He Found the Map Room!

Palazzo Vecchio, considered the 'Old Palace', built between 1298-1314 over the top of an excavated Roman amphitheatre, once housed the highest levels of city government, and still does to this day. We've seen prints of this 1490 painting everywhere and can now name most landmarks, and what we love about this painting is the colours, which still stands true today, and the visibility of the city walls, long gone, but the towers remain. And the young artist in the right foreground, could have been any of the greats we've come to know in the last 5 weeks, and we have probably traversed - or Marc has run on - the hill he sits on. Really, really beautiful.

As we wander through the 3 floors of exhibits, we get some of our last high views of Florence. We've fallen in love with the roofing, the soft color of the exterior walls, from butter yellow to soft white, the magnificent sunrises and sunsets we've witnessed. Trying to figure out the sky-lighting of Florence...is it really different from elsewhere or does the great art works that have been inspired here cause us to experience the light in a different way? Whatever it is, yes, we've fallen in love with this city, it's history, it's people.

There are lions everywhere -  sculpture, doorknockers, door-rings, door knobs, window dressing, shields above window and doors. I've come to believe that much of the inherited objects we've received from the Wolvin great- and grandparents originated from this city. Some of it now seems so familiar. I wish there were family travel journals from that era. Will have a new look at the 10s of scrapbooks saved and passed on to us, full of clues I'm sure.

Breathtaking Salone dei Cinqueceto, or Hall of the Five Hundred, the Council that ruled Florence during the late 15th century. We are but a speck in this magnificent hall which still hosts ceremonial events every year. Paintings and sculptures by Michelangelo, Vasari, and others. We had access to the 2nd floor balcony for this photo, hallways on either side of us leading to the private and ruling quarters of the Medici, the ruling quarters inaccessible since the government of the City of Florence still works here. Can you imagine?

A grand affair in the 1800s.

The Duke's Studiolo, a tiny room, believe it not, meant for 2 people at most. This is a secret room off to the side, once housing The Duke's alchemy supplies, only accessible via the private bedroom. Magnificent paintings hide vaults that contained not only herbs and potions, but the family's jewels, precious artefacts like documents, tapestries and maps. The painting on each vault gave a clue as to what was inside. Bedroom door to the bottom centre right with no painting was the secret access.

Marc notices that Hercules is not a fair fighter! (Click the image to enlarge)

The sculptures that line  this hall are 2 storeys high!

One of Marc's quests in Florence was to find The Maps Room, and after 5 weeks, we'd all but given up since we couldn't find enough clues as to what building it was in. Talk of last but not least, we turn a corner of the 2nd floor, and what do you know!  The Hall of Geographic Maps was built in 1560 to contain all of the artefacts and knowledge of the world at Cosimo's disposal. Each map is hand painted by Monks and Friars and each map fronts more vaults used to store more precious items. The room is carved walnut. Spectacular.

We are beginning to leave each place overwhelmed by what we see - it's hard to absorb the magnificence and import of it all. So of course, Marc joins the kiddy line-up for his Pinocchio portrait, the author is buried in Florence, and despite many attempts, we have not seen Coloddi's tomb!

Palazzo Vecchio contains some of the most spectacular ceilings we've seen to date. And I'm not even going to talk about the private apartments with their scene-painted ceilings representing the gods, their stories, and planets of mythology!