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Italy - Susan's picks from Rome, Florence, Pisa
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Slideshow
Rome - Trevi fountain, the Colosseum, and the Vatican
The Roman Colosseum Trevi fountain Trevi fountain detail; Rome Gladiator (Euro bait) at Trevi fountain, Rome Italian Artichoke await diners on Via del Pastini in Rome
The pantheon, now a Christian church; walls six meters thick to hold the weight of the dome Inside the Pantheon, Rome Dramatic bas relief in the Pantheon of Rome Arches incorporated in the wall of Rome's Pantheon help support the massive dome Area Sacra; intermittent excavation depends on funding
Arch of Constantine with Palatine Hill--home of Nero and other emperors--to the left and the Colosseum to the right Nero's house; from which he persecuted Christians to blame them for his fire that burned Rome Keeping a watchful eye on the crowds at the Colosseum Entering the Colosseum, Rome Inside the Colosseum. Originally there was a wooden floor covered with sand, like that on the left. The Italian word for sand is "arena," hence the English word.
Rooms beneath the Colosseum floor housed trainers, competitors, animals, etc. Elevators brought them to the arena floor. The covered section at the far end shows where seating wouild have been. Capacity was 55,000--less than most modern football stadia. Bricks formed decorative motifs throughout the Colosseum The Vatican Museum courtyard. Each of the signs is a station where a guide is explaining the Sistine Chapel. Inside the Vatican Museum One of the many galleries to be traversed to attain the Sistine Chapel; statuary seems to exceed paintings
Statuary on a table in the Vatican Museum The map gallery; forty excellent maps of Italian regions created without modern tools Ceiling in the Vatican Museum's Map Gallery; the pictures are unique throughout, but the shape pattern repeats The ceiling done, Michaelangelo went on to paint The Last Judgment on the west wall of the Sistine Chapel Besides God and Adam, the center row of the Sistine Chapel ceiling depicts the seven days of creation and other scenes from Genesis
Only the Pope says mass under this, the largest bronze casting in the world, in St. Peters, Vatican City The dome of Saint Peters has more light and decoration than the bigger dome in the Pantheon. Susan climbed to the top - in 1966!
Florence and Pisa - the tower and Duomo Cathedral
Pisa: Baptistry, Cathedral, Tower. A separate baptistry is essential since no one unbaptised can enter the Cathedral Tower and Cathedral are together on Pisa's town square Two photographers, one trick; holding up the tower of Pisa If this is the tower, it must be Pisa The circle of life; bas relief in Pisa Cathedral
Uffizi Palace, Florence Gelateria in Florence Birds perching on famous toes, Pisa (copy of the original) Grisly sculptures of mythology in Uffizi Courtyard, Florence Birds perching on toes, Florence
Reflection of Ponte Vecchio, Florence Susan's sweetest smile; in front of Ponte Vecchio, Florence Looking up the Arno River above the Ponte Vecchio Mountain view from the Arno Riverbank, Florence Tower and Duomo Cathedral in Florence
Detail of Duomo, Florence Main door of Florence's Duomo Cathedral Detail of Wall Sculpti\ure, Florence's Duomo Cathedral Stained glass inside the Duomo
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Nov 13, 2013 22:46 GMT
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