes…history, culture…passionate people…lavish hospitality…time-honored traditions. A land where pleasures can be as profound as the works of Dante…or as frothy as a cappuccino. And living here is more affordable than you think.
* Can you write a simple "postcard" like this one? We have a great demand for a pool of travel writers that can be relied on to write vivid, lively and interesting articles…and we’re not alone. Editors at magazines, newsletters, and websites the world over are always on the lookout for people who love to travel and who can relate their experiences in a thoughtful, engaging, interesting way. If you’d like to earn extra income traveling the world, see how you can get your first assignment here.
