Duomo in Florence

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One of the largest Christian Churches and the influence for Saint Peter's in Rome, the Florence Duomo is beautiful. The pink and green tints of Tuscan marble are magnificant. The dome is a breakthrough in engineering architecture - created by Brunellesci. Inside the ceiling is beatuifully frescoed

Medici Family Palace

Home to many generations of the Medici family and located adjacant to San Lorenzo Church in the heart of old Florence, the palace has a famous chapel. The chapel is fescoed with a painting called "The Journey of the Magi" painted by Gozzoli in the late 1500's. The painting shows a long procession of people - led by Lorenzo Medidi as one of the Kings (The 3 Kings of Orient) painted in brillant colors!

The teenage Michelangelo lived here. Also Leonardo da Vinci visited frequently as well as many scholars and philosophers. The Reniassance was funded in part by the Medici Family. We have them to thank for many of the freedoms of thought we have today and for much of the beauty of the Reniassance Art which has influenced every major painter since.

Florence - San Lorenzo Church

The Medici Family were the patron's for San Lorenzo Church. The church is plain on the outside - but houses the Medici Chapels (no photos allowed). Several of the "Dukes" and leading men from the Medici family are buried in the Chapel. Michelangelo designed and sculpted many of the pieces in the chapel. Michelangelo lived with the Medici family as a boy and the family was his patron for many years.

This family also provided scanturary to Galileo when he was persecuted by the Church for his teaching on astronomy. He was excommunicated because he declared this sun was the center of our solar system and not the earth.

Florence Italy - San Lorenzo Library

The Medici Family were wealthy bankers who supported learning and the arts in Florence in the 1500's. The family is credited with funding the Renaissance Era.

We are in Florence today and decided to devote most of the day to the Medici Family. We have been to Florence 2 times before and have seen the beautiful Duomo and the major art museums - which we love.

Michelangelo designed this library built within the Church of San Lorenzo - which is the Medici Family Church. Scribes or monks would set in this room and copy manuscripts. There were no printing presses at this time - so every manuscript had to be copied by hand. The Medici had one of the largest libraries in the world at this time. The original manuscripts were chained to these desks. Also scholars could obtain permission to come inside to read.

The steps were also designed by Michelangelo and were called the "path to light" (the path to learning.)

Rooftop Terrace on Hotel in Sienna

Darrell's favorite hangout - perfect for cigars and crosswords - not to mention beautiful views of the red time old roof tops of Siena.

Tuscan sunsets

Tuscan hillside towns - beautiful views!

These were taken from Montepulciano! Spectacular sunset!

Arches and narrow steep streets

The Tuscan hill towns are loved for the location and the cobblestone streets. It is hard to take a photograph that really shows the steep slope of some of these streets. Arches and ports (a arched gateway into a city) further add to the architectural interest. Usually there are also remaindes of the old city wall.

Montepulciano 's Duomo and Architecture

Montepulciano's Duomo is really plain for Tuscany without a marble facade the city ran out of money to finish.. Inside is also austere. But the central location in the Piazza Grande shows its importance in the community.

The architecture is really diverse in Montelpuciano. The Contucci Palace dating back to the 15th century -is in the Renaissance style. Descendants of the Contucci family still live in the Palace.

Twilight "New Moon" Movie location

Ok - another Twilight update: Even though the book "New Moon" is set in Volterra - Hollywood doesn't always follow. The town of Montelpuciano was chosen as the Italian film location. There are a few posters in the window and also photos of some of the cast. The center of the town is "Piazza Grande" with the city hall which has the clock tower. The trailer for the movie shows a huge festival in the square - so its a cool location.

Vino Nobile in Montepulciano, Italy

It seems we talk about wine a lot - but it is such a part of the way of life for many places in Europe. Italy is especially noted for wonderful wines - but Montepulciano is noted for its Vino Nobile de Montepulciano! We drove through the beautiful Tuscan countryside from Siena to Montepulciano and spent the afternoon. (After a navigation malfunction delay/or the scenic route!)

Montepulciano was originally an Etruscan town called Chiusi then captured by the Romans. It has one of the highest elevations in Tuscany - we are going to 3 towns that all have higher elevations (Volterra, Montepulciano and Cortona).

The food is what's so great! Every little restaurant seems to have wonderful meals.

Volterra, Italy - Medici Fortress

The huge Fortress - built by the Medici Family in the 1500's anchors one end of the city. The Fortress is now a prison - mafia criminals are supposedly housed there. The tall round Gothic Tower stands beside one of the ancient gateways into Volterra.

Twilight's Volturi's home in Volterra

For any Twilight Fans out there - The (offical) Volterra "New Moon" Tour lists Palazzo Viti as the offical stop for the Volturi (vampire) house. This room is past the cellar and down two more levels - so "imagine" this is the entrance!

Volterra - Palazzo Viti (The Twilight book's Volturi's Home)

Everybody has heard of the vampire books - the Twilight series! Stephanie Myers set her Italian Vampire dynasty - the Vultari - home in Volterra. The city of Volterra is capitalizing on the the upcoming movie on the book "New Moon" by offering "New Moon" Tours.

Actually the Palazzo Viti is a beautifully furnished Renaissance Palace built in the 1400's. The home is still occupied by members of the Vines family. Museum quality art and objects fill this magnificant personal residence.

However - since I love the Twilight series - I would rather like to believe that this is the Vultari Home.

Roman Era in Volterra

The Romans conquered the Etruscans in Volterra during the 400's BC. Most of the ancient structures remaining date from the Roman Era. The Roman Theater was built with seating alongside the natural cliff side of the ancient city. Archeaological excavations are still ongoing in the region.

Medieval Torture Museum

Every horrible contraction that ever existed in Middle Ages was to be found inside this museum. Darrell loved reading and looking at these very gruesome items. I could not deal with it - so I only stayed a few minutes. (This must be how Darrell feels when we go to an art museum.) The entrance to the museum is guarded by a giant werewolf. There were many items used during the Inquisition. After seeing this - I agree that the guillotine is humane.

Volterra - Palazzo dei Priori

The center of the Medieval city is the Palazzo dei Priori with the ancient City Hall which was started in 1208. This was the seat of the captain of the people. Other palaces surround the square including the current police office station which is housed in a building dating from 1300's.

Volterra, Italy

We love Tuscany and the wonderful hilltop villages and towns. We spent the day in Volterra - one of the oldest cities in the region. It was settled by the Etruscan's and the settlement dates back to 900 BC. The views are uninterrupted for miles and miles as the city domintates the mountain top. Most of the city is pedestrian only with cars only coming inside the city through a few gates (ports).