Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by McPig

Florence Cathedral is the fourth largest in Europe. Its construction started in 1296 by architect Arnolfo di Cambio. The main task of the architect was to create a huge cathedral, which size would express the growing importance of Florence, and overshadow the cathedrals in the competing cities, such as Siena and Pisa. Finally, there was built a huge, 106 meter high building that really can not be overlooked. Moreover, it is complemented by the largest dome since antiquity period. This masterpiece of medieval architecture was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. The dedication of the cathedral was in 1436. The original facade, of which only a quarter was completed by Arnolfo di Cambio was removed in 1587. The present appearance dates back to 1887, when the Florence Cathedral got the colourful Neo-Gothic facade.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Ed Webster

Rich outdoor decor contrasts markedly with, at first sight, a simple interior. The building is so obvious that the main aim of the architects was the size. However, if you look carefully, you discover a surprising number of art treasures. One of them is the crypt, where can be seen remains of the former church of Santa Reparata, and the dome, which is a masterful architectural work of Brunelleschi, and which offers a beautiful view of Florence.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Ed Webster

In Florence Cathedral you can also admire great paintings. On the left side you can see such as Dante and the Divine Comedy by Domenico di Micheli, equestrian portraits of Sir John Hawkwood by Paolo Uccello or Niccolo da Tolentino by Andrea del Castagno.

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The real treasures of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore include two sacristy. Sacrestia Nuova, which is the work of Michelozzo and Luca della Robbia, is paneled with wood and protected by a bronze gate. Above the entrance is a blue and white terra-cotta roundels from 1442 also by Luca della Robbia. By contrast, there is Sacrestia Vecchia, which is adorned with a similar roundels from the same artist. Between those two sacristies is the central apse, which houses the magnificent bronze reliquary in which are deposited the remains of the first bishop of Florence, Saint Zenobius.

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Among the most valuable sights in Montepulciano you can find Sant’Agostino church or ancient gate Porta al Prato. On the Piazza Grande there is the Gothic palace Palazzo Comunale from 14th century. From its tower you can enjoy a beautiful view of the surroundings. Other palaces worth visiting are Palazzo Neri-Orselli, which is now a museum and a gallery, or the Palazzo del Monte Cantucci from 16th century. Not far from the center of the town you can visit a church of Santa Lucia. On the slope below the town of Montepulciano there is situated Renaissance pilgrim church of San Biagio, built by Antonio da Sangallo. In its interior you can see the original artistic decoration.

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Pisa, Tuscany, Italy / Photo by admin

There are many famous universities and other institutes of higher learning located in Pisa. The 12th century University of Pisa is the most famous of the institutes in the city. However, you can also find the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies and the Napoleonic Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa in the Italian city of Pisa.

The city dates back to the days of the Greek Empire. There have been a number of artefacts uncovered over the years which have confirmed this. The most important of these is the discovery of an Etruscan necropolis back in 1991. This means that Pisa can be easily dated back to the 5th century B.C.

Pisa was known as an important port city for the Roman Empire. Known back in 89 B.C. as Portus Pisanus, the city played an important role in the Roman naval battles against the Carthaginians, Gauls and Ligurians. Pisa would continue to be a prosperous city and home to the Italian Naval fleets until 1284 when the Genoese fleet defeated Albertino Morosini at the Battle of Meloria.

The famous 67 meter tall leaning tower of Pisa took an amazing 344 years to build. The construction of the tower began in 1173 and by the time that the second floor was added in 1178, the tower began to sink as a result of the small foundation.

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The once walled city of Padova was surrounded by the many branches of the Bacchiglione River. With canals throughout the city, there are many old bridges scattered around the now bustling metropolitan region. Today there are more than 1.6 million people living in the Padova metropolitan area.

Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua, Italy by Schnu99i

Many people who have studied English literature have read The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. The city of Padova was the setting of this very famous play.

It is said that Padova is one of the oldest cities in northernmost part of Italy. According to historical records and artifacts uncovered in the area, it has been determined that the city of Padova was founded by Prince Anteno of the Trojans back in 1183 B.C. A sarcophagus which was uncovered back in 1274 belonged to the prince.

By 45 B.C., the city of Padova became part of the Roman Empire and was well-known throughout the empire for their horse breeding. In front of the Basilica di Sant’Antonio da Padova you will even find the famous Donatello statue of Erasmo da Narni which features a General astride a magnificent steed.

Prato della Valle, Padova, Italy by Fabio Macòr

The city is also home to the University of Padua which was founded more than 820 years ago. Galileo Galilee is one of the most famous lecturers to have stood in the halls of the university. There are also a number of other historically important structures and monuments which can be found throughout Padova. The city is even home to the Palazzo della Ragione which is said to have the largest unsupported roof in the whole of Europe.

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Stromboli, Sicily, Italy by Steven W. Dengler

Because of its continuous activity, the island of Stromboli is home to less than a thousand people. The most recent major eruption of the volcano was back in 2009. However, because there is a constant stream of minor eruptions that occur on a regular basis, the island has become known locally as the Mediterranean Lighthouse. There are three different craters in the peak of the volcano which currently rises 926 meters above the sea.

For more than 2,000 years, Stromboli has been erupting and has maintained a fairly recognizable pattern. Since lava does not tend to flow during the eruptions, there have been very few explosive occurrences. However, there have been a number of exceptions to this.

Today there are three villages located on the island. The villages of San Vincenzo and San Bartolo can be found along the north-eastern shorelines while the village of Ginostra can be found along the south-western shores.

Back in the early 1900s, the population of the island was quite large. It was home to several thousand people. However, by the 1950s as a result of multiple migrations, the population of the island dropped to only a few hundred. Coupled with the recent increase of volcanic activity over the past few decades, the population of Stromboli never reached more than a thousand inhabitants.

Most people who plan on visiting Stromboli chose to take the ferry to the island in order to spend the day marveling at the volcano before returning to Sicily by nightfall.

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