Articles tagged with: church
Michelangelo’s Laurentian Library, Mannerist Tendencies
It’s high time I write something about the Laurentian Library as this post has been in my drafts folder for over a year! Perhaps it has remained there because Mannerist architecture is not exactly an easy topic, and it’s even more difficult when you’re not in situ (and when photos are prohibited in this location!). …
Sudtirol weekend: fresh air and a totally different Italy
On a whim, I accepted an invitation posted to the members of De Gustibus, a local enogastronomical society, for a “ski weekend” in the Dolomite mountains near Bressanone/ Brixen, in a small town called St. Andrea, at the ski hill Plose (also known for its mineral water of the same name). I was tempted by …
Special opening: Laurentian Library (Sept. 6 2009 to Jan. 6 2010)
Michelangelo’s Laurentian Library, next to the Church of San Lorenzo, is open to the public during a special exhibit dedicated to the shape of the book from roll to codex (“La forma del Libro”). This is a rare opportunity to visit this monumental space that is normally closed to the public.
San Biagio in Montepulciano – High Renaissance perfection
The pilgrimage church of The Madonna of San Biagio lies just outside of the town of Montepulciano. Its symmetrical greek-cross plan reflects the High Renaissance drive towards perfection in a combination of squares and circles.
The church was begun by the architect Antonio di Sangallo the Elder in 1518 and is considered one of the first great …
The Church of San Martino a Mensola
San Martino a Mensola is a lovely parish church in the Renaissance style. Although modest in size, its architecture is grand and it contains a number of quattrocento altarpieces. As there is absolutely no information on the internet about this church, I am posting what I was able to learn through book research.
Cortona photos
I have been spending a fair amount of time in Cortona recently. Not enough to write much about its history, but enough to appreciate how beautiful and quiet this town is. I have been here long enough to see a litter of kittens grow up and leave town…
Cathedral of Orvieto (S. Maria Assunta)
Legend has it that the Cathedral of Orvieto was built to house a relic that commemorates a miracle that did not happen here. The miracle of the Mass at Bolsena happened, you guessed it… at Bolsena, a town just 23 km away from here. In a church in Bolsena in 1263, a priest who was …
Spanish Chapel at Santa Maria Novella
Annexed to the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence is a large frescoed chapter house that is one of the most impressive surviving testimonies of the 1360s in Florence. Erroneously named the “Spanish Chapel” because of its later use for prayer by Spanish colonists, the structure (built probably in the 1350s) in fact served …
Mugello day trip: cows, a pieve, a convent, tortelli, and an outlet mall
Itinerary
On the spur of the moment we headed out one strangely cool August day to take in some of what Mugello has to offer. I think this will be the first of many such trips as there is a lot to see. The following is an itinerary with an excellent local lunch spot, an outlet …
The church of Santa Croce in Florence – art and history
History of the franciscan order and description of the major early renaissance acheivements in the Church of Santa Croce in Florence (begun in the 1290s).
The Baptistry of Florence
The Baptistry of Florence is one of the city’s most central buildings – right in front of the Duomo with its famous dome by Brunelleschi. Let’s take a moment to learn more about the history and layout of this important building.
A Baptistry is defined as the locus for baptism. This is usually done inside churches …
Florence Duomo history and function: free podcast!
This podcast (9 minutes long) takes you on a tour of Piazza Duomo in Florence, Italy. We talk about the mix of religious and civic buildings in this space, looking at the Baptistery, Duomo, Misericordia, and Bigallo. The article below contains the text of the podcast.
(the Media player’s not working right now so here is …
ArtTrav is a blog about expat life, art, and travel in Italy and Europe. I am Alexandra Korey, a Florence-based art historian turned blogger.
My goal is to help travelers and residents like you experience countries through culture and local living. If it takes geeky, long articles to do that, so be it! 
