Category: Uncategorized

By Liliia Smichenko

The streets and buildings of Florence bear a weight of centuries of history. The wind delivers the echo of love and passion, first and last meeting. Street are soaked in declarations of love and heartbreaks. However, you wouldn’t notice it until you know the story of those places. A building is just a building however beautiful, until you find out that it hosted Dante Alighieri, one of the greatest poets of all time.

That’s how I decided I want to explore and understand Florence, through exploring the story of Dante Alighieri and Beatrice Portinari, a woman carved into human history.

Dante met Beatrice when he was only nine years old, when his father took him to the Portinari house, which today is Palazzo Portinari Salviati on via del Corso 6. On that day, during the May Day festivities, Dante fell in love once and for all. 

He describes that meeting in his autobiographical work of prose and poems dedicated to Beatrice called Vita Nuova. The title can be translated as “new life” or “life’s springtime.” 

This is how he describes their first meeting:

“Behold, a deity stronger than I; who coming, shall rule over me,” Dante writes.

He unexpectedly met her only nine years later, accompanied by two older women on the Lungarno, along the river. Lost for words, Dante ran away when she greeted him.

After that Dante and Beatrice had only two other brief meetings, one in the church of Santa Margherita dei Cerchi and the other at the wedding feast.

Dante’s love was idealistic and unattainable; it is possible she never even knew of his feelings. However, that didn’t stop Dante from loving her and express that love in all of his works including the Divine Comedy, where Beatrice is not only a character but the one who guides the poet through Paradise.

Even though Beatrice was his true love, they both married others and Beatrice died three years after her marriage at the age of 24.

Dante loved Beatrice from afar, and that’s how I explored Florence, studying at FUA-AUF at a distance through the Iconic Florence remote learning program. The physical distance didn’t  prevent me from admiring and respecting the streets and buildings of Florence, just like how Dante experienced with Beatrice who become his great source of literary inspiration.

By Danelia Rodriguez
Photos by the Author

While doing my daily commute to my classes in Florence there was a certain building that caught my attention. It was in the shape of a tall cube and had niches with different statues in its outer walls. I found it interesting how this building was in the middle of a shopping area and it had the appearance of being much older than the surrounding buildings. I decided to learn more about this interesting building which I discovered to be the church and museum of Orsanmichele.

Continue reading The sculptures of Orsanmichele

By MacKenzie Gellner
Photos by the Author

We knew it wouldn’t be easy, but we didn’t think it’d be so tough.
Under the hot Florentine sun and lack of water, we didn’t know if we’d make it. But we had to try. We had to make it to Firenze Rocks, the music festival running three days in Florence. But we  were only going to be there for one, so there was no room for mistakes.

Continue reading The escapade to Ed

By Sydney Pogue

Nestled amongst the quaint, Florentine buildings on a sequestered side street off of Piazza Toquestro Tasso lies a Hostel. Opened in 2012, Ostello Tasso has quickly gained popularity from both locals and tourists alike. Boasting a beautiful theater space, 13 stylized rooms and even a garden, on first impression it would make sense as to why this hostel has gained such intrigue.

Continue reading Hidden Art Heaven

By Katie Weiler
Art by Donald Blair

I walk out of my apartment and stare directly into the bright sun. It’s the perfect day for a walk in Florence and in this walking city there is no shortage of places to travel. The sun is beating down and with a haze hanging in the distance I start on my daily walk. I step over the crooked walkways and cross the street, dodging cars and pedestrians alike.

I still dart through the thin crowds turning as I go into the rowing club looking for Alberto.

The small dark green door is easy to miss at first sight, but behind the doorway is something worth looking into. I walk down the wide stairs and open the glass doors below. The lady inside greets me, “Buongiorno!” she says. I inquire about Alberto, who has promised to meet me. She then tells me Alberto is currently out on the water. “Come back in one hour,” she says clearly.

I decide to spend my time strolling along the banks of the river.

Continue reading Walking the Arno

By Alexa Stiles
Photo from Unsplash

Upon arriving in Florence, Italy as a study abroad student, it is easy to get caught up in the beauty of the churches and cathedrals, the smell of the croissants, the taste of authentic Italian food, and the feel of the air as you walk along the Arno River.

What we tend to have difficulty accepting though is our fifth sense, the sounds that result from the hustle bustle of the city, most particularly the emergency vehicles. Living near the hospital, my ears do not stop ringing from the sirens of ambulances that pass on the hour, and if I am lucky, I will get to hear church bells chiming at 4am as well.
These sounds caused so much annoyance for me that I actually forgot to appreciate the true sounds of Italian culture, its music.

Before I came abroad, I had a friend who pointed out her fondness over street performers, and little does she know that if it was not for her, I do not think I would have ever experienced the true sounds of Florence. These musicians, although all separate groups, are collectively so incredibly talented that they attract large paparazzi- like groups who video and snap pictures of their performance.
Jokes on them though because listening to these street performances does not require electronic devices, just ears.

Whether they are playing on string instruments such as violins or guitars, blowing into a trumpet, or singing, these artists deserve the attention of our ears. They are a true representation of the culture here in Florence as they liven up each street corner and square with their melodies and songs. Although this is a different take on music, especially because the way in which music is created and performed is different in each country, it is worth unplugging the headphones from your ears because experiencing tunes so authentic and natural will come few and far between in the future. Too many of us students get so fed up with sounds of the bustle of the city that we forget to enjoy listening to a large part of the Italian culture that is present around each corner for free!