Standing Into Danger: Florence

I'm sorry that I've been missing from action in the last few weeks.
I broke a rib in a freak accident on a new piece of equipment in my gym,

and my rib was too painful to allow me to work on my computer.

But I'm back, and I'm going to participate in Rain's Thursday Art Date theme Bells;

and share faces for Nicole's Friday Face Off

plus a little something for Rain's dogs Jack and Raven.

I've been longing to travel, and if I could teleport myself anywhere this instant

it would straight to Venice followed shortly by Florence.

When I read Rain's theme of Bells, I immediately thought

of all the beautiful Italian bells I've been lucky enough to see and hear.

If you ever have visited St. Mark's Square (Piazza di San Marco) in Venice,

you likely saw the magnificent Clock Tower (Torre dell’Orologio).

Two huge bronze figures on the terrace at the top of the tower strike the hours on a bell.

They are known as the "Moors" because of their dark patina.

The bell is signed by Simeone Campanato who cast it at the Arsenal in 1497.

The Clock Tower was built in 1499, and today the street under the Clock Tower

leads to the famous Rialto Bridge across the Grand Canal (Canal Grande).

Clock Tower (Torre dell’Orologio)

St. Mark's Square (Piazza di San Marco)

Venice, Italy

September 13, 2018

No matter where you wander in Venice, you will stumble across picturesque places,

like the lovely Rio San Barnaba canal in the Dorsoduro district.

I couldn't track down the name of the bell tower, but the canal is named for

the San Barnaba church and square overlooking it (just beyond the red building).

Other interesting features on this canal are the floating market on the right side

and the Bridge of Fists or the Ponte dei Pugni in the middle left.

For many generations, rival clans would meet in the middle

of this famous bridge and fight with their fists,

the winners throwing their opponents into the canal.

The fist fights were outlawed in 1705 because of their extreme violence.

Bell Tower on the Picturesque canal of Rio San Barnaba

with the floating market and Bridge of Fists

Dorsoduro, Venice, Veneto, Italy

September 13, 2018

Fresh Basil for Rain

by the front boat in the canal photo

September 13, 2018

If I had to pick a favorite city in the world, I would likely pick Firenze or Florence.

Florence is full of amazing bells, most in wonderful bell towers.

My favorite bell tower is Giotto's between the Duomo and the Baptistry of St. John.

Giotto's Bell Tower (Campanile di Giotto)

between the Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore)

and St. John's Baptastry

Florence, Italy

September 13, 2018

Giotto's bell tower has seven bells, the largest is called Santa Reparata in honor

of an early virgin martyr who is the co-patron saint of Florence.

The others are called: the Misericordia, the Apostolica, the Assunta, the Mater Dei, the Annunziata, and the Immacolata, all tied to the Blessed Mother.

The Tuscan Mom

The Apostolica Bell and Me

Florence, Italy

September 18, 2018

Terry and the Protective Cage at the Top of Giotto's Bell Tower

with Brunelleschi's Dome at the top of the Duomo in the Background

Florence, Italy

September 18, 2018

From the Bell Tower you can see bells everywhere.

Here are two towers and their bells:

Another favorite bell and tower of mine is the Montanina Bell

in the Volognana Tower at the Bargello National Museum.

The Montanina bell in the VolognanaTower

at the Bargello National Museum

Florence, Italy

September 17, 2018

The Volognana Tower dates back to the mid-thirteenth century.

It was sold to the city of Florence in 1254,

becoming the tower for the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo

or Captain of the People Palace, constructed in 1255.

Later, in 1261, the palace housed the Podestà

or highest magistrate in the Florence City Council.

In 1574 the Medici did away with the Podestà,

and the palace became the home for the police chief or Bargello of Florence.

The Bargello was used as a prison and as a place for executions until 1857

when it was transformed into a national museum which opened in 1865.

The Volognana Tower was named for the first prisoner imprisoned there.

Under the tower was one of the worst cells in the Bargello.

The Montanina Bell at the top of the Volognana Tower is associated with death.

The bell was taken as a battle trophy by the city of Florence

in 1302 from Montale Castle in the province of Pistoia.

It always rang for fatal occasions such bringing young people into the army,

announcing executions, or proclaiming curfews after deadly scuffles.

The bell rang in August 1944 to call the population to rise up against the Germans

and in 1966 to announce the flood of the Arno River which devastated Florence.

Today the Montanina Bell is rarely rung.

The last time I know it rang for sure was on June 22, 2015,

when it marked the 150th birthday of the Bargello National Museum.

🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔 🔔

As for Nicole's Friday Face Off this week, I'll share a guilty pleasure

that helped me get through the isolation of the Covid pandemic:

Tembe Elephant Park in Emangusi, South Africa.

I have watched this waterhole in the park for countless hours.

I often have the Live Cam up on my computer when I'm busy in my kitchen.

I never know what I'll see when I look at my computer screen.

https://explore.org/livecams/africam/tembe-elephant-park

Tembe Elephant Park is located in an area that was once on

the ancient Ivory Route between Mozambique and Zululand.

The remote park lies deep in the sand forests and wetlands in northern Tongaland,

right on the border between KwaZulu-Natal and Mozambique.

It is known for having the largest elephants in the world,

as well as lions, leopards, rhinos, giraffes, and buffalo,

many other kinds of animals, and over 340 species of birds.

The other night I glanced at my computer screen and spotted a cute baby elephant

near the waterhole with other members of its family.

It's never easy to capture a screen shot at night when the animals are moving,

but I can't resist trying.

I love the faces of the animals I see in Tembe Elephant Park.

Impala are easier to capture. They like to lie in the grass.

🐘 🐘 🐘 🐘 🐘 🐘 🐘 🐘

And, finally, a little something little something for Rain's dogs Jack and Raven.

Vittore Carpaccio (c. 1465 – c. 1526)

Arrival in Cologne

1490, tempera and oil on canvas

280 x 255 cm

One of Vittore Carpaccio’s Paintings in the Saint Ursula Cycle

in the Gallerie dell’Accademia

Florence, Italy

A Closeup of Carpaccio's Dog with its watchful face

Florence, Italy

September 13, 2018

Have a great weekend!

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

My next post will be on

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

for IWSG Day.

A Final Laugh!

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Standing Into Danger

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Friday, December 2, 2022

Bones, Bells, Basil, and a Baby

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