Florence, Italy

Going over the Ponte Vecchio Bridge where all the gold and silversmiths are located.  The bust is Cellini, a great goldsmith.  More information about Cellini can be found HERE

The view of the Ponte Vecchio Bridge
For more information about the bridge go HERE

The view from the Bridge, of the Arno River

Galileo's 2 fingers and 1 took - located in Galileo's Museum behind the Uffizi Museum
For more information go HERE

This is the Palazzo Vecchio (or Florence's Political Center)

This building was the Medicis' palace-like City Hall

On the left is Ammanati's Fountain of Neptune and on the right is a replica of the statue of David where it originally stood for centuries (up until 1873).

For more info. go HERE

Stepping inside the City Hall is this scene

And this is the the (cathedral) Duomo - visible from all over the city.  The church is Gothic (with the facade Neo-Gothic), built in the Middle Ages.  In the 1400's Filippo Brunelleschi created the dome in Roman-style (it took him 14 years).  He studied the Pantheon's dome, and in turn Michelangelo studied his to create the St. Peter's dome.

And, of course, we climbed the dome.  We have decided that we have to climb things with kids.  They love the adventure and it's practically the only thing they will remember.  Isn't the view spectacular?!

Lastly the Baptistry and Ghiberti's Bronze doors, bringing the Middle Ages into the Renaissance.  Ghiberti took 27 years to complete these. 

If you do make it to Florence -- remember that the Accademia and the Uffizi Museums are closed on Mondays, so plan accordingly.

For more information go 

HERE and/or HERE