FLORENCE, ITALY

Good Evening From Florence, Italy

This evening we decided to give wine tasting a rest, and enjoy the night in Florence.  Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. Apart from being the most populous city in Tuscany, Florence is famous for its incredible history.  Florence is considered to be the birthplace of the Renaissance!  We enjoyed Florence's museums, palaces and churches that house some of the greatest artistic treasures in the world. The most popular and important sites in Florence include the Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Uffizi, the Bargello, and the Accademia.  We personally loved the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore.

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower, is the main church of Florence, Italy and is located in Piazza del Duomo.  Duomo di Firenze, as it is ordinarily called, was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white and has an elaborate 19th-century Gothic Revival facade by Emilio De Fabris. The basilica is one of Italy's largest churches, and until development of new structural materials in the modern era, the dome was the largest in the world.  It remains the largest brick dome ever constructed!

Lots of Love,

Anthony & Nicole