Look back on Italia! Editor Amanda Robinson’s 2019 weekend on the river in Florence. In the heart of Renaissance Florence, by its oldest bridge, she was soon immersed in the city’s magnificent heritage.
The Ponte Vecchio
Once the only Florentine bridge across the River Arno, built at the river’s narrowest point, the Ponte Vecchio is made of stern stuff (and I’m not just talking about its stone construction).
This old bridge has withstood repeated damage from floods since it was first built in the Roman era. It has even been fully rebuilt after particularly devastating floods in 1117 and 1333. Construction on its current, sturdy stone form was completed in 1345.
More recently, Ponte Vecchio managed to avoid being destroyed by retreating Nazis during the Second World War. It was the only bridge in Florence to do so.
Now, it’s a robust bridge to behold, with a jumble of tiny shops clinging tenaciously to its buttermilk walls like limpets.
From a simple wooden bridge in Roman times to the stone construction of 1345, history has seen it reshaped to serve the needs of the times, and it is a symbol of Florence, famous the world over.
In the 14th century, it was a hub for tanners, blacksmiths and butchers’ shops who found the river an ideal way to get rid of their waste. These noisome trades were evicted at the end of the 16th century when jewellers and goldsmiths took up residence. Since then, not much has changed.
Also present since the 16th century, the Vasari Corridor links the Oltrano (south side) of Florence to the city centre. Perched on top of the existing shops, it served as a discreet conduit between the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace, allowing the Medici rulers to traverse the city in privacy and safety.
A weekend on the river in Florence
Our home for the weekend is right here on the bank of the Arno at Hotel Continentale, an effortlessly glamorous design hotel with the bustle of Ponte Vecchio just feet away from its door.
From my second-floor window, magnificent views of the city’s terracotta rooftops unfurl towards the horizon, and the Arno shimmers into the distance, snaking its way lazily through the city.
From the street below, we are a short walk from Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi Gallery, Piazza della Signoria, Santa Maria del Fiore and Palazzo Pitti. It’s a perfect starting point for our Florentine weekend adventure.
But first, a spot of lunch. The Continentale is part of the quartet of hotels in the Lungarno collection here in Florence, owned and curated by the Ferragamo family. Guests are encouraged to dine at any of them.
Joining the slipstream of shoppers thronging the Ponte Vecchio, we crossed over to the opposite bank, where our reservation at the Picteau Lounge in Hotel Lungarno was waiting.
Here, we were presented with platters of Tuscan specialities like pappa al pomodoro, tagliata di manzo and tortellini a casa. The relaxed blue-and-white space set a decidedly nautical theme with the waters of the Arno twinkling merrily through the double-height picture window.
The secrets of the Palazzo Vecchio
The Piazza della Signoria has been the hub of the secular life of Florence for centuries, the place for political gatherings. The Palazzo Vecchio, with its distinctive Arnolfo tower, is still the ‘Town Hall’ of Florence. Inside, you’ll find council offices, including one for the mayor, but its most magnificent rooms are now a museum.
Built around the turn of the 14th century, it looks like an imposing fortress from the outside. However, Giorgio Vasari renovated the interiors when it was extended in the 16th century, while the Medicis held power, and Cosimo I made it his ducal residence.
A tour of the palace
There is much to see, including the vast Salone dei Cinquecento with dramatic battle scene frescoes on every inch of wall and ceiling (more on that later). Visit the Map Room for Cosimo I’s outstanding collection of 16th-century cartography, a fitting collection for a nobleman with powerful political ambitions of his own.
Like most medieval palaces, the Palazzo Vecchio is threaded with secret passageways and hidden chambers, offering an escape route in times of political strife. If you have time, take a tour with one of the expert guides. You’ll be led from the steep and winding stairway of the Duke of Athens to the magnificent Studiolo (study) of Francesco I, and the Tesoretto (little treasure) of Cosimo I.
The final flourish of the tour takes us to the trusses that support the magnificent ceiling of the Salone dei Cinquecento. This cobwebbed, musty, creaking space above the ceiling has a precarious ‘Jenga’ complexity to it. After Cosimo commanded that the original ceiling of the salone should be raised a further seven metres, Giorgio Vasari constructed it entirely from wood (with a little help from Michelangelo).
When you consider the mighty ceiling beneath, it is breathtaking in its engineering and fragility. This is not to be missed.
Exploring Florence’s art scene
In 1296, Arnolfo di Cambio (the architect of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, or Duomo) created the Opera del Duomo. Also known as the Cathedral Works, it was made to oversee the ongoing construction of the Duomo and its interiors. This practical workshop was where all the artisans and craftsmen could devote themselves to ongoing works for the cathedral itself.
In the early 15th century, it took up residence in another building at the east end of the cathedral. Its modern reincarnation, the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, is housed here over 700 years later.
This superb museum opened in 2015 – the magnificent outcome of a €50 million building project. To this day, it curates and conserves those works and their fascinating history.
If you want to understand the history of the Duomo over the way, start your journey here, preferably with a tour guide. You will leave with a much deeper appreciation of Florence’s magnificent edifice and the medieval visionaries behind it.
Inside the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo in Florence
The first room you enter immediately conveys the scale of the original vision. This massive hall displays Arnolfo di Cambio’s restored cathedral façade and some of the statues carved for its niches.
First, marvel at the Madonna with startling blue irises (made of glass to reflect the light and make the eyes dance). Then turn around to take in the three-dimensional splendour of the recently renovated Doors of Paradise by Lorenzo Ghiberti. The famous gilded bronze tours were taken from the Baptistery and housed here, away from the vagaries of modern-day pollution and mass tourism.
Everywhere you turn, there is a wealth of original art, mosaics and statues. Each tells of the proud history of the cathedral and Baptistery. I would single out Donatello’s La Maddelena (1453-55). Carved in wood, the realism of the haggard features of penitent Mary Magdalene shocked its audience in the 15th century. Still, it touches our modern sensibilities in a remarkably contemporary way.
Michelangelo’s unfinished Pietà is also here. Many believe that the hooded Nicodemus is a self-portrait of the ageing artist, who possibly intended this sculpture for his own tomb. Take a closer look to observe how Christ’s lower limbs appear awkwardly placed. Was this an error of perspective made by the grand master in his declining years?
Finally, our guide takes us in the lift to the top floor. On the terrace outside, Brunelleschi’s magnificent Duomo is right there before us. It seems almost close enough to reach out and touch its 14th-century cloak of russet-hued terracotta tiles.
From the river to the hills in Florence
After the close-up views of venerable buildings, it was time for a wider perspective on this glorious city. So, we drove through Oltrano in a buzzy little tuk-tuk. It bounced us all the way up Viale Galileo to the Abbey of San Miniato al Monte.
The basilica was built over the shrine of 3rd-century martyr San Miniato. It stands as a stunning example of Tuscan Romanesque architecture and a watchful sentry over the city below.
Considering the abbey’s popularity on the tourist map, the interior is surprisingly peaceful. Natural light filters in from outside, illuminating the masterful medieval frescoes, artwork and mosaics within. This is a place of stillness and contemplation. A reflective respite from the bustle of the city centre.
From the abbey, we look down on Florence spread out below. The dappled Arno criss-crossed with bridges, and the orange roofs, like fallen leaves, form a lasting memory of this cherished Renaissance city.
Inspired to travel? Prepare for your trip with our Florence travel guide
Words by Amanda Robinson