The Viottolone in the Boboli Gardens
Viale dei Cipressi (Cypress Avenue), also known as the Viottolone, is a wide boulevard that marks the secondary axis of the Boboli Gardens.
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The American Consulate in Florence
The consulate knows what’s going on, and soon I’ll have answers.
Do you recall this sentence? It is from the novel Inferno, when Robert and Sienna are seeking help from the American Consulate in Florence, albeit with poor results …
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The Giotto Bell Tower
THE PALE AFTERNOON sun dipped low over the Piazza del Duomo, glinting off the white tiles of Giotto’s bell tower and casting long shadows across Florence’s magnificent Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
(Dan Brown, Inferno)
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Trust and Treachery and the Caduceus
Today’s post was written by our friend Kristen Elise, an American writer and expert on symbols. A Robert Langdon in the feminine? 😉 Thanks Kristen!
In Dan Brown’s Inferno, Elizabeth Sinskey’s amulet necklace serves as a plot device to foster trust between Sinskey and Robert Langdon. But in classic Dan Brown fashion, this trust is built in a convoluted way, and his choice of props is highly symbolic.
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The Piazza della Repubblica
During Roman times, the Piazza della Repubblica (Republic Square) was the ancient center of Florence, the site of the forum. As of the Middle Ages and for several centuries thereafter, it remained the “old” city market.
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Canto 16, Paradiso by Dante
Canto 16 of the Paradiso, mentioned by Dan Brown in his Inferno, is dedicated to Cacciaguida and the Florentines.
Cacciaguida was an ancestor of Dante of which we know very little. We know that he was knighted and participated in the Second Crusade (1147-1149), where he died.
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MS Cigarettes
Literature and art often contain quotations or representations of various brands of cigarettes, or illustrations of people smoking. Although this sometimes happens because people think that artistic needs should prevail, we think that sometimes it is not fair.
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The Piazza della Signoria
The Piazza della Signoria has always been the focal point of the history of the Florentine Republic. It serves a public function, particularly by housing the Loggia dei Lanzi (lodge for public gatherings).
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