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Borgo Nuovo San Martino Surroundings:
the art cities |
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Florence, Siena and
S. Gimignano |
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Florence stands in a pleasant valley surrounded by hills and crossed
by the river Arno. This city is rich
in monuments, historical buildings, galleries and museums, expressing
all its magnificence of its ancient civilization.
Its world famous promenade along its monuments up to the wonderful
Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) is lined
with characteristic goldsmith's shops.
Many are the monuments and the masterpieces to visit, such as Giotto's
Tower begun by Giotto in 1334, the Pitti Palace begun from
an original design by Brunelleschi in the second half of 1400, the
courtyard of Ammannati, Buonarroti house
which has some paintings of Michelangelo, Forte
di Belvedere that dates from the end of 1500. The Uffizi
Palace begun by Vasari in 1560, Loggia
della Signoria begun in1376 from an original design by Arcagno
and Palazzo Vecchio built between 1293
and 1314.
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Siena always attracts many tourists for its
wonderful monuments and its numerous masterpieces to visit
in its museums. Some great artists were
born in Siena and among them it is to remind Duccio di Boninsegna
and Nicola Pisano, who worked on the greatest masterpiece in Siena:
the Duomo.
In narrow and winding lanes, in museums and in the quarter oratorios
you may hear Palio propitiatory chants
that recall the ancient customs and modern allegories. In the evening,
on the other side, the patter of soles on the desert paving contrasts
to the peace of the green valleys surrounded by the walls by its
ancient administrators, for centuries till today.
In the town you may admire many masterpieces such as the Duomo,
set in the Campo, Siena's red-bricked main square and the wonderful
landscape of Facciatone, the hall of Pellegrinaio
in Santa Maria della Scala, the Piccolomini
library, the prestigious Accademy Chigiana and the wide rooms
in Fortezza Medicea, that hides the rarest wines in Siena, in Tuscany
and in the peninsula.
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The 15 medieval towers (a reminder
of the 72 towers that used to rise during the period of greatest
splendor) announce from far away the town's magnificence.
The amazement continues after entering one of the town gates, that
open in the double enclosed wall, and
walking up the silent streets flanked with ancient buildings.
The streets unexpectedly lead into three squares on the summit of
the town, where the severe medieval buildings that surround them
may be admired.
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