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FIESOLE
Absolutely enchanting , Fiesole is the noble town par excellance
in the surroundings of Florence. Of ancient origins, the town has
divided its history with the neighbouring City of Flower since its
funding in 59 b.C.
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Fiesole suffered a decline due to the Barbarian invasions and was
reconquered by Florence in 1125. The town was chosen by the Medici
family for the summer holidays and between the 18th and the 19th century
it was enriched with villas, gardens and palaces. Important Etruscan
centre colonised by the Romans in 80 b.C., Fiesole preserves an extraordinary
archaeological and monumental heritage which testify its origins.
In the archaeological area there are remains of the boundary wall,
going back to the III century b.C., and the marvellous Roman Theatre,
finished before the first half of the I century b.C. during the Imperial
period.
The theatre, where operas are held still today during the Festival
Estate Fiesolana, has more that 3000 seats, and nearby you also find
the baths, the calidarium and the holy area with remains of a Roman
temple. The Museo Archeologico of Fiesole holds numerous items that
go back to the XV century b.C., the Bronze era, Etruscan and Roman
materials from the surroundings, such as urns, chalices, bronze sculptures
and architectonic findings from the archaeological area. In the main
square of the modern town you find the Palazzo Pretorio, built in
the 14th century but restructured during the following centuries,
and the old Chiesa di Santa Maria a Primerana. On the opposite part
of the square you find the Cathedral which used to be the bishop seat
when the diocese in Florence was not yet created. The façade
is from the 19th century when it was completely modified by the restoration,
but the interior of the cathedral preserves the original early-medieval
style and numerous religious artworks.
In front of the Cathedral you find the Palazzo Vescovile, which
was also built during the 13th century and restructured during the
XVII century, when the nearby Seminario was built. In the centre of
the town you should visit the Museo Bandini which features the collection
of the connoisseur Angelo Maria Bandini, with minor art items, sculptures
and paintings from the Tuscan school. The Museo Fondazione Primo Conti,
in the marvellous villa of the artist, preserves a huge collection
of works by the Florentine painter who was one of the protagonists
of the futurism, and a vast archive of documents about the vanguard
paintings of the beginning of the 20th century, such as manifests
and magazines. Another marvellous villa, the Roseto villa, was the
home of Giovanni Michelucci, one of the most important Italian architects
and famous for having designed the Central Station Santa Maria Novella
in Florence and the church along the highway A1, Autostrada del Sole.
The villa, from where you have a superb view over the hills of the
Arno valley and Brunelleschi’s cupola, was built in the beginning
of the 20th century and is surrounded by a beautiful garden and terraces,
where olive trees, vines and typical Tuscan flowers grow, such as
cypresses, rosemary and fruit trees. Inside the villa there are sketches,
models, photos and drawings made by Michelucci during his life.
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Villa I Tatti hosted another famous person, Bernard Berenson, an art
historian specialised in the Italian Renaissance. The residence from
the 16th century was donated by the owner to the University of Harvard
as a centre for the study of the Italian Renaissance. Berenson’s
will has been fulfilled and today both the villa and the rich library
are open for history, literature, art and music scholars who want
to study the Italian Renaissance. The surrounding garden is marvellous
and was designed by the architect Cecil Pinsent. On the top of the
hill which hosted the Etruscan acropolis, you find the Chiesa di San
Francesco which was built in the 14th century as an oratory and later
on completely modified. From here you have a wonderful view over Florence
under the hills of Fiesole.
In the surroundings, it is worth to visit the hamlet of San Domenico,
where you find the monastery from the 15th century in which , according
to the tradition, Beato Angelico was a monk, and the cloister preserves
a precious heritage of artworks, many of them painted by Angelico.
Not far from San Domenico you ought to visit the Badia Fiesolana,
the cathedral of Fiesole until 1208 and restructured in the 15th century
by Cosimo de’ Medici. Inside there are several masterpieces of
holy art, while just beside you have the marvellous Renaissance cloister
of the former monastery of the Badia, today the seat of the Istituto
Universitario Europeo.
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