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This is an approximate outline of our travels through Italy. We began in Rome and
traveled clock-wise, eventually ending back in Rome. |
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It is difficult to
consider Italy without thinking of the great art it has brought to the
world. This is a detail of the ceiling of the
Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo's
masterpiece, "The Creation of Adam".
tourist attraction |
One
of the major attractions in Italy is the lovely city of Venice where there
are islands and canals. The canals date back to the 5th century when
regional inhabitants built nascent Venice in a swampy, sparsely settled
lagoon in order to escape the swords of the invading Barbarians. This is on
the Grand Canal with a view of St. Mark's Cathedral peeking from the back.
Right, St Mark's Square.
tourist attraction |
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Here we are in a gondola, riding from the
Grand Canal to
one of the over 150 smaller canals that serve as city streets.
picture Jerrold Patz
tourist attraction Naimah
"Jerrold Patz" |
The "Bridge of Sighs" in Venice connects the court house to the prison. The
name comes
from the usual one-way trip from one to the other; those convicted
in the court house seldom returned from the prison.
tourist attraction |
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Castel Gandolfo, the
Pope's official summer residence. As he was not in Rome when we were there,
we decided to visit him at his other residence. The guards are the famed
Swiss Guards, clothed in uniforms originally designed in 1548 by
Michelangelo. |
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We are in Verona standing with a
bronze of Juliet [Giulietta in Italian], from Shakespeare's "Romeo
and Juliet" (left). A view of Juliet's famous Verona balcony.
Juliet's balcony juliet's balcony "balcony romeo and juliet" picture Jerrold Patz Naimah
"Jerrold Patz" |
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We are standing in St. Peter's Square in Rome, in front of
the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. This is where thousands gather to
see and hear the Pope.
picture Jerrold Patz Naimah tourist attraction "Jerrold
Patz" |
This is the Colosseum of Ancient Rome (more info
here), still a major feature in the modern
city. Started by Emperor Vespasian in 72 CE, it was completed by his
son Titus in 80 CE. The massive structure could seat more than 50,000
people. This was the site of the gladiator games and wild beast shows of
ancient Rome.
picture Jerrold Patz Naimah "Jerrold
Patz"
tourist attraction
Roman Coliseum |
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Christopher Columbus
was born in Milan. This park commemorates his 1492 voyage to America by
depicting his three ships: the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria.
columbus's three ships
columbus ships |
No trip to Italy could be complete without a visit to Pisa, home of the
Leaning Tower, a major engineering mistake. The
Tower of Pisa is actually the bell tower of the Cathedral. Its construction
began in August of 1173 and continued (with two long interruptions) for
about two hundred years. It began to lean almost immediately upon the
installation of very heavy bells. An attempt to 'right' the tower was halted
as a straight tower would cease to be a tourist attraction.
picture Jerrold Patz Naimah "leaning tower of pisa"
"Jerrold Patz"
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This is a picture of
the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) in Florence taken from the 2nd Floor of
Uffizi Gallery. Originally the home to the Doge, this covered bridge allowed
transit to his palace without using the city streets. A classic
Renaissance picture hanging in the Uffizi Gallery: Federigo da Montefeltro,
the 2nd Duke of Urbino, painted by Piero della Francesca in
1470. |
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A view of Pompeii with Mt Vesuvius
in the background. In a catastrophic volcanic eruption of 79 CE, Pompeii was
completely buried in ash, and preserved for modern archeologists.
picture Jerrold Patz Naimah tourist attraction
Mt
Vesuvius volcano
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The
Abbey of Monte Cassino, sitting high on a hilltop about 50 km south of Rome, was built in
529. The first picture, taken from the World War II Polish Cemetery, shows
the Abbey. The second shows details of the door to the basilica, and the
third, a statue of Charlemagne, ("Carolo Magno") who visited the abbey in
787 (13 years before he became the Holy Roman Emperor) and granted it vast
privileges.
statue of
charlemagne
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We are on Capri, overlooking the cliffs and the bay. Although it was a warm
day, it was very hazy.
picture Jerrold Patz Naimah
"Jerrold Patz"
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The
Spanish Steps in Rome, a well-known gathering place for travelers.
The piazza was named after the Spanish Embassy, once located here. The
steps, built with French money in 1725, now lead to the French church Trinita dei Monti.
tourist attraction |
Our trip ended in Rome
at the Trevi Fountain, one of Rome's most famous monuments. It was the
subject of the 1954 movie "Three Coins in the Fountain" and the 1960 movie,
"La Dolce Vita" . It was designed by Nicola Salvi in 1732. The water
is supplied by an ancient aqueduct. Legend has it that if you throw a coin
into the fountain - you will return to Rome.
We both threw coins.
tourist
attraction |
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