Florence briefs

Florence briefs

Peeing in the piazza A shocking video has emerged of a student relieving himself against the side of the basilica of Santa Maria Novella, when, in the early hours of September 27, 200 Erasmus students from Pisa turned Florence’s most recently renovated square into a mire of vomit,

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Thu 11 Sep 2014 12:00 AM

Peeing in the piazza

A shocking video has emerged of a student relieving himself against the side of the basilica of Santa Maria Novella, when, in the early hours of September 27, 200 Erasmus students from Pisa turned Florence’s most recently renovated square into a mire of vomit, urine, empty bottles and pieces of glass. Volunteers from the Fratellanza Militare intervened to restore peace to the piazza and the municipal police were forced to close off the area for cleaning. In another instance of public ‘relief,’ a 24-year-old from Livorno was caught urinating on the central door of the basilica of Santa Croce. Upon being arrested, he sought to defend his actions by stating that he was atheist.

 

David on top

Michelangelo’s David continues to dominate travellers’ bucket lists, and he may see a spike in visitors after his latest accolade: the Accademia Gallery has been named as Italy’s top museum in Italy in Trip Advisor’s 2014 Travelers’ Choice Awards. Outranking the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, the Borghese Gallery and even the Vatican Museums, the Accademia also took international honours, coming in fifth place globally and second among European museums, just behind the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. For Italy, Florence was tied with Turin for the highest number of museums on the list, with the Uffizi and the Bargello also placing.

 

In good spirits

On September 25, 2014, Friends of Florence unveiled its latest restoration project: Pietro del Donzello’s Annunciation. The panel painting was created for the Frescobaldi Chapel in the church of Santo Spirito between late 1498 and early 1499. Anna Monti restored the work, which proves complicated for several reasons, including the fact that the surface was in a fragile state due to rainwater that had leaked through the chapel’s window. The artwork is now on permanent display in the basilica of Santo Spirito.

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