Venice and Pisa, Italy

      "I don't know where I am going but I'm on my way"

Venice : 

 Imagine the audacity of building marble palaces on a city of lagoons. The romantic city of Venice is the capital of Northern Italy's Veneto region. It was originally built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic sea. Built on mud, sand and slime, the city has stood for centuries with palaces and churches, having a treasure of art and sculpture. 

The communication in the city is by cris-crossed waterways and canals. It has no roads, just the canals. The biggest canal is the Grand Canal. Various bridges are seen sitting across the innumerable canals. The most beautiful and famous bridge is the Rialto Bridge which is the oldest one, standing over the Grand Canal. The bridge has been rebuilt many times over the years.

The Grand Canal is the S-shaped main canal and is lined by 50 palazzi and six churches. The St Mark's basilica is at the end of canal. A gondola ride in the waterways is an experience by itself with the expert Gondolier wearing blue or red striped shirt and having long oars, rowing it under numerous bridges with elan. Most of the gondoliers descend from a family of gondoliers and follow the family occupation.

Walking the numerous lanes of Venice and getting lost is an experience by itself. Tiny signage written in Italian are the only help in finding the way out. Shops in some of the lanes give a good bargain to tourists.

A visit to nearby Murano glass factory is an added attraction, showcasing the famous Murano glass works including super grand chandeliers with intricate designs.

                                          Grand Canal

Pisa :

Pisa is an Italian city in the Tuscany region and is well known all over the world for its iconic Leaning Tower. The 185 feet (56 metre)  tower when completed  in 1372 was already tilting. The tower is actually the bell tower of the adjacent cathederal in the Piazza dei Miracoli. The tower is constructed with white marble. The uneven settling of its foundation became noticeable when three of its eight stories had been completed. At that time a war broke out and the constructed was halted for almost a century. This gave ample time for the foundation to settle and likely prevented its early collapse. When construction resumed an effort was made to compensate for the lean by making the new stories slightly taller on the short side, but the extra weight caused the structure to sink still further. After many interruptions, the tower was ultimately completed in 1372.

In 20th century, as the structure was still subsiding and was in danger of collapse, it was closed to public in 1990. The engineers then undertook a major straightening project which caused some straightening of its tilt and the tower was reopened in May 2001. Engineers now expect the tower to remain stable for at least 200 years. Present tilt is now 3.97 degrees while the worst tilt it got was 5.5 degrees.

Baptistery : Another noticeable building in the complex is the rounded beauty of San Giovani Baptistery. This marble giant is almost as tall as the leaning tower. At 55 meters it is in fact the largest Baptistery in Italy. It has a circumference of more than 100 meters. It is famous for its acoustics.

                                          

Leaning tower of Pisa

                                                           

                                  San Giovani Baptistry

                                                             

Click here to view my blog of the Great Pyramid of Giza

Florence Cathedral - The story of the largest masonry dome in world

          "Create with the heart, Build with the mind"

Florence cathedral or Duomo, known locally as Santa Maria del Fiori had its humble beginnings in the year 1292. The construction began in the gothic style with pointed arches and vaulted ceilings. The cathedral had been started in order to showcase the status of Florence as one of Europe's economic and cultural capitals. It was later decided that the cathedral would be embellished with a dome, the size of which would be more than any other ever built. 

The cathedral had been expanded from its original design and was functional for about 125 years without any cover over the  place, where the high altar should have been. As a result the rainy water would enter the inside of the cathedral season after season.  

Ultimately in 1418 the town fathers of Florence finally decided to address this issue. The reason for this delay was the fact that nobody had an idea how to build a dome which would have to begin upwards on an octagonal frame already in position 180 feet high. Importantly  the dome would have to be 150 feet across. One thing was clear in the minds of town fathers that design would have nothing to do with the typical Gothic style consisting of flying buttresses and pointed arches, the one followed by Milan, Florence's archenemy. As luck would have it, these were the only solutions available at the time. The question of availability of timber for scaffolding and the question whether the dome of masonry would not collapse inwards by thousands of tons of weight was weighing heavily on everyone's mind.

In 1418 the fathers of Florence decided to hold a contest to build the dome with a prize of 200 gold florins. The contest resulted in production of many ideas, some funny and some interesting but foolish, to solve the problem.

 An interesting and innovative solution was offered by a goldsmith and not an architect, that he would build two domes, one nestled inside the other, without the need for elaborate and extensive scaffolding. As the goldsmith Fillipo Brunelleschi was secretive lest his idea be stolen, he would not divulge the details of his construction plans. After much discussions and having experienced his design of a brass door 15 years ago, the fathers of Florence knew his ingenuity and hence the project was ultimately given to him.

His dome would consist of two concentric shells, an inner one visible from within the cathedral nestled inside a wider, taller dome. To counteract the outward bulging pressure created by the structure's weight he would bind the walls with tension rings of stone, iron and wood like hoops on a barrel

The project took 16 years to  complete. Brunelleschi was lucky enough to see the completed dome in his life time with utmost satisfaction. His double shell design yielded a structure that was far lighter and loftier than a solid dome. He wove regular courses of HERRINGBONE pattern brickwork, little known before his time into the texture of cupola, giving the entire structure additional solidity.

 He was also the one to innovate the design of pulleys and levers and was the first to introduce reverse gear, which would lift up and down the heavy construction material with the help of two bullocks, moving all day in one circular motion.

On march 25, 1436 Pope Eugenius IV consecrated the finished cathedral to tolling of bells and cheering by Florintines. A decade later another group laid the decorative marble lantern on top of the dome as a crown.

Brunelleschi was a very secretive person and left no maps, drawing or any notes of his construction plans or progress. As a result the exact detail of how such a large dome was built, still remains shrouded in mystery. Till date, even after 600 years of its existence, this dome remains the largest dome of masonry ever built.

 The climb to the top is by using the steps of the staircase between the two layers of the dome. This staircase was originally built for workers to go up and down to the level of construction. The climb is only one metre wide and is quite claustrophobic and there are 464 steps to the top and base of lantern.

                              The dome of Florence Cathedral

                                            Florence cathedral with dome in the backdrop

         Cathedral of Florence - Santa Maria del Fiori

                     

Click here to visit my blog of Great Pyramid of Giza

Florence - Italy

                " Wherever you go, go with all your heart"

Florence is a beautiful city, bathed in architectural beauty, artistic charm and centuries of history. It is the capital of Tuscany region as well as its cultural capital. It is home to many masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture. The small historic city can be travelled on foot. We took a walking tour which covered many historical sites.

Duomo, the cathedral is the identifying land mark of the city. Its construction started in 1296 in the Gothic style. The exterior of the cathedral is faced with marble panels of various shades of green, pink and white. 

The dome of this cathedral has an interesting story. The walls of the cathedral below the would be dome had been built in an octagonal manner. The technology at the time for building a dome 150 feet wide and which was to start at 180 feet above the ground was non-existent. A competition was held with the prize of 200 gold florins and eternal fame. The project by a Goldsmith and not an architect was approved and given a go ahead. His name was Filippo Brunelleschi. The dome was constructed without any scaffolding, in the shape of a double dome, one inner and one outer with regular courses of herring bone brickwork. and the dome was held in place by binding the walls with a string of stone, iron and wood so that it would not collapse or crack under its immense weight. It remains till date the biggest brick dome ever constructed. The dome took 16 years to complete and was completed in 1436. Today one can go up the dome by climbing an extremely narrow space of about 3 feet between the two walls of the dome and there are about 464 steps and is hence quite claustrophobic. Not recommended for those with claustrophobia and fear of heights.

                                                           

                                                 The Duomo with its dome in the backdrop

Ufizzi Gallery :

The Uffizi Gallery is  a prominent art museum located adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria in the Historic Centre of Florence. The gallery occupies the whole of first and second floors of a large building constructed between 1560-1580 and designed by Giorgio Vasari. It is famous worldwide for its outstanding collection of paintings and ancient sculptures. The masterpiece paintings of Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raffaell and Caravaggio are the main attractions.

Piazza della Signoria is the Historic Centre of Florence. Just outside the palace is the copy of the statue of David by Leonardo Da Vinci, the original being in a museum nearby.

The famous "Ponte Vecchio" meaning "Old Bridge" with rows of shops of jewellery, art and souvenirs, on the Arno river is also nearby.

                                                   Piazza della signoria - the Historic Centre

Click here to read my blog about "The Great Pyramid of Giza"

Rome, the eternal city - part III - Piazzas and more, Italy

       " My favourite thing is to go where I've never been"

                                 

Any discussion about Rome is incomplete without talking about its Piazzas.

Rome is home to a number of lively squares or piazzas as they call them. There is almost a piaza at every corner but a few piazzas are definitely a cut above others in terms of architecture, aesthetics and atmosphere. The best piazzas are

[1] Piazza Navona : It is Baroque square on the remains of what once was a stadium. It is considered one of the most beautiful squares, having three fountains, one of which is considered to be Bernini's greates work - La Fontana Dei Fuimi. Alongside there is an Egyptian obelisk. The piazza is quite long in comparison to other squares. A church is located at the edge of the centre of the square. Various artists can be seen sitting in the middle making quick sketches of tourists at a nominal cost.

                                                                   Piazza Navona

[2] Piazza del Campidoglio :

This piazza is on top of a hill, approached by a grandiose staircase. Designed by Michelangelo the geometric shaped piazza is dominated by a replica of a bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, now found inside the museum. On each side of the statue are the Capitoline museums. Head to the rear of piazza for a panoramic view of the Roman forum and Colosseum.

                                                        Piazza del Campidoglio
               

[3] Piazza del Popolo :

One of the largest squares in Rome, the oval Piazza del Popolo is almost perfectly symmetrical. It is monumental, without  being intimidating. An imposing Egyptian Obelisk is at the center with twin churches on southern edge and fountains on either side. The size of the piazza makes it a frequent location for concerts and events in summers.

Other Piazzas : Three other piazzas we could cover were the Piazza Venezia (Near Victor Emmanuel Monument], Piazza di spagna (Near Spanish Steps) and Piazza della rotonda (Near Pantheon).

Trajan's Column :

It is a triumphal column located near Piazza Venezia and was

erected to commemorate the victory of Roman emperor Trajan in the

Dacian wars.

 

                                                                Trajan's column

Hadrian's tomb :

It is usually known as Castel Sant'Angelo. It is a towering cylindrical building, that was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building was later used by popes as a fortress and castle and is now a museum.

               

Click here to visit the library of my first fifty cartoons

Click here to visit the library of my next twenty five cartoons

Click here to visit my blog of Mohammed Rafi songs

Rome, the eternal city - Part II - Trevi fountain and spanish steps

                                       "COLLECT MOMENTS NOT THINGS"

Rome is virtually an open air museum when you take into consideration the number of sculptures on display in the open, in public places. Two of the such famous public places are the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.

Trevi Fountain

It is a fountain in the Trevi district in Rome. Designed by Nicola Salvi, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous in the world. During the Baroque era, competitions had become popular to design buildings and fountains. In the contest for this fountain, Nicola Salvi initially lost to Alessandro Galilei from Florence, but due to an outcry over a Florentine having won, Salvi was awarded the commission and work started in 1732. Salvi is credited with hiding behinded a sculpted vase the unsightly sign of a nearby barber. The site is the revival of one of the ancient aqueducts of Rome. The illumination by fllod lights at night time gives it a stunning look,

Like many wish wells all over the world, coins are purportedly meant to be thrown by the right hand over left shoulder. One of the story says that if you do this, you are likely to revisit Rome. An estimated 3000 Euros are thrown into the fountain each day.At its centre is the statue of (Neptune) Oceanus, who stands atop a chariot pulled by sea horses and is accompanied by tritons.

A nearby ice cream parlor selling Gelato ice cream was indeed a memorable treat for our taste buds.

                                                                    The Trevi Fountain

Spanish Steps:

The spanish Steps are a set of Baroque style 138steps climbing a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinita dei Monti, dominated by the church of the same name at the top. The steps were designed by a relatively unknown architect Francesco de Sanctis following a competition. The steps were built between 1723-1726 to celebrate the peace treaty between France and Spain. The name derives from the presence of Spanish embassy nearby at the bottom of steps. At the bottom of steps is a fountain in the shape of a sinking ship. According to a legend the pope had the fountain installed after he was impressed by a boat brought here by a flood in the river Tiber. The spansih Steps' unique design and elegance made it a popular place for artists, painters and poets. To the right of the lower steps is the house where English poet John Keats lived and died in 1821. The steps were made famous by Gregory Peck and Audrie Hepburn in the 1953 film " The Roman Holiday". The tradition of Spanish Steps as a meeting place has lived on ever since.

The Spanish Steps 

 Click here to visit my blog of Mohammed Rafi songs

Rome, the eternal city - Part I - Colosseum and Pantheon

" THE WORLD  IS A BOOK AND THOSE WHO DO NOT  TRAVEL, READ ONLY ONE PAGE"

" Rome the eternal city" and  "Rome was not built in day'  are the two of the most common cliches to describe Rome and not without any reason.Visiting Rome was one of my cherished dreams and luckily for us, almost the whole of Rome was painted afresh and the historical buildings cleared of black soot which develops over period of decades or centuries. 

Rome is named after Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of Mars, who were abandoned on the flooding Tiber river and deposited by the receding waters at the foot of the Palatine hill. They were suckled by a she-wolf and reared by a shepherd. When grown up there was a feud between the two and Romulus killed Remus to become the ruler. The bronze statue of the ferocious wolf suckling the twins is stationed at the Capitoline Museums.

The attractions in Rome are vast and it is almost impossible to do justice to the city in one visit. However, with four days at our disposal, we tried to have a go at as many attractions as were possible. 

Colosseum : 

Without an iota of doubt, the symbol of Rome is the ancient amphitheatre right in the middle of the city. In fact most of the ancient Roman attractions are pretty close by, which makes it easy to cover them without wasting much time in travel. The colosseum, also known as Flavian amphitheatre, is an oval structure, built of travertine limestone and brick faced concrete. It was the largest amphitheatre of the time, with a capacity of 50000-80000 spectators.

The colosseum was the scene of thousands of hand-to-hand combats between gladiators, of contests between men and animals and mock naval engagements.

 It was built under flavian emperors, hence also called Flavian amphitheatre. Building started by Emperor Vespasian in 70-72 CE and was officially dedicated by Emperor Titus is 80 CE. Over a period of time, it was used as a church and fortress. It was damaged with lightening and earthquakes and even more severely by vandalism and pollution. Later preservation works have helped make it Rome's major tourist attraction.

Nearby is the Roman Forum, a rectangular forum, originally a marketplace, surrounded by ruins of several important government buildings at the center of ancient Rome. Another notable monument nearby is the arch of Constantine.

Pantheon :

The other historical and unique landmark of Rome is the Pantheon. It is a former Roman temple and now a catholic church. It is one of the best preserved ancient Roman buildings. It is a circular building of concrete faced with brick, with a huge concrete dome rising from the walls. Almost two thousand years after it was built, this dome is still the world's largest unreinforced dome. It measures 142 feet in diameter. The peculiar feature of this dome is a central opening called oculus opening into the sky.When the Pantheon was originally built, oculus was the only source of light inside. The opening also results in rain getting inside, but a gentle floor slope and well hidden holes drain the water. It has a front porch of Corinthian columns supporting a gabled roof. Beneath the porch are huge bronze double doors. Its building started in 27BC and completed later with a changed design between 118-128AD.

                                              Oculus in the coffered dome of Pantheon

                               Interior of the Pantheon illuminated by light coming from Oculus

Click here to visit my blog of Mohammed Rafi songs