Florence's Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens: not to be missed!
Written: Jan 17 '00
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: A break from the city. Great history, architecture, art and exquisite gardens.
Cons: Museum tickets can get expensive. Pick a couple and opt for the Boboli Garden.
|
|
|
| vickie's Full Review: Pitti Palace |
On the left bank of the Arno river (a 5-minute walk from the Ponte Vecchio) is the Palazzo Pitti, once the residence of the powerful Medici family and behind it is the Giardini di Boboli, one of the most spectacular gardens of Italy. This is a wonderful place to go when you need a breather from the hectic pace of site seeing in central Florence. Particularly on a hot summer's day, it is a respite from cranky tourists and the dirt and pollution of the city.
The original building (the middle section) of the Pitti Palace was built in the mid-15th century as a home for Luca Pitti, a prosperous local businessman. When the Medicis took the building they added many additions and the building is now the largest in Florence, nearly twice the size of the Duomo. There are frequent events and many museums located on the property. If you can, call ahead for a schedule of events. When I visited I missed the beginning of a fantastic concert in one of the great halls, and I really regret it.
TIP: as you walk through the museums, look for white information sheets posted at the entry of each of the major rooms. There is one in English and one in selected European languages. These sheets are prepared by the government's Education Office and do a much better job of guiding your eyes and aiding your enjoyment than any guidebook that I found. They describe each room, the function of the room and the stories depicted in painting on the walls and the ceilings. Also, on entering the Palace, take a few minutes to plan out what you want to see BEFORE you enter the ticket window! Tickets to the different museums come in packages that I found confusing….and it gets expensive to "see everything."
MUSEUMS:
The Galleria Palatine: houses one of Europe's great art collections. It has an awesome collection of Raphaels and is worth seeing for this alone. There are also works by Rubens, Trintoretto and Van Dyck. One of my favorites is Caravaggio's tooth pulling scene in the first room. Glad I live in modern times!
Appartamenti Reali: home to the Medici family. I enjoyed this...worth the entry fee.
Museo degli Argenti: 16 room of furnishings, goods, jewelry and other items once belonging to the Medicis. I also found this very interesting, as will people who are not so much "art hounds."
Coach and Carriage Museum: closed during my visit.
Galleria d'Arte Moderna: contains many Tuscan impressionist paintings. Make a point of looking out at the spectacular views of the garden and the city…I like them better than the paintings!
Museo delle Porcellane: I'm not a fan and didn't find this very special.
Galleria del Costurem.: also closed during my visit.
BOBOLI GARDENS: Opened to the public in the 17th century, these spacious gardens were started in 1549 by the Duke Cosimo de' Medici as a private outdoor retreat. It is known most for its history, formal layout architecture, fountains, grottoes and a collection of Roman, Renaissance and Baroque sculptures.
The main feature of the garden is the Amphitheater, the site of a sandstone quarry used in the construction of the Pitti Palace and the Ponte Santa Trinita. Completed in 1579, it was redesigned in 1630 into a stone amphitheater with concentric steps where audiences could sit and watch performances. It's HUGE. A long avenue runs down the side of the amphitheater and down a hillside towards the Isolotto Basin and an island was created as a flower and lemon garden.
The Boboli preserves most of its original Renaissance and Baroque layout and contains a wonderful collection of statues and some great fountains. Everyone's favorite statue is the Nano Morgante by Baleria Cioli, a fat naked dwarf ("political correctness" wasn't such a big deal then!) riding a tortoise, an allegory of business and wisdom. It's hysterically funny! Also worth your time is a short walk to the Grotto Di Madama (built in 1554 and decorated with sculptures and paintings) and the Grotto del Buontalenti, which is decorated with statues made of stalactites and tufa. In the grotto, a system of water drops and jets keep the air and tufa sculptures humid. The grotto was restored in 1998.
If you haven't already gotten enough exercise by walking through Florence, you may choose to jog in the Boboli Garden…although it sounds masochistic to me! There is a small concession stand with tables and chairs that offers a spectacular view of Florence, one of the many spectacular views positioned throughout the property.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
vickie
|
|
Location: Waltham, MA
Reviews written: 75
Trusted by: 113 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.