Counting Steps

Visiting Florence can be overwhelming. There is so much to see. We started the first day with a walking tour which gave us an idea of what we shouldn't miss. I liked the guide because he pointed out some facts and stories that are not always in the guidebooks. His information on the visual illusions on the facade of the Santa Maria Novella Church were fascinating, and I never would have noticed them by myself. He then went on to point out other details, like the metal rings in the walls, flood water marks and a mischievous artist's traffic signs. Now that I was aware of these details, I started noticing them more often.

  I had noticed the statue of Perseus and Medusa the day before, even had a discussion with Ben as to the winged shoes. But now the guide told us the story of the artist and the problems he had making the statue. Apparently he decided to make it out of bronze, which was unusual and difficult. When casting the figure he ran out of metal, and went to his kitchen, melted down his cutlery and finished the arm and Medusa's head with that. As it turns out, this is a urban legend, and nobody knows if it is true. It doesn't matter to me, it captured my attention and made me interested in how the artist was able to accomplish these amazing works of art. Our guide had another story as to how Michelangelo created his famous "David" from a previously discarded block of marble.
Next we decided to climb the stairs that lead up to the top of the Duomo, or Cathedral dome. I have never really thought before why we love to do this.  The view of the Cathedral is more awe-inspiring from below, the steps are steep and dark, and often the view from the top is not quite as impressive. So why do we pay money to climb these structures time after time. This is a third this year for me, after St Peter's in Rome and St Paul's in London.

 It is a fun activity, but also, it draws my attention to the construction of these vast buildings. The domes in themselves are architectural wonders. When you climb to the top, the stairs take you inside the inner and outer dome covering. You pause at the lower gallery and marvel at the frescoes on the ceiling and how they were possibly painted in such detail and proportion so high above the church below. When you enter into the workings of the building, you gain a new perspective, a better appreciation for all the years of work that went into it.
Ben went a step, or two, further. He decided to count the stairs as we ascended, both the bell tower, then the dome. He counted 406 steps up the tower, and 456 to the top of the dome. While the rest of us were trying not to trip in the dark passageways, avoid people on their way down, and peek out the small windows on the way up, Ben was carefully keeping count. I can't think of a better way of gaining appreciation for a large-scale structure than that!