| Friday we visited the Bargello Museum containing sculpture treasures by Michelangelo and other Italian artists, plus a special exhibition by Giambologna; the Uffizi Gallery containing the greatest collection of Italian paintings in the world; and the Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore), Florence�s main cathedral with its magnificent dome designed by Brunelleschi, the first dome to be built since ancient Roman times incorporating ideas from the Pantheon in Rome. Afterwards, we climbed to the top of the Duomo�s dome (actually a dome within a dome) providing spectacular views of Florence. We also enjoyed Piazza della Signoria, the political hub of Florence for centuries, and Ponte Vecchio, the famous old foot bridge across the Arno River. |
