THE BRERA MADONNA - A PAINTING FOR CHRISTMAS

It's been a while since my last post but the readership of my blog, now almost five years old, has been increasing in 2018 so thank you to all of those who follow it. It brings me great pleasure to know that people round the world are taking a look at what I write and I'm still fascinated to think that someone in Azerbijan is a regular reader - such is the power of the internet.

I've got in to the habit of choosing a painting for Christmas from Italian collections and this year I've chosen one from a gallery in Milan.

THE PINACOTECA DI BRERA OF MILAN
Home of the Brera Madonna

I haven't actually seen it in situ but it's by one of my favourite Italian artists - Piero della Francesca - whose work I've looked at many times in the National Gallery in London and in the wonderful Tuscan city of Arezzo where he painted the fresco cycle which many consider to be his masterpiece - "The Legend of the True Cross" in the church of San Francesco. As you might expect my chosen picture by him for this posting is a celebration of the birth of Christ - not a nativity this time,  but a scene where the Virgin and child are surrounded by angels, saints and an intriguing character whose home I went to visit in Italy earlier in the year.

In my own country - the Christian meaning of Christmas seems to disappear ever more beneath the bloated consumerfest that is has become. I dislike this aspect of it increasingly as I approach my senior years and each time it comes round I swear I will give up TV from early November so I can avoid the ghastly waterfall of tasteless Christmas advertising that flows every night from the screen in the corner of the living room. So far I haven't been able to uphold this lofty aim, but I do find myself feeling for those with limited resources who are brainwashed in to the notion that the  Christmas enjoyment factor is proportionally related to the amount of money spent on it. The more stuff that is acquired - the better Christmas will be is the underlying message.  I hope you're not thinking by now that this outpouring of grumpiness is just me being "Bah Humbug" to coin that wonderful Dickension expression. I have to confess though that I feel better for getting all this off my chest.

I would also have to say, regarding my choice of Christmas painting, that I'm not a particularly religous person in the conventional sense, but I do have to admit that the Christian calendar and the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas - does bring back special memories from my earlier life. Playing the part of one of the three Kings in my primary school's version of the nativity, singing in the church choir at my local Parish Church and the seasonal bell-ringing I did with a team at the same church when I was in my late teenage years, all give me a warm feeling when I think of them. My associations with the church of England play on my love of and need for ritual - but what's wrong with that I ask? My partner Jon says my memory is far too graphic but I think it's good to be able to reflect on memories in one's later years and to think about the cyle of life generally too. What better way to do that than to think about the birth of a young child with a very special future before him at this special time of year.

We've spent several Christmases in Italy since my Mum passed away in 2011 and every time we go at that time of year I find myself being impressed with the way communities there still take it seriously. The presepe - Christmas nativities - some of them "live events" - are something to behold. As I write this post I'm thinking back now to the one we went to in Monteleone d' Orvieto in Umbria three years ago where the whole village seemed to take part and the latest new born baby starred in the role of the baby Jesus Christ. Well - sadly we won't be in Monteleone this time round as we have a trip to warmer climes coming up. I'm apprehensive about this as I'm not sure Christmas will seem the same down under -  but never mind - I shall take pleasure in my special Christmas memories from times gone by and enjoy having another look at my chosen painting from Italy which I'm going to describe to you now.

THE BRERA MADONNA c1472

Painted between 1472 and 1474 my picture is called the Brera Madonna or Brera Altarpiece. It can be seen in the Pinacoteca di Brera of Milan - the main public art gallery in the city. It was evidently placed there by Napoleon. It has been restored and cleaned in recent years and this has revealed, beneath the accumulated dirt and varnish, a host of detail.

The work is a "sacra conversazione" - a sacred conversation - with the Virgin enthroned with the sleeping baby Jesus on her lap set against the background of a Renaissance classical church. She is surrounded by a host of angels and saints. On the left are John the Baptist, Bernadino of Siena and Jerome and on the right Francis, Peter and Andrew.

The kneeling figure in armour bottom right is Federico III de Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, the commissioner of the painting. The duke is always depicted facing left as he lost an eye and part of his nose in a tournament. He is thought to have commissioned the picture to celebrate the birth of his son, Guidobaldo born in 1472. The presence of John the Baptist could relate to the fact he was patron saint of his wife Battista Sforza. Jerome was the protector of humanists so given Federico's renowned interests in this field his presence was an obvious choice for the patron. Francis was included as it's thought the painting was originally to be placed in the Franciscan church of San Donato degli Osservanti - where Federico would eventually be buried.

Della Francesca was a master geometrician and author of a learned text on the rules of mathematical persPective - techniques used by painters to create the reality of depth in a painting. Such expertise with scale and proportion used to create balance and harmony in his pictures makes them visually powerful. What also makes them additionally attractive is his use of colour massing against paler areas to achieve further unity in the composition. We can see all of those devices used here.

Evidently Della Francesca worked very slowly which is an issue he must have had to contend with when faced with painting frescos but with a panel painting, as we have here, this would not have been so much of a problem.

As in this example, Della Francesca's pictures are very detailed - something that would have appealed to the Duke. It was a reflection of his fascination with Flemish oil painting, a shared interest among the patrons of the period.

Some of the details worth looking at here are: the baby Jesus wearing a necklace of deep red coral beads, a colour signifying blood and a symbol of life and death. Secondly, notice in the apse semi-dome a very peculiar object suspended from a thread attched to the ceiling. It lies at the very centre of the composition. It is in fact an ostrich egg. The shell was a symbol of the new Venus (a reference to Mary over whose oval shaped head it is directly suspended) and eternal beauty. According to other thoughts - the egg is a reference to the miracle of the Virgin birth and the egg of course is a symbol of Creation - another clear reference to the birth of Jesus and to Guidobaldo's birth. The ostrich was also one of the heraldic symbols of the Montefeltro family.

FEDERICO DE MONTEFELTRO, DUKE OF URBINO &
HIS WIFE BATTISTA SFORZA

So this is a picture well worth spending a bit of time on. It's beautiful to look at, symbolic and full of references to the patron and his interests. This Duke of Urbino was Lord of Urbino from 1444 (as Duke from 1474) until his death. His life and interests are best reflected in the Grand Ducal Palace in Urbino which I visited in May.

THE GRAND DUCAL PALACE IN URBINO
HOME OF FEDERICO DA MONTEFELTRO - DUKE OF URBINO

It was here that he created a splendid library, probably the largest in Italy outside the Vatican and his studiolo, which is wonderful, can still be seen there now. Situated to the east of the Appenines it's not on the the main tourist routes, but this in my opinion, improves the visitor experience. It's an absolutely "must see" experience for anyone interested in the history and arts of this period.

A TRIP BACK IN TIME TO MEDIEVAL SIENA AT THE TIME OF THE BLACK DEATH - A DEBUT NOVEL!!

Browsing through the shelves of the ship's library on a recent Baltic cruise I came across a newish first novel by an American author called Melodie Winawer and the title immediately attracted my attention - it was called "The Scribe of Siena". Reading through the synopsis of the story I knew I had to read it and I thought I'd write a brief review for this blog.

Beatrice is a brilliant young neurosurgeon working in a busy Manhattan hospital, absorbed in her work and with little time for a social life outside and it's intriguing to soon discover she's no ordinary surgeon as she has an extraordinary capacity to feel and experience the thoughts and emotions of some of her patients. She literally seems to get inside their heads and this seems to contribute greatly to her work.

Her brother Ben, a medieval historian, lives in Siena and regular correspondence with him tells of his absorbing interest in researching the effects of the Black Death in the city in the 14th century. One day she receives a letter from her brother's Italian solicitor telling of his untimely death from a heart condition and at the same time telling her she has inherited his Sienese home and all its contents. The letter urgently asks her to make arrangements to visit his office in the city and sign all the appropriate papers to take over his property.

Taking time out from her busy schedule she flies to Siena and takes possession of his home in one of Siena's ancient contrada. Going though her brother's things she discovers his research notes and learns more of what he was working on and his interest in a particular in a 14th century Sienese artist called Gabriele. Intrigued by his work further research reveals images of the artist's work including a 14th century fresco painting in which she's startled to discover a female figure with her own face. As her mind swirls with this discovery she's suddeny and mysteriously transported back in time to the city on the eve of the arrival of the Black Death.

The story unfolds and revolves round the relationship between Beatrice and Gabriele in a whirlwind of events leading up to the arrival of the terrible plague which would have a particularly devastating effect on Siena - far worse than in nearby Florence. Much of the story takes place in and around the vicinity of the Ospedale de Santa Maria della Scala opposite Siena's great Duomo and I found this particularly interesting given I've already written about this famous building in this blog.

I don't want to give away too much of the narrative - suffice to say that it's a fascinating tale which interfaces the hazy line between past and present and completely absorbs the reader in 14th century Siena. The novel is thoroughly researched in terms of historical events and even down to the nuances of costume and behaviour in this most medieval of Italian cities Add to that a powerful layer of art history and the intriguing context is almost complete for the development of an engaging plot. Written with confidence and imagination Winawer's novel is a diverting page turning love story and thrilling mystery with broad appeal and its set in the time perios when the ravages of the Black Death would wipe out a third or more of Europe's population.

Winawer herself is a physician-scientist and professor of neurology at Columbia University in New York with degrees from New York University, Yale and the University of Pennsylvania in biological psychology, medicine and epidemiology. She lives in New York with her family. As I mentioned at the beginning - this is her debut novel. For those of you who enjoy Italian medieval history and art and like a good story to boot this is a book you will surely enjoy.

Ciao
Ian

A SISTINE CHAPEL SIDE SHOW - GIMMICK OR WAS IT WORTH THE EFFORT?

The weather here in Umbria has been pretty lousy this last ten days to the extent we decided to take off to Rome for a couple of days on Monday. We'd heard from a friend that there was a new show in town that everyone was talking about called "Michelangelo - Secrets of the Sistine Chapel" so before we set off, with no preconceptions or expectations. we booked a couple of tickets online for the English version of the show which was being shown at the Auditorio Conciliazione near the Vatican, on the evening of our arrival. This is a personal review of the experience!

We arrived at the venue, which we'd never been to before, half an hour before the 8pm show was due to begin. The building, inaugurated in 1950 as a multifunctional space for musical, cultural and artistic events, was obviously huge and we were amongst the earliest there. We presented our printed out e tickets to the smartly uniformed staff and Jon's scanned correctly, but mine didn't so it was a journey to the box office for assistance. Now this is Italy so there was a further excruciating ten minutes whilst bits of paper were perused, boxes ticked and computer screens stared at before finally a new ticket was issued. We were  on our way!

The auditorium reminded me of the Prince Edward Theatre in London but on a grander scale. It was huge, austere, black and lined with banked rows of seats upholstered in red. The screen on the stage was illuminated with what you can see in the illustration below. I grumbled at the width of the seats - pefect for small Italian frames, but no good for the likes of big chaps like me and Jon. It was interesting watching people arrive, an odd mixture of  couples, groups of friends, families and even the odd catholic priest or two. Needless to say - they were still arriving at the start time so it was another ten minutes before things got going.

The show began fairly ordinarily with some film footage of Rome working backwards from now until finally, using computer generated images, the early 16th century was reached. We could see the new St Peter's Basilica being constructed and the exterior of the Sistine Chapel built for Pope Sixtus IV between 1473 and 1481. Next the gauze screen on which the footage was projected slid back and we were confronted with what looked like pillars of rock from Stonehenge all set against an ethereal grey background of swirling mist. The sequence ended with the appearance of a huge white block of marble and suddenly a live figure of the young artist Michelangelo. In a short soliloquy designed to explore his artistic sensibility in relation to carving the stone we were invited to think about the genius required to produce a masterpiece in marble. Suddenly, yes you've guessed it, the block turned into a hologram figure of the life sized "David" he sculpted in Florence in 1503.

You've probably got the idea now of how this presentation unfolded. Every trick in the computer generated and dramatic book was milked to develop the multisensory experience - digital film, stereophonic sound, dramatic lighting, injected smells and with a small group of actors - soliloquy, dialogue, mime and dance. Not only that, the whole of the auditorium was used - the stage area of course, the expansive walls, the huge ceiling and not forgetting the seating area itself. Several times a fully robed Pope and a bedraggled looking Michelangelo came amongst us.

I'm not going to describe every aspect of the production. Suffice to say that the show concentrated on the commissioning of Michelangelo to paint the Sistine ceiling by Pope Julius II in 1508, and uitmately his execution of it. Emphasis was put on the painting of the panels down the centre of the ceiling telling nine stories from the book of Genesis, the Creation of Adam and Eve, the Expulsion from the Garden of Eden and the Great Flood. The latter wa particularly memorable with a group of dancers, centre stage, fighting the effects of howling winds and lashing waves. Very dramatic indeed. Also particularly memorable was a scene projected on to both walls of a procession of fully robed Cardinals gathering for a Conclave in the Chapel. This came with beautiful choral chanting and the smell of incense to boot.

The final part of the presentation dealt with the commissioning of Michelangelo thirty years later to paint "The Last Judgment" on the wall above the altar in the chapel which was completed between 1535 and 1541 when he was 67. There was another opus magnum part of the presentation here as sound, light and imagery were used to reveal the artist struggling mentally with the epic scale of the work.

The whole thing lasted about an hour and the big question is - was it a worthwhile experience?  Well for me, despite the memorable moments, it was a bit contrived and gimmicky and Sistine Chapel secrets there were none. It was a bit like a video arcade game crossed with a Disney movie with some real human drama thrown in. Dramatic yes; a multi-sensory experience - definitely; clever - without a doubt. I couldn't help feeling however that in this day and age, where many from the younger generations are brought up on video games, virtual reality and tablet experiences and where they read less and less, that everything entertainment wise has to be sensational to attract attention. The film industry knows this well. Am I being a harsh judge in that respect? I think not but would welcome other opinions on the issues involved here. The following day, to supplement the experience, I returned to the Sistine Chapel after many years to see the frescoes and it has to be said that if I hadn't seen them before or known little of their history - then the presentation would have provided an adequate if superficial background preliminary to the viewing. My friend in Umbria, keen to know what I'd thought of it when we returned to Umbria, made exactly the same  point.

A worst case scenario perhaps would be someone visiting Rome, going to the presentation and then not bothering with the real thing! I hope that doesn't happen!

This was an expensive production and obviously involved huge investment and sponsorship. At 28 euros per person you will have to judge yourself whether its a worthwhile punt. Though I have my reservations - I was glad that I had gone!

Ciao and keep buggering on.

Ian

BRING YOUR HANDKERCHIEF FOR THIS ONE! - MICHELANGELO'S "PIETA"

THE PIETA

Michelangelo Buonarotti

Marble, 1499-1500.

Easter is almost upon us and its a while since I've posted on my Italian blog site. It seems appropriate therefore to say a few words about one of my all time favourite pieces of sculpture which has an Easter theme related to the story of Jesus Christ's crucifixion. Many artists have chosen to tackle the difficult subject of the deposition part of the story - the time when Christ, following his death, is taken down from the cross and given up to his family and friends. Many of these works show Christ surrounded by Mary, Mary Magdelen and some of his disciples, but the one I have chosen to look at here is a much more intimate affair depicting Christ in the arms of his mother, Mary.

Walk in to St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican and the first chapel on the right hand side is the setting for this magnificent work of art. Michelangelo's task was to produce a piece of sculpture for the tomb of the French Cardinal - Jean Bilheres de Lagraulas in Old St Peter's and it was completed by the artist in c1500, making it one of his earliest works to be executed in Rome. It was brought to the New St Peter's in 1519. 

The sculpture depicts the lifeless body of the dead Christ lying across his mothers knees. She looks down on him with bended head and supports the weight of his body with her arms. The first time I saw this work I found it incredibly moving and beautiful. The two figures - one dead and one alive are captured in this hard, lifeless stone in the most amazing way and I think this is to do with the fact that every aspect of the piece feels credible and "real". The youthfulness of the Virgin, the overwhelming sense of sadness in her expression, the lifelessness of the dead weight of Christ's body in his mother's arms, the folding of drapery round her knees, the sense that both human forms seem so real. It's a sublime piece. 

There is something about sculpture that is totally different from the other fine arts and I think this must be to do with its three-dimensionality. It's this that takes it a step further than the depiction of forms and images on flat surfaces and makes it appealing to the eye. I am always totally in awe of a sculptor's ability, when working with stone or marble, to take a square block of material and remove material using steel tools to reveal the conception in his/her mind's eye. How can something so complex, tragic and at the same time beautiful be produced in this way without a mistake being made which spoils the end result? In my humble opinion Michelangelo, is the supreme artist in this respect and its not surprising that many thought his work was directly inspired and executed by him through the hand of God himself. In 1550 Georgio Vasari in "Lives of the Artists" wrote of it and said "It is a mircale that a rock, which before was without form, can take on such perfection that even nature sometimes struggles to create in the flesh". 

Across Mary's chest is a ribbon which bears the carved inscription "MICHAEL ANGELUS BONAROTUS, FLORENT, FACIEBA(T) - Michelangelo of Florence made this! It's the only time the artist ever signed one of his pieces of sculpture. He must have been incredibly proud of the end result. 

TEH VIRGIN'S HEAD BEFORE & AFTER RESTORATION

In 1972 a Hungarian man entered the basilica and vandalised the statue with twelve hammer blows causing huge damage. Some believed the statue should remain unrestored but the Vatican eventually decided to restore the statue in such a way that the results of the intervention would not be visible to the naked eye of viewers. It now has in front of it a sheet of bullet-proof glass. This does affect the viewing experience today but it still shouldn't be missed. Put it on your Roman bucket list if you haven't yet seen it. It will be in my mind''s eye on Good Friday. 

ORVIETO - UP TOP AND DOWN THE STAIRS

In Umbria, away from the high mountains of the Appenines, there are hundreds of ancient towns and villages which sit on top of hills or ridges established there in times gone by when defence was important; they are a defining characteristics of much of the region. There is no finer example than the city of Orvieto in the south western part of the province - one of my favourite places for a trip out when we are staying in Umbria. It perches on top of a sheer sided cliff and when travelling south on the A1 motorway from Castigleone I'm always keen to pick out the 325m high flat plateau on which the city sits and spot the outline of its spectacular gothic cathedral - they are the signs that tell me we are nearly at our destination!

ORIVIETO SITS ON TOP OF A MASSIVE TUFA PLATEAU

To take the journey by car from the modern part of the town at the foot of the cliff is to follow a road which winds up the side of the cliff, It takes only a few minutes and the views of the valley below become increasingly dramatic as the altitude increases. At the top there's a large car park from which its possible to walk in to town. An alternative route for those arriving by bus or train is a funicular railway which has a starting point close to the railway station entrance.

A VIEW OF THE VALLEY FROM A WALL JUST OFF CATHEDRAL SQUARE
IN ORVIETO

There are layers of human history to be discovered in the old part of town on top of the plateau and these go all the way back to the Etruscan period several hundred years before the birth of Christ. The Etruscan name for the city was Velzna and the Romans converted this to Urbs Vetus (old city) and its this root which eventually evolved in to the familiar name of Orvieto. The city's peak came in the medieval period when it became a significant commercial centre with hinterlands extending northwards and to the coast. In the middle of the 15th century it became a refuge and home from home for the papacy and 32 popes are known to have stayed here. Pope Leo XIII called its magnificent cathedral "the Golden Lily of Italian cathedrals" commenting that on the day of judgement it would float to heaven carried by its own beauty, High praise indeed. It's a must see sight but its not what I want to concentrate on here - more about it in another post.

THE FACADE OF THE MAGNIFICENT GOTHIC
CATHEDRAL IN THE UMBRIAN CITY OF ORVIETO

The volcanic origins of the plateau on which the old city and cathedral sit is a reminder of the geological instability that characterises much of this central part of Italy. Remnants of old volcanoes are everywhere and earthquakes are commonplace to the people of Umbria. This huge plateau is a vestigial chunk in fact of four volcanoes and consists largely of a softish rock called TUFA. Erosion of this has contributed to mineral rich soils in the valleys below and its these that have led to Orvieto's reputation as a  major area for the cultivation of vines and the production of excellent wines which are known the world over.

The softish nature of the tufa from the earliest times made the excavation of underground cave systems possible and today there are over 1300 hundred of them beneath the city - many of them starting life as Etruscan wells. During the medieval period a number of these were further exploited and developed for building stone and the resultant caves were used for raising pigeons, keeping wine in, storing olive oil and even for safety when the well being of the city was threatened, During bombing raids in World War II the inhabitants of Orvieto sought shelter in the cave systems in the tufa. Today the cave networks are accessible to the public and opposite the cathedral there is a ticket bureau offering visitors tours, in different languages, of these underground labyrinths. I have to confess to not having tried these for I find myself feeling a bit claustrophobic in confined spaces like these, but each year thousands of visitors follow the guides down in to the caverns and come back with wonderful tales of their experiences, including ones telling of amazing views of the valleys below from natural windows in the rock where the tunnels run parallel with the cliff wall.

PART OF THE UNDERGROUND CAVE SYSTEM BEANEATH THE CENTRE
OF THE OLD PART OF ORVIETO. 

But our reason for travelling to Orvieto in late December 2017 was to see one specific underground feature which I'd read about in several books about Umbria and this time I wasn't going to let my fear of underground spaces spoil my attempt to see it. It's near the car park in the Piazza Cahen at the top of the hill - just a short walk from it down a path next to the terminus of the funicalar railway  and its so discreetly placed we have missed it on previous visits to the city.

THE ENTRANCE TO THE POZZO SAN PATRIZIO PERCHED ON A LEDGE
OF THE TUFA OUTCROP - ORVIETO. 

The structure I'm talking about is a 16th century well called the POZZO SAN PATRIZIO and the entrance is housed in a circular building with a shallow conical roof. It was designed by Antonio da Sangello the Younger for Pope Clement VII who had arrived in Orvieto disguised as a greengrocer after the Sack of Rome by Imperial troops of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in 1527. Fearing an attack by Imperial troops the Pope was keen to see a well dug which would guarantee the water supply of his new household and the town. Work on the well began in 1529 and it took 10 years to complete and it is an amzing piece of design and engineering, being both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

DESIGN FOR THE POZZO SAN PATRIZIO BY
ANTONIO DA SANGELLO THE YOUNGER - 1529

It consists of a vertical shaft just over 40 feet wide and getting on for 200 feet deep - the top half constructed from dug out tufa and the bottom section brick lined. Adjacent to the shaft are two circular staircases constructed in the form of a double helix (it's design resembles the molecular form of DNA in fact) which never intersect. These provided pathways for donkeys to descend to the water level and to return to the surface carrying panniers of water. The staircases are illuminated by 72 window piercings in the wall of the shaft which was an ingenious solution avoiding the need for artificial lighting. I know what your thinking now - did I make it to the bottom and back via the alternative staircase? Well - the mind was willing but the flesh was weak and I was put off by the sign at the entrance which said the journey was not for the feeble, the claustrophic or for those with a dodgy heart. So - I descended about 60 or 70 feet and looked down at the water level through one of the windows and then returned to the surface on the same stairs I'd gone down on. Despite not making it to the bottom I wouldn't have missed seeing it for anything. It was quite simply remarkable.

MY VIEW OF THE BOTTOM OF THE WELL FROM THE
DOWNWARD STAIRCASE
POZZO SAN PATRIZIO - ORVIETO

Oh and there's another interesting little footnote to add to the story. The well is famous throughout Italy and there's an anecdote that goes along the lines of "people who are tight with their money have pockets as deep as the Pozzo di San Patrizio". I also forgot to mention that the well was originally named because of its supposed similarity to the Irish cave where Saint Patrick died. I don't know whether that is true or not. What I do know is that this wonderful construction is not to be missed if you ever visit Orvieto. It's open every day (shorter hours in Winter) and there are discounts for the over 60's. It's free to go down but you pay 3 euros 50 to come back up!! We paid 7 euros for the two of us - a bit of a bargain I thought!

BOLOGNA - "FANTASTICO" - BUT WE ONLY HAD 36 HOURS TO DO IT IN""

THE IDEA
Over the last few years Jon and I have had lots of short breaks away from home and its been fun establishing criteria for how they should generally work. Rule one was that the destination should be no more than half a days travel time from home, rule two that we should take a room in a budget hotel or B & B and rule 3 that we should develop as full an itinerary as possible for the trip.

In almost every case we've had a terrific time and gone back home feeling we've had a good break from the regular routines of home life. Keeping the costs down has also made it possible to do this frequently. I suddenly thought that as we spent our last week of 2017 here in Umbria, it would be a great idea to see if we could transfer the same formula to Italy. After making a short list we chose to carry out the experiment by organizing, on the spur of the moment, a trip to Bologna from our place near Castiglione, putting a cap of 36 hours on the trip from door to door. This posting is a resume of how it all went and a review of Bologna as a place to visit for a short stay.

GETTING THERE
Using the Trenitalia app that Jon has on his phone we booked tickets from Chiusi to Bologna leaving home at 8.30am. We took the 9.10am regional intercity train from Chiusi to Florence Campe di Marte and with a 10 minute stopover boarded the Freccia Argento high speed train to take us to Bologna.

THE FRECCIA ARGENTO HIGH SPEED TRAIN

This was a special and fun part of the trip for me as we've never travelled on one of the high speed trains before. This section of the line opened in 2009 and it was shocking to discover that on leaving Florence 90% of the 78km route was via a spectacular series of  tunnels through the Apennines. There are 9 of them in total and we saw hardly anything of the landscapes in between them. I can't imagine how many billions of euros must have been involved in blasting those tunnels through the hard rock. Whatever the cost the journey time between the two cities has been reduced to 37 minutes!

We arrived in Bologna at 11.50am to another surprise - a virtually brand new underground station specially built to accommodate the high speed train services. Designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki and directly beneath the original 19th century station where the regional trains run, it has three below ground levels; the Freccia trains running through on the lowest level. There's a whole shopping centre on the floor above. Walking though this part of the station and upward via the escalators is a rather surreal experience. Its a complex orchestration of black, white and grey, concrete, steel and glass, with special effects created by surface light brought downwards by sculptural roof lights and other clever devices. The impression is one of modernity, importance, and prosperity - not surprising given that Bologna, along with Rome Terminii, is one of the 2 busiest stations in Italy, accommodating up to 800 trains a day travelling to all parts of the country and beyond. We'd got our first impression of Bologna as a national and international travel hub for there's an important airport here too.

But the big question was - would the historic city centre live up to expectations? - it was time to find out.

THE NEW SUBTERRANEAN BOLOGNA CENTRALE STATION
DESIGNED BY ARATA ISOZAKI

Outside the station we took a 10 minute cab ride to our hotel which was close to the centro historico. We arrived well within the upper limit of our half day travel time allowance.

IN A NUTSHELL
Bologna is Italy's 7th largest city and the capital of Emilia-Romagna province. As well as being an important agricultural, business and manufacturing hub, it has a long and fascinating history reflected in a city centre which oozes atmosphere, charm and character. With a fine geographical location on the edge of the Po plain (which makes it a very flat city) but close to the Appenines, its not surprising it has prospered over the centuries.

If now asked to describe it in ten words - these are the ones I would choose:

HISTORIC                          ENTERPRISING
ATMOSPHERIC                 LEARNED
VIBRANT                           ARCHITECTURAL
CHIC                                  SOPHISTICATED
EPICUREAN                      WELL-PRESERVED

On the negative side I would have to say that whilst I often find Italian unrestored buildings charming with their care worn appearance and flaking plaster, there was too much graffiti and tagging evident in several of the districts we walked through!! There was no impression the city authorities were trying to sort this out.

A PLACE TO STAY
The aim had been to find somewhere close to the city centre that wouldn't cost a fortune but would allow us to walk to all the places we wanted to see - a tall order I'd thought. We used a hotel booking app to search for somewhere and my attention was immediately take by a place located in a historic building called Residenza San Martino situated just moments from the main piazza.The web site didn't give a lot away other than describe the accommodation in detail which was fine.

When the cab dropped us off in the small square where it was located I was optimistic we'd made a good choice. My eye was first drawn to the front of the church that dominated the square, 19th century in origin, but gothic in style and I later discovered it dated back to the early 13th century with parts of the interior of 15th century date. In front of the church was a tall stone column with a sculpture on top of it of the Madonna del Carmine of early 18th century date - another clue relating to our hostel. "The Residenza" we soon discovered was in the corner of the square next to the church and I now knew we were going to stay in a former Carmelite convent - the nuns having had a presence there since the 13th century. It was now the home of the three padres connected with the church but also doubling as a hostelry for paying guests. There was no lobby or front desk and we'd been asked to phone 15 minutes ahead of our arrival so we could be welcomed and given our keys. Despite the fact we'd turned up early (check-in is normally from 3pm) we were told by our host Massimo on the phone that we could have our room straight away.

PIAZZA SAN MARTINO - BOLOGNA
THE STATUE OF MADONNA DEL CARMINE SITS ON TOP OF THE COLUMN
AND IS BY ANDREA FERREN - 1705

After getting our four keys from the office on the second floor of an attached building it was time to see what we were in for with Massimo as our guide. The first key opened a huge pair of studded doors which gave access to a long covered corridor and at the end of which was a large and fine double arcaded cloister which we would come back to look at in detail later.

THE FRONT ENTRANCE OF "THE RESIDENZA"

THE ARCADED CLOISTER OF THE FORMER CARMELITE CONVENT

OUR ROOM WAS IN THIS COURTYARD & CAN BE
SEEN THROUGH THE GRILL AS THE ONE WITH THE
OPEN SHUTTERS ON THE FIRST FLOOR

ROOMS AT THE REZIDENZA

The second key opened a glazed door to an inner courtyard and we could see our room was up on the first floor overlooking this space. The third key opened another door off this courtyard  which led to our room. This we found to be recently refurbished and furnished with 2 double beds, warm, spotlessly clean and with a good en suite bathroom with shower. There was no breakfast available at the Residenza but unusual for Italy the room did have a tray with a jug kettle and all the stuff to make tea and coffee. What a lucky find this place was!!

THE AFTERNOON
After a brief lunch of a bagette and coffee at a bar just off the square of San Martino it was time to begin our exploration of the old city. Walking up the narrow street of the Via G Oberdan we were soon to encounter one of Bologna's defining characteristics - its arcaded thoroughfares. At the same time the city was having new walls built in the early14th century there was huge pressure on the space within them as Bologna grew as an economic hub and centre of learning (its University was founded in 1080). The population was expanding and the demand for living space was growing at an exponential rate. Only the Black Death would slow it down for a while. To increase living space houses were built with porticos at ground level,wooden in the first instance, and following the city stipulation that they should be tall enough to allow a horse and rider to pass under them comfortably. Other buildings had arcades constructed at street level following the same principles and thus allowing for an expansion of square footage on the floors above. These went on to be one of the most characteristic features of the city and they are everywhere - built at different points of time, but nearly always spacious and tall. There are today a network of 35 kilometres of them and its possible to traverse the city through them hardly getting wet when its raining. They are both functional and aesthetically pleasing - quite captivating in fact. Here is an example below.

AN ARCADED BUILDING IN A NARROW STREET CLOSE TO
 PIAZZA SAN MARTINO, ONE OF HUNDREDS IN THE CITY OF BOLOGNA

At the end of Via G Oberdan we entered one of the main thoroughfares of the old city - Via Rizzoli and it was time to turn left where we could see one of the city's landmark buildings - a tall tower - in fact one of tallest in Italy. It's common in parts of Italy after the 10th century for tall towers to be built close to the domestic quarters of an important family. Originally they were constructed for defensive purposes, but in subsequent centuries they became symbols of prestige. Originally there were hundreds of them - 20 survive in the city today. This one dominated all of them and it was constructed for the Ansinelli family and its known as the Ansinelli Tower today. Constructed in 1119 there are almost 500 steps to climb to the top and allegedly the finest views in Bologna can be had from the parapet. Needless to say we didn't see them!! Almost next door there is another more junior tower built at the same time and no doubt in a competitive spirit. This is the ~Torre Garisenda and what is most alarming about it is that it leans like the Tower of Pisa. They are shown below.

THE ANSINELLI TOWER SEEN FROM VIZ RIZZOLI

I ALMOST GOT NECK STRAIN TAKING THIS PICTURE

THE ANSINELLI TOWER & ON THE LEFT THE
LEANING GARISENDA TOWER
IN 1360 THE LATTER WAS LOWERED IN HEIGHT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY REASONS
NOW LEAVING A STUMP OF ONLY 157 FEET!!

Evidently Dante mentioned the Garisenda Tower in "Inferno" in Canto XXXI when he and Virgil encounter the giant Antaeus in ice at the bottom of hell. Whatever - they are not to be missed,but climb the taller one at your own risk! We walked along Via Rizzoli to the base of the towers situated on the Piazza Porta Ravegnana - site of the main gate of the original Roman era walls. This was a hub of the city in the medieval period and several important streets radiate out from this piazza, but we only had time to follow one route past the Palazzo della Mercanzia and then down Via Santo Stefano.

PALAZZO DELLA MERCANZIA - 1384
On the left a medieval buiilding with a tall portico supported by vertical wooden
beams can be see. This is at the head of Via San Stefano.

At the end of the medieval street we found it widened in to a triangular shaped piazza and in front of us stood the extraordinary church complex known as San Stefano, also known as "Siette Chiese" - the seven churches. Today there are in actual fact 4 of them, a cloister and a couple of chapels - mostly all constructed between the 8th and 12th centuries and altered through various restorations in later times into a strange, fused whole.

PIAZZA SANTA STEFANO & THE ROMANESQUE CHURCH COMPLEX
OF THE SAME NAME - MOSTLY 8TH - 12TH CENTURIES

Legend tells us that Saint Petronius, a 5th century city bishop and the patron saint of Bologna, had a basilica built here on the site of a Roman temple dedicated to the Eygptian goddess Isis with the desire to develop a church complex reminiscent of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Quite how that came in to being in later centuries is still an incomplete picture, but somehow it did and there are different parts of the complex which are associated with this concept. One example will suffice here.

PILATE'S COURTYARD
SAN STEFANO - BOLOGNA

The courtyard known as PILATE'S COURTYARD recalls the "lithostratus" where Jesus was condemned by Roman Governer Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. A basin on a pedestal in the centre - suggestive of the one where Pontius Pilate washed his hands of the trial - was crafted in the 8th century by a Lombardy sculptor. Evidently there's a carved stone cockerel present in the courtyard too - symbolic of Jesus's betrayal by Judas Iscariot, but I missed that on this first quick visit. Next time!

THE ADORATION OF THE MAGI
PAINTED SCULPTED WOOD - 1290-1370

In the old pharmacy of the monastery part of the complex there's a small museum showing artefacts associated with San Stefano's history. Given the time of year I was particularly taken with a carved and painted set of wooden sculptures from the collection of the Adoration of the Magi dating from the early 14th century.

San Stefano is a fascinating, rich and labyrinthine largely Romanesque religious centre to visit with a myriad of things to see and I haven't done it justice here - another positing for the future I'm sure. It's well worth allowing at least a couple of hours to look round it (admission is free though donations are requested) and I'm not surprised its known locally as "Bologna's Holy Jerusalem".

By now it was 3.30pm and it was time to set off to our next destination - one with a secular theme.

In central Bologna nothing is very far from anywhere else and we had only a five minute walk to the nearby Piazza Galvani which is sort of behind and alongside the Basilico of San Petronio. Here we were looking for the Palazzo dell Archiginnasio - an important 16th century building associated with the history of the University of Bologna.

THE COURTYARD OF PALAZZO ARCHIGENNASIO
FORMERLY THE UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA

Bologna enjoys the distinction of founding the world's first University in 1080 based on private teachers working with groups of students in associations - "universitates" - tutorials being given in the private residences of professors or in rented premises. The Palace was built in c1562/3 to house all tutorial groups in one place - law, philosophy, medicine, mathematics and natural sciences. This fine classical 2 storey building constructed round a courtyard is shown below. Notable on the outside of the building are the escutcheons and coats of arms of former tutors and some of the students who attended the university from round the world and this is a theme continued in the embellishment of the rooms and corridors inside.

Upstairs on the first floor there were 10 independent classrooms (now connected) and two grand halls - one named the SALA DELLA STABAT MATER - in memory of the first performance of Rossini's Stabat Mater in the room in March 1842 and available for viewing.

PART OF THE UPSTAIRS SALLA DELLA STABAT MATER
WHERE SCIENCE LECTURES WERE HELD

Also up on the  first floor was the mid 17th century anatomical lecture theatre which we particularly wanted to see. It was constructed in fine wooden panelling with niches which included 12 statues of famous physicians. Either side of the canopy above the lecturer's chair  we could admire the fascinating early 18th century "Spellati" statues based on anatomical sketches of skinned male human bodies. In the centre of the room the marble topped dissection table gave a note of sombre seriousness to the interior. This room was badly damaged by a bomb during the second world war and what we saw that day was a careful restoration including as much salvaged material as possible and completed in 1950.

TWO VIEWS OF THE ANATOMICAL LECTURE THEATRE
ON THE FIRST FLOOR
DAMAGED BY A BOMB IN WORLD WAR II & RESTORED IN 1950

By the time we'd toured this building it was 5pm and we were beginning to feel a little footsore so it was time to find a Pasticceria for coffee and cake!! Then it was a slow walk back to the Residence via the main square (more on that later) for a short power nap before setting out again.

LOOK WHO'S GOT THE CREAM! - SMUG OR WHAT?

At about 7.30 we decided it was time for dinner and we'd already spotted a place we wanted to dine in. Down a narrow street near the main square we'd discovered a branch of "EATALY" the eat and shop experience founded by Oscar Farinetti in a disused Vermouth factory in Turin in 2007 and now with branches worldwide. The ambiance was good, the pasta excellent and the displays of delicacies and books enticing. Interestingly our host at the Residence, Massimo, had told us of a new eating and shopping experience which had only just opened just outside Bologna in November and which he'd been to the day before. It turns out its another "Eataly" concept - this time according to one critic I looked up on line - "a pasta lover's version of an amusement park." If you want to go truffle hunting, learn how to make Italian gelato, take an amusement park ride, eat the best of Italian food and shop for delicacies then this 20 acre park is probably for you. The investment was evidently 106 million dollars. Massimo said you could get a shuttle bus from the station for a 5 euro return ticket and that admission to the park was free. He didn't like it - said it was too  much like a massive supermarket. We didn't partake on this trip - there just wasn't time - but maybe it would be fun to try it next time we visit the city. It's called FICO EATALY WORLD by the way if you want to check it out online.

JON CHECKS OUT THE CITY CENTRE BRANCH
OF EATALY FOR DINNER

It's not surprising the Eataly company have chosen Bologna as a centre for investment as both the region and the area are famous throughout Italy and the world for food and drink. Not only are there restaurants in the city centre to suit all tastes and budgets - but there are many purveyors of fine foods local to the region. Bologna is known for tortellini, lasagne and ragu sauce pastas and meats including the Mortadella - the orginal Bologna sausage, not to mention the hams and cheeses. A walk down the narrow streets off the main square brought us to shop after shop selling tempting foods. There was one such place just moments from the Residenza - Bruno & Franco's shown below.

BRUNO & FRANCO IN VIA  G OBERDAN
NEAR PIAZZA SAN MARTINO

Walking the streets of the centre of Bologna at night, especially just after Christmas, was an
experience, for not only are there Christmas lights in abundance but many of the arcades were specially lit and shop owners had gone to town with unique, creative and stylish window displays.
Here are a few of my favourites! The pictures speak for themselves.

THE SPECTACULAR CHRISTMAS TREE IN PIAZZA MAGIORE

THE SHOPS OF THE VIA DELL ARCHIGINNASIO

A PHARMACY ON VIA UGO BASSI

A CHIC BOUTIQUE SHOP WINDOW DISPLAY

Phew - it had been a long first day so it was back to the Residenza for a good night's sleep!!

The following morning we were a little dismayed to find the heating had gone off during the night and our room was cold. We later discovered from Massimo that the central heating pump had failed for our part of the building. They profusely apologized and clearly this was not the norm!! We had a snack breakfast in our room with bought items from the little coop just opposite Piazza San Martino and by 9.30am it was time to check out of the Rezidenza, leave our luggage with Massimo in the office and set off again. Not having stayed up late we felt remarkably refreshed.

Our first destination was the main square - Piazza Maggiore - just a 5 minute stroll from the Rezidenza. To walk in to this space is to step back in to earlier centuries for this was the hub of the old town where its most important buildings were constructed  - on all sides; the main ones are shown in the photographs below.

PALAZZO DEI PODESTA 1484-96
THE TOWER 1212

JON IN FRONT OF PALAZZO D'ACCURSIO
PIAZZA MAGGIORE
It now houses the city art collection

The basilica, dedicated to St Petronius, the city's patron saint, is one of the largest cathedrals in Europe begun in 1390 and taking 250 years to get it the point we saw it in today. In 1514 the decision was taken to enlarge it beyond the size of the original plans which would have made it bigger than St Peter's in Rome, but the papal authorities soon put a stop to that! The fine central vault in the nave was finished in 1587 and work finally stopped in 1659 leaving the front facade unfinished; the transepts which would have turned it in to the shape of a cross were also never built. Inside there's an amazing solar clock by astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassiano and in a side chapel on the left hand side a fresco cycle by Giovanni da Modena completed in 1410 - in my book it was worth coming to Bologna just to see this but photography was not allowed.!

THE BASILICA SAN PETRONIO
PIAZZA MAGGIORE

THE BASILICA NAVE COMPLETED IN 1587

In a small offshoot of the main square - the Piazza Netunno, there's a fine fountain sculpture in bronze  of the God of the Sea Neptune by the Flemish artist known as Giambologna, commissioned by Cardinal Pier Donato Cesi and completed in 1567; it's become a symbol of the city. Sadly our view of it was not the best because it had been cordoned off for the New Year Celebrations that evening. It's a fine example of Mannerist sculpture so it displays some interesting visual puns - one hadn evidently looks like a male penis if you view it from a certain angle.The trident he holds in his right hand was once used as a trademark for the famous Maserati automobile company founded in Bologna in 1914.

BRONZE FOUNTAIN STATUE OF NEPTUNE
BY GIAMBOLOGNA

Talking of New Year Celebrations we'd already noticed the centre starting to fill up with lots of young people arriving from the train station. Evidently the Piazza Maggiore is host to a traditional celebration which involves burning an effigy of an old man symbolic of the old year, just as the new one is about to start. I was quite pleased we'd decided not to stay over - I'd no desire to be chucked on a bonfire!

Having explored the square and been inside the basilica time was running on and we had to make a decision of where to go for our last visit. Following a quick coffee and tramezini in a nearby Pasticerria we headed off back in the direction of the two towers to look for Strada Maggiore - we wanted to see a fine collection of objects in a large Palazzo on Via Maggiore - one of the radial streets extending out from the two towers piazza.

The museum, "Museo Davia Bergellini" - was located in an imposing classically inspired 17th century palazzo dominated by a doorway flanked by a pair of stone Atlas Sculptures which supported the central balcony.

PALAZZO DAVIA BERGELLINI
17th century in date and now housing the Bargellini Museum

 Opened in 1924 the museum had been formed to show off a fine collection of applied arts including furniture, glass, ceramics, textiles together with a picture collection. The whole was admirably displayed in  an 18th century style apartment setting on the ground floor. Admission was free and there were lots of highlights including the Venetian 18th century marionette theatre which captured my imagination and is shown below.

DECORATIVE ARTS COLLECTION IN THE BARGELLINI MUSEUM

VENETIAN 18TH CENTURY MARIONETTE THEATRE
IN THE BARGELLINI MUSEUM

After the visit to the museum our visit to Bologna was drawing to a close and we needed to get back to the Residenza to pick up our bags and walk to the station. The stroll to Bologna Centrale took about 20 minutes and there were a couple of interesting things to see on the way. Just down the street from Piazza San Martino we crossed a bridge over the famous Reno Canal which dates back again to the medieval period and was one of several constructed to bring water from the rivers to the city centre. As I took the picture through the railings it felt reminiscent of Venice I thought. A little further on there was an equestrian bronze statue of Garibaldi on top of a large stone pedestal and erected in 1900 - a fine tribute to the man who had been so involved in the Unification of Italy in the mid 19th century.

THE RENO CANAL
A MEDIEVAL WATER SUPPLY TO THE CITY CENTRE

BRONZ EQUESTRIAN STATUE OF GARIBALDO - 1900

Beyond that it was a 10 minute gentle walk to the station, leaving us plenty of time for yet another restorative drink. We took a direct intercity Trieste to Rome train which called at Chiusi leaving Bologna at 4.50 and we finally arrived back at our place at just before 8pm - half an hour within our 36 hour time limit! We'd made it and it was a good job we hadn't any planned New Year celebrations beyond having a quiet drink with our landlady upstairs!!

THE COSTS
This is how things worked out financially for the tour.

Return rails fares x2 Chiusi to Bologna
including Freccia Argento (2 for 1 offer)                      85 euros

1 taxi ride from station to hotel                                       9 euros

1 night at the Rezindenza San Martino                         76 euros

1 lunch, 1 dinner, breakfast food, snacks                    129 euros

Entrance charges                                                           12 euros

Grand Total                                                                  311 euros (155.5 euros each)

OVERALL VERDICT
We had a wonderful mini break in Bologna and in every way the trip fell within our designated criteria. 36 hours overall turned out to be ample time to travel there and get a feel for the place and to see some of its principal sites but leaving us thirsty for more.

 We found Bologna  to be a city with a heart and as I said earlier, it has history, tangible heritage and charm in abundance. At the same time however, it gives the impression of being a modern, working city unfettered by the worst excesses of an over dependence on tourism. It's perhaps not a  natural choice of destination for many visitors who always seem, especially if they don't know Italy well, to want to head for Florence and Venice which become increasingly like heritage theme parks these days in my opinion. We will be sure to return soon for I have a whole list of things to do next time - another visit to San Stefano, a tour of the Archaeological Museum, a trip to the Museum of Modern Art, an exploration of the musical dimensions of the city and sojourns in to the region with perhaps a visit to the Lamborghini factory and a pilgrimage to Pavarotti's house.

My ICR (Ian Cox Rating) would be a 10/10 for Bologna. Go and see it soon before 21st century life changes it too much.

P.S. Someone has emailed to ask why I didn't mention Spaghetti Bolognese so I thought I'd better comment on it. Spaghetti Bolognese is not a term Italians are familiar with - but they would recognize
"Ragu alla Bolognese" - a meat based sauce originating from Bologna. This term seems to have entered the literature in the late 18th century, but it is in the late 19th century that a recipe for a meat sauce served with pasta (usually tagliatelle or lasagne) and using the term "Bolognese" is described in Pellegrino Artusi's cookbook of 1891. In 1982 the Italian Academy of Cuisine registered a recipe for authentic "Ragu alla Bolognese" with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce. It is traditionally not served with spaghetti pasta.

One source I consulted indicated that the kind of sauce described as Bolognese outside Italy is a tomato based one - in fact more associated with southern Italy where tomatoes are abundant and often called there "Ragu alla Napolitana". So the "Spag Bol" of my students days was not really an authentic Bolognese dish at all which is very interesting!

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