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Article #106: Tuscany - Gods gift to man

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Tuscany- Gods gift to man The Palio horse race is a colorful,
Brief Introduction & History bareback horse race round the dirt-packed
Tuscany is one of twenty regions in Piazza del Campo, Siena's main square,
Italy. The region is located in the that takes place every July 2 and August
central, western part of the country, 16. The contrade (traditional
north of Rome and south of Genoa. It is neighborhoods) compete for the palio, or
bounded by the Apennine Mountains to the banner, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The
North and East, the Apuan Alps on the square is filled with costumed pageantry
northwest and by the Tyrrhenian Sea on before the race, and massive feasts are
the West. Its land area is about 9,000 set up on long outdoor tables that can
square miles (23.300 square kilometers). stretch for blocks on the medieval side
Its major cities are Florence, Pisa, streets.
Siena, Lucca, Arezzo, and Pistoia. Its - Pistoia Blues Festival, Giostra
major river is the Arno, which begins in dell'Orso - Pistoia
the Apennines, and on which Florence and Two important events take place in
Pisa are located. Pistoia every July: the Pistoia Blues
FROM THE BEGINNING... Festival and the Giostra dell'Orso.
Tuscany was the home land of the Taking place in the first half of July,
Etruscans, which was annexed by Rome in the Pistoa Blues draws international
351 BC. After the fall of the Roman blues artists who perform in the city's
empire, the region, which became known as main square.
Tuscany (Toscana in Italian) came under After a magnificent procession held on
the rule of a succession of rulers the 25th of July to honor St. James, the
(Herulians, Ostrogoths, etc.) and emerged patron saint of the city, twelve knights
as a political entity with its own take part in the Giostra dell'Orso, a
rulers. By the twelfth century, the medieval jousting tournament. The
Tuscan cities were gradually gaining knights' goal is to hit two stylized
their independence as republics and bears with their lances to the sound of
forcing the nobility to live in the drum rolls and fanfares. The bear (orso)
cities. By the high Middle Ages, the is the heraldic animal of Pistoia and the
cities of Pisa, Siena, Arezzo, Pistoia, Giostra is the highlight of the towns's
Lucca, and especially Florence had become "Luglio Pistoiese" festival.
wealthy because of textile manufacture, - Bravio delle Botti - Montepulciano
trade, banking, and agriculture. There The Bravio delle Botti, which takes place
were many wars between the city states to on the last Sunday in August, is a barrel
conquer territory and power. Gradually, rolling race between the eight Contradas
Florence came to overshadow and conquer (divisions) of Montepulciano competing
all other cities in the region. for a Palio, a painted cloth banner. The
THE RENAISSANCE AND REIGN OF THE MEDICI barrels (which weigh 80 kilos) have to be
After several experiments with rolled up about 1800 meters along the
representative government, Florence was main street of the town of Montepulciano
ruled by an oligarchy of wealthy to end in the Piazza Grande. Costume
aristocrats, among whom the Medici family processions precede the competition and a
became dominant in the fifteenth century. street banquet follows.
Under the patronage of these wealthy - Giostra del Saracino - Arezzo
families, the arts and literature Good old-fashioned medieval jousting in
flourished as nowhere else in Europe and Arezzo on the first Sunday in September.
thus this period is known as the This is the second tournament of the
Renaissance, the rebirth after the Middle year, the first one already held in June.
Ages. Florence was the city of such See above for more details.
writers as Dante, Petrarch, and - Palio della Balestra - Sansepolcro
Macchiavelli, and artists and engineers On the last Sunday in May, the
such as Botticelli, Brunelleschi (who crossbowmen of Sansepolcro travel to
built the magnificent dome on the church Gubbio (Umbria) for the Palio della
of St. Mary of the Flowers, Santa Maria Balestra, a crossbow contest between the
dei Fiori), Alberti, Leonardo Da Vinci, men of of Gubbio and Sansepolcro who
and Michelangelo. Because of its dress in medieval costume and use antique
dominance in literature, the Florentine weapons. On the second Sunday in
language became the literary language of September, the crossbowmen of Gubbio
the Italian region and is the language of visit Sansepolcro for a rematch.
Italy today. Lorenzo de' Medici, who - Display of the Virgin's Girdle - Prato
ruled Florence in the late fifteenth Prato keeps the Virgin Mary's girdle
century was perhaps the greatest patron under heavy lock and key year-round in
of the arts in the history of the West. the Duomo, but takes it out five times a
DECLINE AND RENEWAL year amid much religious pomp and some
Times changed and upon the death of medieval drum rolling to show it to the
Lorenzo, the Medici power seems to fall crowds massed on the piazza. Two of these
apart. The Dominican friar Girolamo occassions include September 8
Savonarola ruled Florence when the Medici (celebration of the nativity of the
were exiled. After Savonarola turned Virgin Mary) and December 25 and 26. The
against the pope, he was excommunicated rest of the time, Prato's most revered
and in 1498, tortured and burned in relic is housed in the beautiful "Pulpit
Piazza della Signoria. With the shift of of the Sacred Girdle" off the facade's
commerce away from the Mediterranean and right corner. The story of how the girdle
toward the Atlantic taking place after arrived in Prato is detailed in the
1492, the economy of Tuscany went into a chapel immediately to the left of the
slow decline. By 1530, the Holy Roman entrance in Agnolo Gaddi's fresco cycle
Emperor Charles V conquered Florence and of "The Legend of the Holy Girdle
re-established the Medici family in (1392-95)".
power. They were now dukes of Florence, - Carnavale - Viareggio
and within a few decades, Cosimo de' During the period before Ash Wednesday,
Medici was made Grand Duke of Tuscany. many towns stage carnivals and enjoy
Cosimo aggressively pursued a policy of their last opportunity to indulge before
economic revival, building the great Lent. The popular carnival celebrations
harbor at Livorno because the harbor of held at Viareggio are among the best
Pisa had silted up, founding known in all of Italy, with masked
universities, sponsoring the work of pageants, fireworks, a flower show and
another famous Tuscan, Galileo Galilei, parades along the Tuscan Riviera.
promoting the exploratory voyages of Carnevale in San Gimignano and Florence
Amerigo Vespucci. Their successors began are much smaller, with locals dressed up
the decline of the Medici; in 1737, the in colorful costumes marching through the
last male member of the dynasty, Gian streets. The biggest celebration is, of
Gastone, died without an heir. course, held in Venice.
Fortunately for the future of Florence, - Easter, Scoppio del Carro - Florence
his sister Anna Maria Luisa bequeathed The big event in Florence for Easter is
the entire Medici estate and art the Scoppio del Carro, or the "explosion
treasures to the city so that they could of the cart", an event which dates back
be forever enjoyed by Florentines and the 300 years. Today, an elaborate wagon
world. built in 1622 and standing two to three
MODERN TIMES stories high is dragged through Florence
After the Medici, Tuscany was ruled by behind a fleet of white oxen decorated in
the Austrian Dukes of Lorraine. In the garlands to the square between the
seventeenth century, Florence and Tuscany Baptistry and Cathedral. The cart has
had increasingly faded into relative been properly rigged with a suitable
obscurity and did not revive until the arsenal of fireworks so that when a
nineteenth century. The Dukes of Lorraine dove-shaped rocket (symbolising the Holy
modernized the local administration, Spirit) slides down a steel cable at full
reorganized religious houses and enacted speed from the Cathedral altar, it will
agricultural improvements, most notably set off a ferocious dance of fire on
the draining of the areas of the Maremma impact. A big bang ensures a good
and Valdichiana. The march toward Italian harvest, and a parade in medieval costume
independence, however, led to the end of follows. The Explosion of the Cart takes
the Lorraine rule in 1861 when Tuscany place around 11 a.m. so watch out for the
voted in favour of annexation to a united cart on the streets of Florence an hour
Italy. Florence was capital of the beforehand.
kingdom of Italy from 1865 to 1871. - Maggio Musicale Fiorentino - Florence
Today, Tuscany is a major cultural From late April through June, the
center, with museums, galleries and Florence Maggio Musicale, May Music
churches full of great sculptures, Festival, is a series of internationally
paintings and frescoes and magnificent acclaimed classical music concerts and
monuments built by the greatest masters recitals, opera and ballet in venues
of all time. Tuscany attracts millions of across the city. Tickets can be hard to
tourists each year. If you are interested come by, so check the online schedule and
in visiting Tuscany, we hope our guide purchase tickets in advance.
will be useful in planning your visit and Top Museums to visit across Tuscany
in learning more about Tuscany in Tuscany houses many musuems with
general. masterpieces by the greatest artists of
Festivals and Seasonal Events in Tuscany all time, from Leonardo da Vinci and
There are many events all year round Michelangelo, to Botticelli, Giotto and
throughout Tuscany, but many are Donatello. Depending on your interests in
concentrated during the summer. Many history, art or sculpture - Tuscany has
sagre, food festivals, start in early it all, spanning across time, styles and
summer and continue on through the fall periods. Below, a list of the top museums
as local specialties (truffles, wine, in Tuscany that you should not miss!
olive oil) come into season. If you are Florence
coming to Tuscany during other periods of - Galleria degli Uffizi
the year, don't worry as there is always The Uffizi Gallery is one of the world's
something to see or do then as well. For top art museums - it houses some of the
specific events, it is best to contact most important works of the Renaissance,
the local tourism office of the locality including Leonardo da Vinci's
you will be visiting. Annunciation, Giotto's Maestà,
- Luminara, Regatta and Battle of the Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Allegory
Bridge - Pisa of Spring and Michelangelo's only panel
On the night of June 16, the Luminara painting, the Holy Family. Lots of
begins the festivities to honor Saint sculptures too. Most of the rooms you go
Ranieri, the patron saint of Pisa, the through have a few masterpieces... Plan
following day. Over 70,000 candles light to spend the entire day there to
up the palaces along the Arno river, with thoroughly see it.
a fireworks display afterwards. - Galleria dell'Accademia
- To celebrate the patron saint of Pisa, The Accademia houses Michelangelo's
four boats representing the most ancient David, easily the most famous sculpture
districts of the city compete in the in the world. The line and wait can be
Regatta of Saint Ranieri along the Arno long, so be prepared. Once inside, you'll
river, heritage of the past glory of Pisa also see Michelangelo's unfinished and
as an ancient maritime republic. powerful Prisoners, along with a few
Generally a week later, Pisa reenacts the works by Perugino, Giambologna, and
Battle of the Bridge, a medieval "push of Botticelli.
war" contest which takes place on the - Museo Nazionale del Bargello
central bridge in Pisa. The contest is Primarily a sculpture museum, you'll be
preceded by a huge procession in costume treated to early Michelangelo marbles and
through the city. Giambologna bronzes and then on to a room
- Calcio Storico Fiorentino - Florence full of famous works by Donatello,
Fabulous fireworks along the Arno considered by many the greatest sculptor
conclude Florence's celebrations to St. since antiquity.
John the Baptist, the city's patron Siena
saint, on June 24. First, there is a - Palazzo Comunale
parade in historical costume that starts Siena's medieval town hall houses the
at the Church of Santa Maria Novella and Museo Civico, with masterpieces of the
ends at the Church of Santa Croce, where late Gothic Sienese school, and the Torre
the Calcio Storico is then played in the del Mangia, which offers an extraordinary
dirt-covered square in front of the view of the Piazza del Campo and of
church. The game is a combination of Siena.
soccer, rugby, and big time wrestling, Pisa
all played while wearing 16th century - Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
costumes. The four teams represent the Near the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the
four traditional neighborhoods of the museum features many artworks from the
city: Santa Croce (blue), Santo Spirito tower, cathedral and baptistry, including
(white), Santa Maria Novella (red), and a magnificent ivory carving of the
San Giovanni (green). The prize is a Madonna e Crocifisso by Giovanni Pisano.
whole Chianina calf. Another highlight is the bust known as
- Giostra del Saracino - Arezzo the Madonna del Colloquio, also by
Arezzo's Piazza Grande is the setting of Pisano, taken from the exterior of the
the Giostra del Saracino, or Saracen baptistry.
Tournament. Held twice a year, a night Volterra
version on the third Saturday in June and - Museo Etrusco Guarnacci
the second on the first Sunday in Over 600 Etruscan cinerary urns fill
September, this tournament has its dozens of rooms here. The tiny sarcophagi
origins in the early 16th century and in play out in stony relief the Etruscans'
its present form, commemorates Christian views on death, art, and life. The museum
efforts to hold back the tide of Islam in also displays Roman mosaics and rare
the 14th century. There is a lively and examples of Etruscan, Greek and Roman
colorful procession preceding the event coins and jewelry.
in which eight costumed knights charge Tuscany Hotels
towards a wooden representation of the If you will be staying a few days in each
Saracen, aiming to hit the Saracen's city you plan to visit, the most
shield with lances. The target is mounted convenient choice will be to stay at a
as to swivel around and can actually hit hotel. You are usually in the center of
back! Each pair of knights represents one the town, a few minutes away from most of
of Arezzo's four rival districts and the city's monuments and museums so hotel
their supporters each occupy a side of accommodation is practical. There are
the piazza. The winner receives a golden hotels of all types to meet your needs
lance. and budget across Florence and Tuscany.
- Palio di Siena - Siena






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