Florence v. Rome

Daily writing prompt
Do you have a favorite place you have visited? Where is it?

I am torn between these two locales. I do not know which way to go. Let’s find out together which one is my favorite.

Rome was the first city we actually took the time and effort to get to see for more than a few hours or mere days. But Rome was sporca, molto sporca. Rome has always been a filthy city, the city of the cloaca maxima. But Rome is not that of Augustus. Rome is the inheritor of its majestically 2,776-year long history. Rome is an old city and it wouldn’t be fair to speak ill of her.

I like Rome and maintain fond memories of the Eternal City. I will forever remember the dark skies as they were illuminated by the waning Sun one evening as I found myself on top of Castle Sant’Angelo.

Colosseum
Via Appia
Vatican Gardens – the true umbelico del mondo – centre of the world.
Raphael, Stanza di Eliodoro (Expulsion of Heliodorus), 1511-12, Vatican.

Whereas, Firenze was cleaner, fresher, and to be honest with you, filled my heart with the desire to one day live and even be buried on its hills. The city is filled with museums, art, culture and exudes history through all its pores. The people are very welcoming and Tuscany is my Xanadu.

If there is one place on Earth where I left my heart, that place is Florence. I love the city! I love its streets! I love its hills, walls, trees, and parks!

Monastery Santa Maria del Croce.
Palazzo Vecchio
Brunelleschi’s Duomo and Cathedral (left) and Santa Maria del Fiore (right)
David of Michelangelo Bronze Replica in Piazzale Michelangelo
Friar Savonarola’s burning place in front of Palazzo Vecchio (1498)
The Fiorita ceremony commemorating Savonarola’s sentence
The Bonfire of Vanities – Savonarola instigated the burning of all material things declared immodest by his abominable edicts. The man deserved to die a horrible death. Because of people like him, our connection with the past is weaker. The amount of art that ended up in smoke makes me shudder.

One thought on “Florence v. Rome

Leave a reply to luke sales Cancel reply