Get documents about "florence milanindd
Document Sample
78
Italian Breaks
FLORENCE
MILAN
79
italian breaks
Past Perfect
Story and pictures by Pierre Ryckman
black market,” he replied. Between the railway station and
the San Lorenzo church I had seen market streets filled with
Michelangelo’s David has just turned 500 – an African vendors selling fake handbags, watches and branded
clothes amongst the handicrafts and other tourist trash. The
anniversary which spurred Pierre Ryckman to cellist shared my regret this brisk trade was transforming the
take a weekend break in Florence; a museum of city’s scene.
the artistic glories of Renaissance Italy.
Florence is a peripatetic art history lesson and constantly
jolted my memory of the optional university course I had
More than any other Italian city, the Tuscan capital of chosen almost 40 years ago, not least as I continued my
Florence reflects the genius of the artists who flourished stroll across the San Marco convent and the Spedale degli
here: Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Brunellesschi, Dante, Innocenti. The latter was the first European orphanage,
Machiavelli, Galileo and the Medici family. Many of its designed by Brunelleschi in the 16th century. The blue and
buildings are works of great art, revealing yet more works white terracotta roundels above the arcades show babies
of art inside – art that heralded the European Renaissance. A wrapped in swaddling-bands, resembling silk-worm cocoons
Florentine navigator, Amerigo Vespucci, even gave his name with protruding human heads and arms. They were sculpted
to one of the world’s continents. by Andrea della Robia. Named after Herod’s biblical massacre
of innocents, the orphanage opened in 1444. Anonymous
The core of Florence’s historical buildings is the marble unmarried mothers used to deposit their unwanted babies on
complex of the Baptistery of St John – the Battisterio – built a rotating stone cylinder to the left of the entrance, ring the
around 1,000 AD and the 91-metre tall Gothic Cathedral, bell, and disappear as fast as they could. A nun would open the
the Duomo, Europe’s fourth largest church. Its orange-tiled door, pick up the little human parcel and add it to the other
dome ogles from behind the sun-streaked neo-Gothic marble babies and toddlers for care and education, hoping to model
façade; yet the day I visited, the majority of the crowds were future nuns or priests out of them.
concentrated in front of the bronze doors of the octagonal
Baptistery opposite the Cathedral. Crafted by Andrea Pisano
and Lorenzo Ghiberti, each one of the panels represents a
richly decorated biblical scene. One door has a golden shiny Michelangelo’s unnervingly perfect
look while the other is blackish and dull. Considering the human body had just returned from an
construction materials and colours of the buildings are so
similar – white marble with delicate green and pinkish marble expert clean-up, and crowds were slowly
layers – I was surprised to read that the cathedral’s façade moving around it and staring at every
was built hundreds of years after the construction of the
Baptistery. body part with smiles and twinkling
Pausing on a stone bench to both people- and building-watch,
eyes.
a striking, suited cellist stood nearby playing wonderful
Baroque and Romantic music. As no passer-by deposited
Opening spread: Florence’s Duomo complex
coins in his case, I hastily did the honours, appreciating the reflected in a tourist bus’ windscreen
combination of the beautiful music and the sight of Florence’s This page, from left to right: Florence’s rooftops
finest buildings. During one of his intervals, I asked the cellist viewed from the 91-metre Duomo dome; head of
why his case remained almost empty. “Because people prefer a bronze statue in the Leggia dei Lanzi; and the
to spend their money on buying cheap and fake items at the orange-tiled dome of the Duomo’s east-side chapel
The Galleria dell’ Accademia, founded in 1563, was the first
European school to teach the techniques of drawing, painting Anonymous unmarried mothers used
and sculpting. The statues displayed here were collected to to deposit their unwanted babies on a
provide teaching material for the students. The most famous
of these muscular figures is Michelangelo’s Four Prisoners, rotating stone cylinder to the left of
and of course his colossal David, one of the most acclaimed [the Brunelleschi-designed orphanage]
museum pieces in the world. Perhaps to celebrate his sesqui-
centennial birthday, Michelangelo’s unnervingly perfect entrance, ring the bell, and disappear as
human body had just returned from an expert clean-up, and fast as they could.
crowds were slowly moving around it and staring at every
body part with smiles and twinkling eyes. The stone body is
attractive indeed; the face is no less than perfect. The only
detail that puzzled me is the disproportionate size of his Florence’s most beautiful face is the face of its past, which
huge hands. represented the birth of Renaissance art, yet the city is also
a window to the country’s present-day social and political
The Uffizi Palace and Gallery, Florence’s best known museum, problems. But, the cosmopolitan kaleidoscope is never dull:
was closed due to one of Italy’s frequent staff strikes. I was the fashionable middle-classes trumpeting joyously on café
disappointed not to see its famous Botticelli, Michelangelo terraces; swaying beggars; thrilled tourists bursting with
and Raphael works, but the bronze statue of Perseus by Cellini excited laughter; counterfeit good vendors who, apart from
and the marble Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna on ‘buon giorno’ only speak English or French; ice cream-licking
the Loggia dei Lanzi opposite the Palazzo Vecchio cheered me students; and stressed businessmen running with an attaché
up. A street busker acted as another marble statue. Suddenly, case in one hand and a ringing mobile phone in the other.
a woman started screaming: her purse had been grabbed by Florence really is an open-air museum in one of the world’s
a pickpocket. Immediately, two militia guards who minutes most artistic environments.
before had thrown an innocent backpacker out of the Loggia
chased the robber, clubbed him until he lay on the street Turn to page 88 for contact details
squirming like a trampled cockroach and pushed him into
a police car. The victim then took a remarkable number of The Duomo’s intricate
photos of the pickpocket’s face through the open door of the façade: an abundance of
police car. Don’t step out of line in Florence! neo-gothic influences
Clockwise from top left: A statue of
Neptune, the Sea God, in commemo-
ration of Tuscany’s navel victories
on the Piazza della Signoria; detail
of the marble statue ‘The Rape of the
Sabine Woman’ by Giambologna in
the Loggia dei Lanzi; a cellist plays
in the Piazza del Duomo; another
detail of ‘The Rape of the Sabine
Woman’; Human statue: a street
busker near the Uffizi; a newly-wed
Chinese couple getting pictured
outside the Duomo; two details of
the Baptistry’s 15th-century south
(bronze) door by Andrea Pisano; and
a roundel featuring Jesus Christ’s
bust on the Duomo’s richly deco-
rated main entranceway
AD
italian breaks
Milano Martini
By Jeerawan Duangnam
A cocktail of enticing flavours, from art to
commerce, heritage to theatre, it is Milan’s The Milanese take their shopping seriously, and tend to
dress up for it. Expect a few curious, even disgusted looks if
devotion to fashion that is fabled the world you slouch around town in a tracksuit. Along Milan’s streets,
over. dripping with local and international jewellery, designer
clothing and antiques, retailers tempt disposable-income
rich residents and visitors whose ‘I want,’ they hope, will turn
The striking aspect of the cocktail is not its glitzy appearance, into ‘I need.’ Along Via Montenapoleone, men’s, women’s and
but the amazing taste sensations that come from mixing children’s clothing, elegant and casual, tailor-made and prêt-
contrasting ingredients together. Milan is a beautiful city, a porter (but always very refined) can be grabbed, although
but its magnetic charm is down to its eclectic mix of history, you might also be tempted by rows of perfumes, sunglasses,
business, art and culture, not forgetting its most powerful handbags, leather goods of all kinds, shoes, accessories,
ingredient, fashion. ceramics, tights, gloves, designer underwear, household
linens, wedding dresses, fabrics, picture frames, chinaware,
Shopping is the new religion of choice in Milan. Its high umbrellas, watches, pillows, pens and lighters, suitcases, hats,
priests, the mighty Italian brands: Scavia, Valentino, Gianni silverware, electronic products… and the list goes on.
Versace, Gucci, Giorgio Armani, Fendi, Prada, Salvatore
Ferragamo, and Moschino; and these ‘holy’ brands dwell in
luxurious, elegant temples of commercial beauty, the most The Milanese take their shopping seriously, and
impressive found on the Via Montenapoleone, Via Manzoni,
tend to dress up for it. Expect a few curious,
Via della Spiga and Via Sant’ Andrea, which make up Milan’s
world-famous, incredibly picturesque Quadrilatero d’Oro even disgusted looks if you slouch around town
(Golden Triangle). Via della Spiga is thankfully pedestrianised; in a tracksuit.
reclaimed by cafés and restaurants.
The thrifty should not write Milan off though; remember that
Along Via del Gesu, enormous awnings reveal store entrances designer labels can be up to 40 percent cheaper than in New
lurking inside regal buildings: more jewellery shops, handbag York and London, so all clothes-related buys here are pretty
shops, shoe shops, art galleries. Via Manzoni, one of Milan’s good value. The other end of Via Montenapoleone, towards
most elegant streets, features designer furniture, fabrics, the Duomo is San Babila is a great place to mooch for those
watches, cashmere, silk, lamps, and opulent carpets. on a tight budget. Here, you can find the Spanish store Zara,
Benetton and Zap! Milano/Elizabeth the First, a three-storey
Every shop window in Milan would be the envy of any other emporium which has a floor upstairs selling funky vintage
city, but the items on show in these seductive branded dream clothing.
spaces are options for only the most ‘exclusive’ buyers;
international VIPs who come to Milan expressly to shop Shops in Milan are open from Monday afternoon to Saturday
in this area. The window-dressers of these desire-inducing evening, and most close from 1 pm to 3 pm everyday for their
generation-next settings have often invented new styles that midday meal. For Sunday shopping, check out the Duomo.
are immediately exported to the stores of all large European, Rinascente, a large department store. Sales take place in
North American and Japanese cities. January and June. Just make sure your credit rating is good
when you arrive!
Turn to page 88 for contact details
Every shop window in Milan would be the envy
of any other city, but the items on show in these From left to right: Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery; and Ar-
mani & Hermes: two of Milano’s ‘dream spaces’
seductive branded dream spaces are options Top right: Milan’s Sforzesco Castle
for only the most ‘exclusive’ buyers. Pictures courtesy of Fototeca ENIT
hot properties: milan
As Grand as you Like
By David Bloom
Halfway between Milan and Venice, the Grand ancient Roman city of Verona, but most guests will not wish
to travel further than an excursion around Italy’s largest lake,
Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli is an exclusive luxury Lake Garda on the Le Contessa, the Villa’s private boat.
retreat on the shores of Lake Garda.
The 20-room lodging’s highlights include a state-of-the-art
sound system in each room (three channels are dedicated to
Only two hour’s drive from the frenzied designer-label binging jazz, reflecting the owner’s passion for the genre), a 27 degree-
in Milan, the Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli represents a heated outdoor swimming pool, a lawn for concerts, an aptly
different age; not surprisingly, since the neo-gothic lakeside -flat croquet green and an ancient limonaia (greenhouse
mansion was built in 1892 and used as a summer villa by one where lemons are wintered) structure. Only visible from the
of Italy’s wealthiest families, the Feltrinelli’s, over the ensuing Lake, the Villa embraces the fairytale look of an Italian castle,
century. Three years ago, the building was painstakingly brightly painted as it is in Venetian gold and terra cotta, with
restored and opened as a very special accommodation by scalloped pediments and turrets adorning the structure.
celebrated hotelier Robert H. Burns, founder of Regent
International Hotels. Personal details, such as silver picture frames filled with old
prints of Lake Garda and famous names and faces from the
USD 30 million later, the Villa is one of the world’s most elegant early 1900s can be found in each room. Eerily, when Robert
boutique hotels, ideal for a several-day sojourn before or after Burns first looked around the Villa, he found a photo that had
a visit to Milan or Venice. Just an hour away is the delightful been taken by Inge Feltrinelli, the former owner’s wife, which
portrayed Winston Churchill leaving a New York building.
Burns immediately recognised the building – he lives in it!
USD 30 million later, the Villa is one of
the world’s most elegant boutique hotels,
ideal for a several-day sojourn before or Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli
after a visit to Milan or Venice. grandhotel@villafeltrinelli.com, www.villafeltrinelli.com
