Steps, Steps & more Steps-

This past Wednesday, Matt and I began and ended our touring day with climbing stairs.  Without exaggeration I think it was close to 2,000 steps!  I guess you could say we were counterbalancing the calories the boys were consuming as their day was spent in a pizza and gelato making class at the cooking school just a few doors down from our apartment.

First stop, the Palazzo Vecchio or Old Palace which was the Town Hall for Florence in the 1300's (when it was a Republic) until the 1530's when the Medici Cosimo I took over and turned it into his personal palace.  It is filled with Renaissance art and an impressive Grand Hall but the highlight for Matt was the top of the bell tower with another beautiful vista of the city.   It was a windy but sunny morning and he was able to capture some great photos.

We then visited the Medici Chapel where the ruling family members are buried.  The star here for me was the Sacrestia Nuova (New Sacristy)- room and monuments/tombs completely designed by Michelangelo.

The Church of Santa Novella (1400's) which has great "groundbreaking" early Renaissance art featuring the first 3-D paintings by Masaccio, Giotto and Ghirlandaio was also on our list for the day (before the Firenze card expires!) and lastly before picking up the boys we walked through the Mercanto Centrale  which is Florence's grand version of a farmer's market selling luscious looking produce, cheeses, olives, wine and also meat, organs and fish.  It really made me wish that I was a better cook...maybe I should have taken the cooking class instead of the boys!

To end the day we took the boys to climb the steps to the top of the Duomo.  It seems that you have not really been a tourist in Florence if you do not tackle the 463 claustrophobic winding steps of this architectural masterpiece.  I must say the view was stunning and it did allow you to marvel at the genius and beauty of the dome.  Ross announced at the top that he was not tired at all and Nash is confident that his count of 540 steps versus the published claim of 463 is the accurate count!

I love this photo by Matt- this shadow of the Palace looming over the Piazza Signoria
 is a perfect depiction of the tyrannical rule of the Medici over the people

Santa Maria Novella's facade

Santa Maria Novella's nave

Just a tiny selection of Mercanto Centrale

Medici Chapel (again, no photos allowed of Michelangelo's work inside)

The boys ready to tackle the stairs of the Duomo

On their way up...

And they made it!

So nice of fellow travelers to take a family pic of us on the outside of the dome

A view of the inside of the dome which of course does not do it justice.