Ah, the Duomo. It really was a sight to see! It was so massive that it could be seen from just about anywhere in Florence; it made a great landmark when navigating the city! Being in Florence in person, and getting to climb to the very top of the dome, made the Duomo incredibly impressive. How Brunelleschi figured out how to construct the dome without it caving in on itself is astounding. After climbing to the top, I couldn't imagine being a worker tirelessly placing brick after brick to create such beauty! I can definitely understand how after its completion the Duomo became an icon for Florence. It's magnificent!!!
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What was particularly wonderful about traveling in Florence was that we got to see iconic art pieces such as Michelangelo and Donatello's respective Davids, Botticelli's Birth of Venus and La Primavera, among others. It was unbelievable to be within inches or feet from such incredible pieces of art. In particular, I loved looking at the writing and sketches of Michelangelo. To think that his hands drew those sketches! That just blew me away. By being in Florence, everything seemed much, much more real.
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Lastly, one of the best things about my trip to Florence and Rome was my opportunity to experience the authentic Italian culture. I wanted to make the most of my experience, so I used my limited Italian whenever possible. It's amazing that even with a few words, I could manage to place an order and answer questions! When we went out to eat, for the most part I tried to go to different restaurants and try different food each time because I didn't want to miss out on anything delicious! I liked the food in Italy really well; it seemed much fresher and wholesome than American food - I miss it now that I am home.
One of my best memories of experiencing Italian culture while on my trip was after the renaissance music concert that was performed for us. After the concert, we were invited to stay for the dance that was held every weekend in the studio. I had so much fun learning different styles of dances! It was a great feeling that we were being welcomed by the local Italians, since we were far away from the tourist district by this point. After dancing was done, a potluck was put on that we were also invited to participate in. I loved trying the real home-made Italian food made by the people in the room! It was one of the most fun nights I had in Italy. |
Sadly, we had to leave Italy after our 8 days. I was not ready to go, but I am very glad that I have all of my pictures to remind me of my stay there. Even if it was just a week, I know my experience had changed me. Thankfully, my classmates and I collaborated on a website to remember our time in Italy and to also explain to others why in order to fully experience Renaissance Italy, one has to actually go there - virtual is unreal, and real is irreplaceable.
http://mediciflorence2013.weebly.com
An example of my classwork during the semester - a paper comparing the cult movements of Savonarola to that of The Peoples' Temple of Jonestown.
http://mediciflorence2013.weebly.com
An example of my classwork during the semester - a paper comparing the cult movements of Savonarola to that of The Peoples' Temple of Jonestown.
heaven_and_hell_on_earth_2.docx | |
File Size: | 20 kb |
File Type: | docx |