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The Glories Of Firenze
A view of Florence with the Tempio Maggiore synagogue at center. Photos by Hilary Larson by Hilary Larson But crowds don’t keep Florence from being an exultingly aesthetic experience. Few cities, old or new, are as architecturally harmonious: Firenze, as the Italians call it, is a glorious collection of sandstone-colored palazzos, towers and porticos. From any number of perches high above the crowds — the Campanile di Giotto (Bell Tower of Giotto), for instance — you can gaze over the famous dusty-red rooftops to the green hills of Tuscany beyond, and marvel at the way they shimmer in a golden haze. Wander the cobble-stoned streets of Florence, preserved in a 15th-century time warp, and savor a cone full of the world’s most luscious ice-cream. Then you’ll be in the correct frame of mind to appreciate the artistic treasures of the Renaissance, when the West woke up from its thousand-year cultural nap and explored the world and humanity with invigoratingly fresh perspective. The prime repositories of these treasures — the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia and the Duomo complex — are intimidatingly crowded these days, requiring advance strategy and a sense of humor. One main Web site (listed below) now allows visitors to book tickets well in advance to most of Florence’s most-congested museums, lessening the time spent in lines. Still, especially in summertime, crowds are inevitable. Consider how fortunate it is that so many can enjoy our collective artistic heritage: the glowing jewel-tones of Raphael’s and Botticelli’s paintings, the dazzling innovations of Leonardo and Rembrandt, the sheer power of Michelangelo’s human sculptures. One of Florence’s top architectural attractions is its synagogue, the Tempio Maggiore, a landmark 1882 edifice built a few years after Florentine Jews were granted full citizenship. A worthwhile sight by any standard, the shimmering white-stone temple is striking for the graceful curves of its Moorish-style architecture and its green copper dome. Jewish merchant families began settling in Florence in the late 1400s; a Jewish ghetto was established during the next century and lasted until well into the 1800s. Tuscan Jewry dwindled significantly during the fascist oppression and political upheavals of the 20th century, but today’s community of about 900 Jews supports the Sephardic-oriented synagogue, a Jewish school and associated institutions. The Web site of the Florence Jewish Community Center (Comunità Ebraica di Firenze), headquartered at the synagogue on Via Farini — a short walk east of the main museums — contains useful information for Jewish visitors, including worship and Shabbat hours and kosher listings. Within the synagogue is a two-story museum that traces the history of Tuscan Jewry across the past seven centuries; guided English tours are offered hourly. Outside in the temple garden is a memorial to the Florentine Jews killed during World War II, including the city’s chief rabbi. A kosher restaurant, Ruth’s, serves vegetarian cuisine and a good variety of kosher wines, and recommends advance reservations for popular days. Those seeking a deeper understanding of Florentine Jewry should seek out historian Giovanna Bossi Rosenfeld, a native who leads English-language walking tours of Jewish Florence and comes recommended by the Community Center. Across the Arno River to the south are the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens, a gorgeous spread of turrets, courtyards, fabulous paintings and Renaissance elegance. The palace, once home to the Medici family, actually houses multiple art galleries, all of which are worthwhile and some of which are truly outstanding. After I’ve seen enough art for the day, I like to keep wandering south from the Pitti Palace, leaving the crowds behind as I seek out my own Florentine respite. I follow any alley or steps that look inviting, aiming ultimately for the steep hills that ring the city — the better to take in peaceful, unhurried views. The back streets of Florence are oddly quiet; ancient stone walls weave through lush greenery and a landscape of graceful villas. A popular hilltop oasis is Fiesole, several miles northeast of Florence by bus. With no particular landmarks in focus, Fiesole boasts unbelievably beautiful views over Florence and the rolling Tuscan hillsides, the kind of lushly romantic E.M. Forster fantasy world that is the reason Americans come to Italy. It’s a town where you don’t need reservations, where much of the art is the scenery, and where an afternoon is best spent drinking wine and eating panzanella. Travel Resources: Florence museum tickets: http://www.b-ticket.com/b-ticket/Uffizi/default.aspx Duomo and Campanile di Giotto: http://www.operaduomo.firenze.it/english/opera/orari.asp Jewish Community of Florence: http://moked.it/jewishflorence/ Ruth’s Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant: www.kosheruth.com Jewish Florence Tours: http://www.florence-jewish-tours.com/
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