| Florence |
| Postcards of the Past |
| The Piazza della Signoria - another undated postcard. |
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| Florence must be the most visited city in Italy - a great place to stay for a few days and soak up the atmosphere. Please note that many of the postcards on this page are from the same series, each postcard having a description on the reverse in several languages. We have faithfully reproduced the English versions which we hope you will find entertaining ! |
| "Cathedral and Bell Tower. In the year 1298 was laid the first stone of this great monument. The outside is marble of many colours. The facade has been executed by Emilio de Fabris and the bronze doors by Passaglia and Cassioli. The Tower bell is 84 meters high. It is work of Giotto but was finished in the year 1389 and was covered with thecuspidal roof." |
| "Signoria's Square - Fountain of Neptunus. Named also of the Biancone. The eight satyrs in full bronze metal and the divinities are also by Giambologna." |
| "View of Lungarno with old Bridge, S. Trinita and Ferro. The stone bridges which celle a guete (sic) the two parts of the city are. The oldest is the one now called Delle Grazie, the Ponte Vecchio was restablished many times on account of great domages suffered by inondations and fires. The bridge of S. Trinita was constructed in the year 1252 and is adorned of artistical ornaments. The Bridge alla Carraia is not precisely known who founded it. Was begun in the year 1218 and finished in 1220 but was again rebuilded on account of suffered damages." |
| The Uffizi and Royal Gallery. This large building has been commenced in the year 1360 by order of Cosimo 1 who wanted to join it in all the public offices. The Loggiato is adorned with 28 statues reppresenting the most celebrated men in Art of Florence and Toscany. Over ???? there is the Royal Gallery of paintings. |
| "The House of the Alighieris. It is situated in St Martins Square and surrounded by other houses. There is nothing noteworthy about it and in fact one has thought of pulling it down and rebuilding it in its primetive form." |
| "The City of Florence rises in the midst of a fertile plain among sweet-smelling green-covered hills. The river Arno traverses the town in a course of about 8300 metres. Its climate is mild and healthy: Its scrupulously clean streets bear the names of illustrious men or of historical facts connected with Italian Independence. Florence, the charming and beautiful city of flowers, is called the Athens of Italy, and It deserves in every way this title, for its past and present culture, for its artistic glories, for its sciences, and for the men of genius who found birth, life and glory within its walls. Its building and its monuments bear witness to the superb power which was its boast." |
| "The Place of S Croce is rectangular with a superficies of 8800 metres. In the centre is erected the Monument of Dante Alighieri which is work of Pazzi Enrico and was inaugurated on 14 May 1865. This Place is famous for facts and amusements occured in centuries ago. There is the church of the same name which existed since the year 1223 but at that time it was only a small church, while now is one of the principal of the city and contains real pieces of fine art works." |
| "An important armoured concrete building, the work of Engineer Nervi. Has a length of 275 metres and a width of 155. Commenced in 1930 and inaugurated in 1932. Covers an area of about 50,000 square metres, Playground 110 x 70 metres, Track for foot races, 500 metres long. Noteworthy the five large winding staircases acceding from the outside, the roofing of the covered stand projecting 22 metres without any support and the slender marathon Tower, 60 metres high." |
| "Santa Maria Novella Railway Station. A building inaugurated October 28th 1935, year XIV F.E. Architects: Giovanni Michelucci, Nello Baroni, Nicolo Berardi, Italo Gamberini, Sarre Guarnieri, Leonardo Lusanna. Architecture of the modern Italian style. A few stately architectural lines with stone and marble ornamentation have produced a most noble looking structure well suited for its purpose." |
| "The Baptistry. The form is octagonal and it has always been believed a Pagan temple dedicated to Mars while somebody think it was erected by the Lombards. Arnolfo began to revest it with white and green marbles in the year 1289 and the inside is richly encrusted with apreciated mosaics. The principal ornaments are the three Bronze doors of which the first modellated by Andrea Pisano and the other two by Lorenzo Ghiberti." |
| "Palazzo Vecchio the Court. Was Put in order by Michelozzi in the year 1434. The Court has octagonal form with large columns full of ornaments. In the centre there is a fountain of Porplyry, by Tadda with a putto of Verrocchio. On the walls are painted views of german cities representing the festivals for the marriage of Francesco I with Giovanna d'Austria." |
| Piazza e Chiesa S Firenze. |
| "Piazzale Michelangelo. From where can be enjoed the most splendid panorama one can immagine. There can be admired the whole city of Florence and the principal monuments. Wear this place are the loggetta, the S Salvatore Church, the Cathedral of S Miniato sorrounded by the Cemetery of the same name." |
| An early 20th Century view of Santa Croce. |
| "The Church of St Laurence. It is 1000 or more years old, was founded in 390 and consecrated by St Ambrogio in 393. After a fire in 1423 it was rebuilt from designs of Brunelleschi. The interior is in the form of a T; it measures 75 yards in length and 35 in width. It has two sacristies which are small museums for the splendid monuments they contain." |
| The Duomo and the Bell Tower seen from the cupola of S Lorenzo. |
| "Palace Pitti. Hinder part with view of the Cathedral. By going to the hinder part of the Palace Pitti can be ebjoed a fine view. One can specialy see the cathedral of which the cupola is a marvel of boldness and genins. Giotto had the task to build the tower bell which is a magnificent building superiur to any of the kind." |
| A 1924 postcard of some old houses on the banks of the Arno. |
| "A View to the Arno with the Bridge of S Trinita. This bridge was constructed in the year 1252. Fallen in the year 1269 was rebuilded by monks Sistro and Ristoro but the over flow of the year 1333 destroyed it and so happened in the year 1346 and 1557. Founded again in the year 1567 the sculpteur Architet Ammannati accomplished it in the year 1570." |
| The Baptistry. |
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| The Piazza del Duomo. |
| The population of Florence in 2006 was about 365,000. |
| "Palace Pretorio and of Podesta. Is not sure the name of the Architet althongh Vasari say that has been Lupo Tedesco father of Arnolfo. It was begun from the year 1250 to 1255 and was residence of the Mayor of Florence. Now the building is adapted to National Museum. The tower is built apart and it is believed it was erected before the palace. It is said that this tower was used to paint the portraits of the traitors when they could not be arrested. |
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