Firenze (Florence), Italy

View of Florence from the Piazzale Michelangelo.

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore; in front is the baptistry and to the right is the campanile (bell tower).

View of the frescoes painted on the inside of the dome.

The original painting of "Dante before the city of Florence" (1465).

Climbing the steps to the top of the dome.

View of the baptistry from the top of the dome.

The famous dome designed by Brunelleschi.

View of the campanile and nave from the top of the dome.

Palazzo Vecchio and Uffizi Gallery (the U-shaped building just beyond the palazzo). Just to the right of the palazzo is the Loggia dei Lanzi (the building with three large open archways) that contains famous statues.

Piazza della Signoria in front of the Palazzo Vecchio.

Fountain of Neptune in front of the Palazzo Vecchio.

A replica of "David". The original statue by Michelangelo stood here in front of the Palazzo Vecchio since 1504, but in 1873 it was moved to the Accademia Gallery.

The original statue of "Perseus with the Head of Medusa" in the Loggia dei Lanzi.

Enjoying our favorite past time of gelato after a stroll through the Uffizi Gallery.

Ponte Vecchio, this bridge spanning the Arno River was first built by the Romans. The current bridge has been in place since 1345. Shops lining either side of the bridge were initially occupied by butchers, but in 1442 these were kicked out and replaced by gold and silver merchants--it has remained this way ever since.

Accademia Gallery which houses "David".

The house of Dante Alighieri who was born and raised in Florence.

The Basilica di Santa Croce is the burial place for several famous Italians including Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, and Rossini. During the unification of Italy in the 1800s funerary monuments of many famous Italians have been placed inside.

Burial site of Michelangelo.

Burial site of Galileo.

In front of the basilica; Hadley and Cooper had had their fill of site seeing and were content with a puddle of water.