Accademia in Florence

The Accademia is widely known for housing Michelangelo's "David" and "Prisoners" sculptures (as well as more sculptures done by him). The museum, often called the second most popular, also displays Giambologna's "Rape of the Sabines", and Botticelli's "Madonna and Child" and "Madonna of the Sea". All four of the sculptures are considered must see's!

"David"
This sculpture came to the Accademia in 1873 to better preserve it. There is a copy of the statue where it was originally standing at Piazza del Signoria. Most people are familiar with the statue but not with the statue's actual size. "David" stands 16 feet high and is carved out of marble. Unknown to many, the statue is not quite proportionate. The head and hands are very over sized. This was done on purpose my Michelangelo because he knew the stature would be looked at from below, not at eye level. However, if able to view the statue at eye level, it is evident that the eyes of David are not looking in the same direction!

http://www.visitflorence.com/florence-museums/accademia-gallery.html

Forum Romanum

The first picture on this page is actually and interactive map. Click on a building you want to know more specific information about and it will take you to another page!

http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/4_Forum_Romanum.html

During the 7th century BCE, the Forum Romanum was the economical and political center of Rome. After the imperial period, it was reduced to only a monumental area. Around the 4th century BCE, it had been abandoned (after the fall of the empire in the west). You can see the importance the area once held by how many political, religious, and judicial buildings it once held. the Forum as viewed today is a result of changes made by Julius Caesar. He added many buildings and made changes to the growing city. Many, many times the Forum was the site of violence and destruction whenever there was "political strife" during the republican times. Many buildings were demolished completely but the ruins of what remains is truly something amazing to look at.

Les Invalides- Paris

One of the most famous aspects of the Les Invalides is Napoleon Bonaparte's Tomb and the Dome Church. Napoleon's ashes were transferred from the Valley of Geranium between October and December, 1840. The tomb is carved of red quartzite and was put on a pedestal of green granite. All around the tomb are inscriptions of all of Napoleon's great accomplishments.

The Dome Church also houses the tombs of Napoleon's two brothers, Joseph and Jerome Bonaparte, as well as his son, Eaglet, and two more recent marshals.

Check out the link for more info on the museum and pictures!

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.invalides.org/&ei=ffW6TbSqNeby0gG0hKDKBQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CD8Q7gEwBg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dles%2Binvalides%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7ADBS_en%26prmd%3Divnsm

The Arc de Triomphe - Paris

The city of Paris holds one of the greatest arches in history: The Arc de Triomphe. The Arc de Triomphe is located in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, and it honors those who died for France during the French and Napoleonic Wars. In 1806, Napoleon commissioned the arch to commemorate his victories and the Grande Armee. The Grande Armee had conquered most of Europe and was considered invincible at the time. Unfortunately, the arch was not completed during Napoleon's lifetime. In fact, the arch was not completed until the reign of Louis Philippe in 1836.

Jean Chalgrin designed the arch after the Arch of Titus in Rome. Even though the Arch de Triomphe and the Arch of Titus have the same proportions, the Arc de Triomphe is much higher. Above many of the sculpted friezes of soldiers are 30 shields engraved with the names of major Napoleonic and Revolutionary military victories.

During World War I, many soldiers died without their bodies being identified. Beneath the arc is the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The body was buried there on Armistice Day in 1920. He represents the millions of French soldiers who died during World War One. His body lies under the arch in memory of all of those who were never identified.

On the top of the arch is a wonderful platform for viewing.

History of the Uffizi Gallery - Florence

The Uffizi Gallery was built in the mid-sixteenth century by the architect, Giorgio Vasari. The Uffizi Gallery is home to some of the most spectacular works of art, including works by:

Giotto

Simone Martini

Piero della Francesca

Fra Angelico

Filippo Lippi

Botticelli

Mantegna

Correggio

Leonardo da Vinci

Raphael

Michelangelo

Caravaggio

Originally, the building was meant to house the offices for several of the magistrates; however the Medici family set aside several rooms on the third floor to hold the finest works of their art collection. Because of the generosity of Anna Maria Luisa, the last heir of the family, two centuries later, their collection became public property.

On the second floor of the building, paintings are displayed in chronological order from the 13th to 18th centuries. The works of the Italian Renaissance are the most famous group of paintings displayed in the Uffizi Gallery, although several sections of the museum are dedicated to other foreign artists.

The Annunciation - Leonardo Da Vinci

The Uffizi Gallery also offers a marvelous collection of Roman sculptures that are presented in the corridors. In addition to the sculptures in the corridors, it is still possible to see the remains of the Romanesque church of San Piero Scheraggio on the ground floor. The Romanesque church of San Piero Scheraggio was partially destroyed by Vasari to build the Uffizi.

Here is a link that may be interesting to watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0GSxSansbI

St. Peter's Basilica

St. Peter's Basilica is a major basilica located in the Vatican City that covers an area of 5.7 acres and has the capacity to hold 60,000 people. Today, St. Peter's Basilica remains one of the largest churches ever built, and one of the holiest sites in the world.

The basilica is believed to have been built over the spot where St. Peter was buried after his martyrdom in Rome. After St. Peter was buried, later in the 4th century, Emperor Constantine began construction of a great basilica over the tomb. In the mid 15th century, Pope Nicholas V asked the architect Bernardo Rossellino to start adding to the old church. This was abandoned after a short while, but later Pope Julius II began construction on the church again. Finally, in 1615, the church was completed under Pope Paul V. Many famous artists were apart of the construction of St. Peter's Basilica, including Michelangelo, chief architect, and Bernini, who designed St. Peter's Square.

Michelangelo designed the great dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. The dome is made of brick and 42.3 meters in diameter, rising 120 meters above the floor. Michelangelo's dome is parabola in shape with a vertical thrust. St. Peter's Basilica also has many other great aspects pertaining to its exterior, including the Holy Door, Door of Death, facade, and the portico. Despite the many amazing architectural features of St. Peter's Basilica, the shrine of St. Peter is still the main focus of the church today.

Some great pictures of the basilica can be found through this link:

http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/Pics/StPeters.htm

Louvre Museum

The Louvre Museum used to be a palace, but was transformed in the late 1700s into one of the largest and most popular public museums. It is located in the center of Paris and has around 35,000 objects displayed in the museum, many of which are European paintings and sculptures. Other sections include Roman, Egyptian, Greek and Oriental art. The Venus of Milo, the Mona Lisa, and the Dying Slave are a few of the famous works that are displayed in the Louvre.

In the 14th century, the Louvre was created as a royal palace. Since then, it has been renovated and additions have been made to the original building. In the 19th century, yet another renovation took place, and the Richelieu wing was added. Now, the Louvre has four symmetric wings that are formed around a large, central courtyard. However, in 1871, the Communards (members and supports of the Paris Commune, which was a short-lived government body that formed during the Franco-Persian War) burned the Tuileries palace and opened the west side of the building. The art collection in the Louvre was established in the 16th century by King Francis I, and one of the works he purchased was the Mona Lisa. The private collection owned by the royal family was opened to the public in 1793 during the French Revolution.

The glass pyramid was the most recent addition to the Louvre Museum. This pyramid creates the entrance to the museum and was built in 1989 by I.M. Pei. Because it’s architecture is quite different from the rest of the museum, the glass pyramid was initially received with both positive and negative reviews, but it has come to be widely accepted as a strong addition to the museum.

http://www.aviewoncities.com/paris/louvre.htm

View of Florence from San Miniato

I am looking forward to the amazing views of Florence from the church named San Miniato al Monte. This church was built in 1018 over the grave of Christian Martyr San Miniato. Friends have told me from their past visits at this particular location you will be able to see the most amazing views of Florence, and also if you are lucky you might hear monks chanting from the blessed church in the early morning.

Art and Culture of Florence

Florence contains an exceptional artistic patrimony, glorious testimony to its secular civilization. Cimabue and Giotto, the fathers of Italian painting, lived here, along with Arnolfo and Andrea Pisano, reformists of architecture and sculpture; Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio, founders of the Renaissance; Ghiberti and the Della Robbia; Filippo Lippi and l'Angelico; Botticelli and Paolo Uccello; the universal geniuses Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Their works, along with those of many generations of artists up to the masters of the present century, are gathered in the city's many museums. In Florence, thanks to Dante, the Italian language was born; with Petrarch and Boccaccio literary studies were affirmed; with Humanism the philosophy and values of classical civilization were revived; with Machiavelli modern political science was born; with Guicciardini, historical prose; and with Galileo, modern experimental science. Up to the time of Charlemagne, Florence was a university town. Today it includes many specialized institutes and is an international cultural center. Academies, art schools, scientific institutes and cultural centers all contribute to the city's intense activity.

Place de la Concorde - Paris

At 20 acres, the octagonal Place de la Concorde is the largest square in Paris.

In 1763, a large statue of king Louis XV was erected at the site to celebrate the recovery of the king after a serious illness. The square surrounding the statue was created later, in 1772, by the architect Jacques-Ange Gabriel. It was known as the place Louis XV.

In 1792, during the French revolution, the statue was replaced by a another, large statue, called 'Liberté' (freedom) and the square was called Place de la Révolution. A guillotine was installed at the center of the square and in a time span of only a couple of years, 1119 people were beheaded here. Amongst them many famous people like King Louis XVI, Marie-Antionette, and Robespierre. After the revolution the square was renamed several times until 1830, when it was given the current name 'Place de la Concorde'.

At each corner of the octagonal square is a statue representing a French city: Bordeaux, Brest, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Rouen and Strasbourg. They were installed in 1836 by Jacob Ignaz Hittorf, who redesigned the Place de la Concorde between 1833 and 1846.

From the Place de la Concorde you can see the Arc de Triomphe (west), the Madeleine (north), the Tuileries (east) and, across the Seine, the Palais Bourbon, now the Assemblée Nationale(south).

Sistine Chapel

Sistine Chapel is the best-known chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. It is famous for its architecture and its decoration that was frescoed throughout by the greatest Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Raphael, Bernini, and Sandro Botticelli. Under the patronage of Pope Julius II, Michelangelo painted 12,000 square feet of the chapel ceiling between 1508 and 1512. He resented the commission, and believed his work only served the Pope's need for grandeur. However, today the ceiling, and especially The Last Judgement (1535–1541), is widely believed to be Michelangelo's crowning achievement in painting. Today the chapel is the site of the Papal conclave, the process by which a new Pope is selected.

Rome - 10 Things You Need to Know

Check out this video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QJT5tlnvFg&feature=related

Trevi Fountain Fast Facts

Trevi Fountain: History & Legend

History of the Trevi Fountain
One of the first things you’ll notice about the Trevi Fountain - or Fontana di Trevi in Italian - is that it’s downright enormous. At 85 feet high and 65 feet wide, it’s the biggest fountain in the entire city of Rome. A fountain was originally built on this spot in the mid-15th century, when the tradition of building fountains to mark the end point of an acqueduct was rekindled, but this has always been the terminus of one of Rome’s ancient acqueducts - the Acqua Vergine. The acqueduct was destroyed by invaders in the 6th century, but repaired in the 15th century by order of the Pope when the first fountain was built. The Trevi Fountain you see today, which was completed in 1762, is still served by that same Acqua Vergine acqueduct.

The design of the Trevi changed several times as it was being built, as happens with construction projects that outlive the funding source. In the early 17th century, the Pope decided the existing fountain wasn’t dramatic enough and asked famed sculptor Bernini to come up with a new design. When the Pope died, so did the construction project, although one element of Bernini’s design can be seen in the current fountain - he moved the fountain from one side of the piazza to the other.

The Trevi Fountain project was taken up again in the early 18th century, and this time it continued even after the then-Pope’s death. In this case, even the designer, Nicola Salvi, didn’t live to see the final fountain. Salvi died in 1751 and the fountain was completed in 1762; the design is still predominantly Salvi’s, although another designer was overseeing the work at the end.

Design of the Trevi Fountain
While most people aren’t concerned with the allegories and symbolism of the fountain’s decor (especially since many are facing away from the fountain as they’re throwing coins), to the original builders the meaning was just as important as the water that flowed from the fountain. The star of the show is a figure called “Oceanus,” who is seen riding on a giant clam shell and represents water in all its forms - rivers, oceans, lakes, etc. - although perhaps the name most of us might recognize is that of Triton, Poseidon’s son who’s most often seen blowing on a conch shell. You’ll see him on the right side of Oceanus.

The building behind the fountain, the Palazzo Poli, existed when the fountain was built, but it was spruced up a bit to go with the fancy new fountain in front of it. And you may be interested to know that the same acqueduct that feeds the Trevi Fountain also feeds the fountain in the middle of Piazza Navona. In other words, if anyone else decides to dye the water in the Trevi Fountain red and the water isn’t shut off quickly, the water in the Piazza Navona fountain will be red, too.

Throwing Coins in the Trevi Fountain

As mentioned, there’s a long-standing tradition about throwing coins in the Trevi Fountain - spend a few minutes watching people at the fountain and you’ll see that this is the main reason many people stop by. The original legend says that if you throw a coin into the Trevi - with your back to the fountain, throwing the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder - that will ensure a return to Rome. Perhaps thanks in part to the film “Three Coins in the Fountain,” a newer story also routinely makes the rounds that says throwing one coin means a return to Rome, a second coin leads to a new romance, and a third coin leads to marriage. You are welcome to believe (or not believe) either one - it all depends on your level of superstition, and the depth of your wallet!

- tor-vergata.com

The Campanile di Giotto

One of the major tourist attractions in Florence, Italy is the Campanile di Giotto, which is a free-standing bell tower designed by Giotto di Bondone in 1334. Giotto was a very well-known architect, designer, painter, and sculptor, and was very influential in the creation of numerous other landmarks in Florence. He died three years after the construction started, but Andrea Pisano took over, followed by Francesco Talenti.

The bell tower is located in Cathedral Square, or Piazza del Duomo, and next to the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore. Builders used red, white, and green marble from Sienna, Carrara, and Prato to create the exterior of the tower. These colors are some of the many elements that are used to identify the influence of Michelangelo and Giotto in sculptures around Florence. There are statues on the lower levels of the tower which are copies of original statues that can be seen in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. The tower stretches over 278 feet into the air, and has 414 steps to climb to reach the top of the tower. Once tourists reach the top, there is a magnificent view of the entire town of Florence, which some claim is the most beautiful panoramic view in all of Italy, as well as a view all the way down the center of the tower to the lobby floor below.

http://www.travel-to-florence.com/Bell-Tower.html

Mysteries of Florence

Will the Real Mona Lisa Be Unearthed?

April 05, 2011 01:00 PM EDT

1 person recommends this | comments: 1

Will the remains of the real Mona Lisa be found in a convent in Florence, Italy? Researchers plan to dig up the bones of the woman they believe was the model for the famous painting.

Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, has long been a topic for discussion. Whether by artdealers, collectors or just fans of the famous face, there are theories by the dozens of who the model for the portrait was. Mystery surrounds the face adored for decades.

The search is on, starting today, but will the woman’s bones prove that she was the real Mona Lisa or are researchers just pulling at straws? The woman in question is Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a rich silk merchant named Francesco del Giocondo, according to a report by WRCB. A da Vinci biographer said that Vincent did paint a portrait of Francesco del Giocondo’s wife. According to known records, Lisa Gherardini’s remains were buried in Convent of St. Ursula in Florence, Italy in 1542.

And so the big dig will begin today. If these researchers are correct, they should have a better understanding of who the model for the Mona Lisa truly was. The process could be a long one, as it is necessary to thoroughly search for hidden tombs in the convent.

Can you imagine that by finding skull sections of the woman, they might be able to do a facial reconstruction? If they are able to do that, then maybe the real Mona Lisa will finally have a name of her own, amazing!

- news.gather.com

Eiffel Tower!

Tour Eiffel

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A Bit of History

The Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition of Paris of 1889 commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution. The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England, opened the tower. Of the 700 proposals submitted in a design competition, Gustave Eiffel's was unanimously chosen.

However it was not accepted by all at first, and a petition of 300 names - including those of Maupassant, Emile Zola, Charles Garnier (architect of the Opéra Garnier), and Dumas the Younger - protested its construction.

At 300 metres (320.75m including antenna), and 7000 tons, it was the world's tallest building until 1930. Other statistics include:

• 2.5 million rivets.
• 300 steel workers, and 2 years (1887-1889) to construct it.
• Sway of at most 12 cm in high winds.
• Height varies up to 15 cm depending on temperature.
• 15,000 iron pieces (excluding rivets).
• 40 tons of paint.
• 1652 steps to the top.

It was almost torn down in 1909, but was saved because of its antenna - used for telegraphy at that time. Beginning in 1910 it became part of the International Time Service. French radio (since 1918), and French television (since 1957) have also made use of its stature.

During its lifetime, the Eiffel Tower has also witnessed a few strange scenes, including being scaled by a mountaineer in 1954, and parachuted off of in 1984 by two Englishmen. In 1923 a journalist rode a bicycle down from the first level. Some accounts say he rode down the stairs, other accounts suggest the exterior of one of the tower's four legs which slope outward.

However, if its birth was difficult, it is now completely accepted and must be listed as one of the symbols of Paris itself.

Ecole-Militaire seen through the base of the tower.

Notes

The tower has three platforms. A restaurant (extremely expensive; reservations absolutely necessary), the Jules Verne is on the second platform. The top platform has a bar, souvenir shop, and the (recently restored) office of Gustave Eiffel.

From its platforms - especially the topmost - the view upon Paris is superb. It is generally agreed that one hour before sunset, the panorama is at its best.

- parispages.com

Vatican City

Vatican City has been nicknamed “The Holy See” and houses about 800 residents, including priests, nuns, guards, dignitaries, and the Pope, who change at various times because of their roles and positions held. The original Vatican City spanned an area of approximately 17,000 square miles, but during the 20th century there was much conflict unifying the entire country and a majority of the Pope’s power was taken away. In 1929, the current space of Vatican City was officially established and now attracts millions of visitors every year.

St. Peter’s Square sits at the entrance to Vatican City, and was built between 1657 and 1667. Contrary to it’s name, St. Peter’s Square is actually a circle surrounded by 284 columns adorned with statues of 140 saints. In the center of the square is an obelisk, which is a tall four-sided monument with a pyramid top (similar to the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.). The square is used for gatherings by hundreds and thousands of tourists and visitors who come to hear blessings from the Pope or participate in special masses on religious holidays.

The most important church in the world, St. Peter’s Basilica, is housed in Vatican City. It was built in 1506, and the architecture is admired by people from all over the world. It includes numerous altars and monuments, as well as Michelangelo’s Pieta and famous sculptures by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. From the top of the Basilica, a tourist can enjoy the best view of the entire city of Rome, Italy.

In addition to St. Peter’s Basilica, there are also numerous museums that house some of the most incredible art collections in the world.

http://www.aviewoncities.com/rome/vaticancity.htm - The link for the website, and also pictures of the sites mentioned above

April 11, 2011

Hello everyone.

This is the FIRST blog regarding our trip to Rome/Florence/Paris. Dr. Shelley and I will be trying to keep up with our blog once we arrive at our destination. 

 

We are 37 traveler's strong and are fast approaching our departure date of May 17th. 

There is a meeting tonight in JH 083 at 5 pm.  Dr. Shelley will attend this meeting.  I know some of you are not able to attend and that's ok. If you have unanswered questions, fell free to e-mail me or stop my office in JH 171.

 

At our first meeting, Dr. Shelley explained the expectations for the class.  Prior to our leaving she would like you to reserach one of the places on our itinerary and post it on the blog.  Include any links you might like to share with the group.  Most of the learning will take place on the tour.  Your final project will be to submit an i-Movie, PowerPoint, electronic scrapbook, etc. about the trip, what you learned, and how the trip effected you. 

 

We have received flight and hotel information which I forwarded to each of you.  You will need to find your own transportation to and from the airport.We will  have an additional meeting a few days prior to our departure.