Santa Croce
I know I have not written a lot in this section, but some trips just warrant their own post! Today in my Art class we took a trip to Santa Croce. (not a very long trip for me considering it is right outside my window! But I was happy to finally go inside!) Santa Croce not only is right next door, but we had one large question: Why is there a big Star of David on a church? Well it turns out, that the architect who made the church was Jewish and wanted to leave his mark ... not very subtly. But what we found inside Santa Croce far surpassed my expectations!
The first notable thing about Santa Croce is that it is HUGE. Santa Croce used to be used as a monastery which in the mideval times was basically an autonomous neighborhood for the friars to live. They had a refractory (dining room) dormitories (bed rooms) and a chapter room (meeting places) along with other rooms. However, since Santa Croce was a monestary for Franciscans, they believed in helping people and serving the public.
The next important fact about Santa Croce is it is basically a burial site with all the people who are buried in there... and not just joe shmo and his wife, very famous people are buried inside Santa Croce. This is because Santa Croce was an important site of Florence, and the city shows their respect to these people by being buried inside. Two of the most famous people who are buried in Santa Croce are Galileo and Michelangelo. Both of which are right across from the other at the very entrance to Santa Croce (both very cool and creepy at the same time)
Santa Croce also has many frescoes and parts to it that are really fun and beautiful to walk around and explore and I am so happy I had the chance to go! It is so crazy that I live right next to this amazing place (and basically right next to Galileo ... literally!)
The first notable thing about Santa Croce is that it is HUGE. Santa Croce used to be used as a monastery which in the mideval times was basically an autonomous neighborhood for the friars to live. They had a refractory (dining room) dormitories (bed rooms) and a chapter room (meeting places) along with other rooms. However, since Santa Croce was a monestary for Franciscans, they believed in helping people and serving the public.
The next important fact about Santa Croce is it is basically a burial site with all the people who are buried in there... and not just joe shmo and his wife, very famous people are buried inside Santa Croce. This is because Santa Croce was an important site of Florence, and the city shows their respect to these people by being buried inside. Two of the most famous people who are buried in Santa Croce are Galileo and Michelangelo. Both of which are right across from the other at the very entrance to Santa Croce (both very cool and creepy at the same time)
Santa Croce also has many frescoes and parts to it that are really fun and beautiful to walk around and explore and I am so happy I had the chance to go! It is so crazy that I live right next to this amazing place (and basically right next to Galileo ... literally!)
Baptistry
As I said in the post about the duomo, baptisms were not as common as they are now. It used to be that there were only one or two baptisms a year, therefore a huge building was needed to hold all of the people who were being baptized. This building is directly in front of the entrance for the duomo because once you were baptized you were a member of the church and could then enter. But the more important and interesting part, at least for me, is the ceiling of the baptistry. It is all mosaic (small tiles put together to make a big picture) with glass and gold leaf. It is absolutely stunning. In the mosaic, there is one side which has a large picture of Christ and judgment day (heaven to Chris's right and hell to his left - apparently I am the devil because I am a lefty, oh well!)
Besides from this part of the ceiling with judgment day, there are 4 rings that go around the rest of the baptistry that each tell a story. The first ring (closest to the top) is the different kinds of angels. The one below this is the story of Adam and Eve. The third is the story of Joseph (Joseph and the technicolor dream coat), and the final is the story of Christ. It is really amazing how each piece of the ceiling tells a part of the story and it is all amazingly beautiful!
Also inside the baptistry is the tomb of an "anti-pope." This does not mean the same thing as an "anti-christ", it simply means that there was a period of time in which there were as many as three popes at once. The anti-pope was the pope who was not recognized. However, he was able to get such an amazing place to rest because the Medici family supported him and fought to give him this location. Also, he was able to give a relic to the city of Florence. (a relic is a body part of a saint or other honored person or an ancient religious object) The relic he donated was the finger of St. John the Baptist ... yes very gross. But St. John the Baptist is the saint that "watches over" Florence and therefore was very cherished by the city. Because of this donation as well as help from the Medici family, he was a tomb in the baptistry of Florence.
Another part of the baptistry are large bronze doors as well as the "gate of paradise". The gate of paradise is the gold door which is now a replication after the flood in Florence in the 60s. But the images on these doors are stories from the old testament (the Jewish portion) which are all very beautiful. These stories include the creation of Adam and Eve, the story of Noah's arc, The story of Cain and Abel and the Story of Isaac and Jacob. Even though it is a copy it is truly beautiful and very cool!
Besides from this part of the ceiling with judgment day, there are 4 rings that go around the rest of the baptistry that each tell a story. The first ring (closest to the top) is the different kinds of angels. The one below this is the story of Adam and Eve. The third is the story of Joseph (Joseph and the technicolor dream coat), and the final is the story of Christ. It is really amazing how each piece of the ceiling tells a part of the story and it is all amazingly beautiful!
Also inside the baptistry is the tomb of an "anti-pope." This does not mean the same thing as an "anti-christ", it simply means that there was a period of time in which there were as many as three popes at once. The anti-pope was the pope who was not recognized. However, he was able to get such an amazing place to rest because the Medici family supported him and fought to give him this location. Also, he was able to give a relic to the city of Florence. (a relic is a body part of a saint or other honored person or an ancient religious object) The relic he donated was the finger of St. John the Baptist ... yes very gross. But St. John the Baptist is the saint that "watches over" Florence and therefore was very cherished by the city. Because of this donation as well as help from the Medici family, he was a tomb in the baptistry of Florence.
Another part of the baptistry are large bronze doors as well as the "gate of paradise". The gate of paradise is the gold door which is now a replication after the flood in Florence in the 60s. But the images on these doors are stories from the old testament (the Jewish portion) which are all very beautiful. These stories include the creation of Adam and Eve, the story of Noah's arc, The story of Cain and Abel and the Story of Isaac and Jacob. Even though it is a copy it is truly beautiful and very cool!
Duomo facts!
DUOMO FACTS
One of the most important part of Florence is the Duomo. The main Duomo in Florence is called Santa Maria del fiore. All churches are named usually with both a saint and an object, so this church is dedicated to Mary and Flowers. The Cathedral was built on top of a fourth century cathedral named Santa Reparata. You can actually see some of the remains if you go down a few steps towards the front of the cathedral.
One important fact that i learned is that among the many churches in all of the towns of Italy only one can be called a Cathedral. It is called a cathedral if it is the Bishop's church. All other churches are not called cathedrals and it is important to learn which one is the cathedral!
Our cathedral in Florence is actually one of the Largest in the world and one of the oldest of the largest churches! It was build around the 13th century, while all other large churches were built much more recently and with more modern tools. Another important fact about most cathedrals is that the altar and the church in generally will usually face East towards the Holy land of Jerusalem. (our teacher thinks its funny that half of our class is Jewish and puts special emphasis on any part of the old testament or anything related to Judaism)
In many older cathedrals and churches there are pieces of artwork that does not have religious significance. This is because churches were also used for political meetings and were used as centers of life and not only for religious services. Despite this, access into the churches was much more restricted than it is today. You had to be a recognized member of the church in order to enter. This means you had to be baptized! Another difference in older times was there was only one or two baptizing per year, therefore hundreds of people would be baptized at once which is why a whole building was necessary. In many places such as Florence, the baptistry is right in front of the entrance to the Church so people would be baptized and then enter the church.
DOME OF DUOMO
The dome of the Duomo is one of the most magnificent works of architecture of the time. When building the church, the architects had no clue how they were going to close this large circle over the altar. Construction of the church actually went on for about 120 years before construction started on the dome. The problem was the diameter of the dome is very large and no one could find someone capable of creating a stable structure with tools of the time. One idea was actually to fill the church with dirt, stand on top of the dirt in order to build the "roof" and put coins in the dirt so that when construction was done the cheap florentines (a stereotype that still exists today) would clean up all the dirt in search of the coins. Clearly this idea wasn't used. It was not until Filippo Brunelleschi that a valid idea came forth. (Even though at the time the idea seemed crazy!) He looked at the pantheon in Rome for inspiration but there were many differences between the dome in Florence and the one in the Pantheon. For example, the dome of the Pantheon is made of cement with volcanic ash, the recipe of which was not discovered until modern science. Also, the walls of the pantheon are approximately 18 feet thick to support the weight of the dome. Brunelleschi suggested a more pointed dome to reduce the lateral thrust (pushing out) of the dome. Also, instead of creating a structure of wood to build on, Brunelleschi created an outer and inner shell which mutually support each other to keep the dome standing. (When you climb the duomo you climb in between the two layers). Also, the machines to build this type of structure were not yet in invented so Brunelleschi invented them! It really was an architectural miracle and so beautiful! We are very excited to climb it. (We climbed the bell tower next is the duomo!) On the dome there is a large Fresco of Judgement day. I will go into some of the details when I discuss some of the icons and iconography of Italian art! It is beautiful and very realistic!
One of the most important part of Florence is the Duomo. The main Duomo in Florence is called Santa Maria del fiore. All churches are named usually with both a saint and an object, so this church is dedicated to Mary and Flowers. The Cathedral was built on top of a fourth century cathedral named Santa Reparata. You can actually see some of the remains if you go down a few steps towards the front of the cathedral.
One important fact that i learned is that among the many churches in all of the towns of Italy only one can be called a Cathedral. It is called a cathedral if it is the Bishop's church. All other churches are not called cathedrals and it is important to learn which one is the cathedral!
Our cathedral in Florence is actually one of the Largest in the world and one of the oldest of the largest churches! It was build around the 13th century, while all other large churches were built much more recently and with more modern tools. Another important fact about most cathedrals is that the altar and the church in generally will usually face East towards the Holy land of Jerusalem. (our teacher thinks its funny that half of our class is Jewish and puts special emphasis on any part of the old testament or anything related to Judaism)
In many older cathedrals and churches there are pieces of artwork that does not have religious significance. This is because churches were also used for political meetings and were used as centers of life and not only for religious services. Despite this, access into the churches was much more restricted than it is today. You had to be a recognized member of the church in order to enter. This means you had to be baptized! Another difference in older times was there was only one or two baptizing per year, therefore hundreds of people would be baptized at once which is why a whole building was necessary. In many places such as Florence, the baptistry is right in front of the entrance to the Church so people would be baptized and then enter the church.
DOME OF DUOMO
The dome of the Duomo is one of the most magnificent works of architecture of the time. When building the church, the architects had no clue how they were going to close this large circle over the altar. Construction of the church actually went on for about 120 years before construction started on the dome. The problem was the diameter of the dome is very large and no one could find someone capable of creating a stable structure with tools of the time. One idea was actually to fill the church with dirt, stand on top of the dirt in order to build the "roof" and put coins in the dirt so that when construction was done the cheap florentines (a stereotype that still exists today) would clean up all the dirt in search of the coins. Clearly this idea wasn't used. It was not until Filippo Brunelleschi that a valid idea came forth. (Even though at the time the idea seemed crazy!) He looked at the pantheon in Rome for inspiration but there were many differences between the dome in Florence and the one in the Pantheon. For example, the dome of the Pantheon is made of cement with volcanic ash, the recipe of which was not discovered until modern science. Also, the walls of the pantheon are approximately 18 feet thick to support the weight of the dome. Brunelleschi suggested a more pointed dome to reduce the lateral thrust (pushing out) of the dome. Also, instead of creating a structure of wood to build on, Brunelleschi created an outer and inner shell which mutually support each other to keep the dome standing. (When you climb the duomo you climb in between the two layers). Also, the machines to build this type of structure were not yet in invented so Brunelleschi invented them! It really was an architectural miracle and so beautiful! We are very excited to climb it. (We climbed the bell tower next is the duomo!) On the dome there is a large Fresco of Judgement day. I will go into some of the details when I discuss some of the icons and iconography of Italian art! It is beautiful and very realistic!
Why I started this page
I have a tendency to want to share almost everything I learn while here! But not everyone is as big of an art dork as me! So I figured I would start this page to write about the history of locations, art, churches and more. It should be less overwhelming to have it on one page instead of mixed in with my day to day life and food adventures. I hope you enjoy!