florence hidden gems
 

Hello,
My family and I will be in Florence for a couple weeks. (Yes I know a long time...We are slow traveling) any suggestions for hidden gems (architectural or church art) in or around Florence?
For instance, we have been in venice for a couple weeks and have enjoyed looking at certain st. George reliefs on buildings or in paintings.
Thank you

This is a past post of mine;

<<<My daughter loves Dante, so this is a "don't miss.">>>

Then she might want to add this as a "don't miss".
It's a literal 'stone's throw' from Dante's House.

This very small church is where Beatrice is buried and possibly where Dante married.

The author of the article below says her tomb might be a myth.

I don't know but what strikes me as odd is that "several members of her family and her wet-nurse are also buried in the church?

Alot of trouble to go thru by the church just to fake a single person's tomb?

I did a quick google and it *seems* that others that mention this myth/legend post-date that 2010 article?

I have no idea in the last dozen years when I wrote this in my 'Blueguide Florence' (If I come across something by other sources or documentries I usually grab my Blueguide for that city or Oxford Archaeological guide and note it).

Anyway I wrote that Beatrice was buried in that church's courtyard.

Whether that is the actual place or later her and her families remains were moved into the church for the fame I don't recall?

Anyway if interested in that site google "Santa Margherita de Cerchi" for more info.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_M...de'_Cerchi

Article with opening times;
http://www.theflorentine.net/article...ssuetocId=5236

Beatrice's Tomb;
http://tinyurl.com/abofnsc IS THIS
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_24LneCVKTe...ePortinari.jpg

With "Dante's House" on your left (I *believe* that's were the entrance is?) and the Via Dante Alighieri behind you, this small church will be on the right a short distance down that short sidestreet.

The Science Museum for me was a biggie mainly for the lens Galileo used when he discovered the moons of Jupiter.
This turned the World upsidedown and showed that we on Earth weren't special and were just another planet.
Probably the greatest discovery in astronomy?
Plus his finger and other things he actually used are on display

There is a beautiful, small chapel in the Palazzo Medici-Ricardi with frescos of the "Procession of the Magi". It is well worth a visit and we were unaware of it until our 6th trip to Florence.

simplicitas - you might be interested in this current thread:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ver-easter.cfm

I'm crazy for mosaics and pietre dure (inlays of wood, stone or semi-precious gems). There are examples of pietra dura in many places in the city (esp. in the Medici Chapel), and there is a museum of the technique not far from the Accademia. We've visited the museum twice (once on our own and once to introduce it to friends), and both times we were nearly the only people there.

Opificio elle Pietre Dure
Via degli Alfani, 78

http://www.frommers.com/destinations....nkWQzC8u.dpbs

http://www.museumsinflorence.com/mus...etre_dure.html

http://www.lacma.org/video/making-pietre-dure-panel

If you like frescoes, in addition to the Procession of the Magi mentioned by mamcalice, I suggest the Brancacci Chapel (ticketed timed entries) and the Last Supper and Tree of Life by Taddeo Gaddi located in the rectory adjacent to Santa Croce.

This website has a very comprehensive list of the many treasures of Florence:

http://www.museumsinflorence.com/

The correct name of the museum is Opificio delle Pietre Dure.

These are very helpful and the just the types of things I was looking for. Thank you!

You might like to get a copy of Secret Florence (Jonglez Publishing). It's crammed with hidden treasures to find, for instance the 34 plaques illustrating quotes from the Divine Comedy, the anatomical statues in wax at the Museo della Specola, or the concealed message in stone at Palazzo Pitti.

It's available from Amazon and also BookDepository.com

bookmarking

marking too