In and out of Florence; a new introduction to a well-known city . The Duomo is one of a group of interesting structures facingon an open piazza, whose most conspicuous feature is thehigh square campanile, or Torre del Podesta. choir is the principal treasure of the church, an altarwith elaborate silver reredos and wings worked inmarvelous detail and delicacy by Pistojese and Flor-entine silversmiths. The relief carvings tell stonesfrom the Old and New Testaments, and from thelife of St. James. We spent a fascinated hour be- 328 Florentine Excursions fore this wealth of little figures and scene
In and out of Florence; a new introduction to a well-known city . The Duomo is one of a group of interesting structures facingon an open piazza, whose most conspicuous feature is thehigh square campanile, or Torre del Podesta. choir is the principal treasure of the church, an altarwith elaborate silver reredos and wings worked inmarvelous detail and delicacy by Pistojese and Flor-entine silversmiths. The relief carvings tell stonesfrom the Old and New Testaments, and from thelife of St. James. We spent a fascinated hour be- 328 Florentine Excursions fore this wealth of little figures and scenes, findingevery minute new beauties or curiosities to exclaimat. One could repeat there many such hours. The Duomo is one of a group of interesting struc-tures facing on an open piazza, whose most con-spicuous feature is the high square campanile, or. The inclosed court of the Palazzo Pretorio. Torre del Podesta. It was anciently a fortified tower,but in 1301 was made over and ornamented withseries of short columns in Luccan and Pisan the same side with Duomo and Campanile is theold Palazzo Communale, while opposite are the oc-tagonal black and white Baptistry and the later Pa-lazzo Pretorio. Workmen were busy in the Pa-lazzo del Commune, and so we could not see itsreputed treasures of wood-carving and marble re- Prato and Pistoja 329 liefs. But In the Palazzo Pretorio we had a coolingrest in the Inclosed court, sitting with our legs a-swingon the old stone bench of justice. In the walls andheavy masonry pillars of the roof vaulting are manystemmi of ancient podestas. It Is a place of charmand reminiscence, this cool, cellar-like quadrangle ofthe stern old palace. In the piazza a weekly cloth market is held, andin the wall of the Palazzo Communale an officialmetal braccio measure Is embedded, so that any manmay readily v
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidinoutofflore, bookyear1910
