Recent Articles
Emily on the Grand Canal
Venice reveals itself differently from the water. There is no gradual approach along a road and no ordinary arrival at a curb. The city rises directly from the lagoon, its churches, palaces and homes appearing to float at the water’s edge. Traveling by boat is not simply a way to move through Venice; it is […]
Trevi Fountain
During our first trip through Italy as a family, we visited and recorded many of the country’s most celebrated landmarks. Although we enjoy discovering fewer familiar places and the quieter stories found away from the usual tourist routes, there is also something meaningful about standing before a place recognized throughout the world. Being a tourist […]
The Florence Skyline
Seen from the hills south of the Arno River, Florence reveals itself not as a collection of separate monuments but as a complete historic city. Rows of closely packed buildings spread across the valley, their warm stone walls and red-tiled roofs creating a remarkably unified landscape. Rising above them are the towers, domes and church […]
Memorial to Lorenzo Bartolini at the Basilica of Santa Croce
The Basilica of Santa Croce contains the tombs and memorials of many individuals who shaped Italian history and culture. Among them is the monument honoring Lorenzo Bartolini, one of the most important Italian sculptors of the nineteenth century. Bartolini was born near Prato in 1777 and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence […]
Island of San Michele
While traveling by boat from Venice to Murano, we passed the island of San Michele. Surrounded by the waters of the Venetian Lagoon, its long brick walls, historic buildings and solitary bell tower gave it the appearance of a quiet city separated from the activity of Venice. San Michele is the principal cemetery of Venice. […]
Hadrian’s Villa
Hadrian’s Villa, known in Italian as Villa Adriana, was constructed during the second century for the Roman emperor Hadrian. Located near Tivoli, approximately 18 miles east of Rome, the enormous estate served as an imperial residence and administrative retreat away from the crowded capital. Hadrian became emperor in A.D. 117 and ruled until his death in […]
Giotto’s Campanile
Giotto’s Campanile rises beside the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore as one of Florence’s most recognizable architectural landmarks. Although it forms part of the cathedral complex, the bell tower stands as a separate structure with its own design and construction history. Work began in 1334 under Giotto di Bondone, already celebrated as one of […]
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore stands at the religious and historic center of Florence. Commonly known as the Duomo, it was created to replace the earlier Cathedral of Santa Reparata, which had become too small for the city’s growing population and increasing importance. Construction began in 1296 under architect Arnolfo di Cambio. The […]
Piazza del Campo and Palazzo Pubblico
After walking through Siena’s narrow medieval streets, we emerged into the broad open space of the Piazza del Campo. The contrast was immediate. Confined passageways and closely grouped stone buildings suddenly gave way to a sweeping public square surrounded by centuries of civic architecture. The Piazza del Campo developed as the center of Siena’s political […]
St. Mark’s Basilica
St. Mark’s Basilica rises at the end of Piazza San Marco with an appearance unlike almost any other church in Europe. Its domes, arches, mosaics and intricate stonework create a building that seems both grand and delicate. There is so much to see that the eye is continually drawn from one detail to another. The […]
Trinità dei Monti and the Spanish Steps
The Church of Santissima Trinità dei Monti rises above the Spanish Steps on Rome’s Pincian Hill. Its twin bell towers create one of the city’s most recognizable views, forming a dramatic background to the broad stairway descending toward the Piazza di Spagna. Construction of the church began in the early sixteenth century under the patronage […]
The Giants’ Staircase at the Doge’s Palace
The Giants’ Staircase stands within the courtyard of the Doge’s Palace, once the political and administrative center of the Republic of Venice. More than an entrance to the palace, the staircase formed part of a carefully designed ceremonial route leading from St. Mark’s Square into the heart of Venetian government. The staircase was designed by […]
