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vita fiorentina florentine life shown in hours a ore as discovered by publishing students of fua florence university of the arts

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people travel across the world every day to see florence s renaissance masterpieces michelangelo s david brunelleschi s dome and botticelli s venus among thousands more florence is a spectacle overflowing with unprecedented architectural achievements and works of art literature and science attention is usually paid to this aspect of florence certainly a wonderful aspect instead of the small parts of florence that make up the foundation of who florence is today to those who live within her walls this publication is meant to honor the daily lives of florentines and visitors to the city and inspire those who may have previously passed over the small details of the city a part that makes it so wonderful and full of life to immerse themselves in the life and culture of florence acknowledgements this volume has been produced by professional book publishing students of fua florence university of the arts authors simone bodmer-turner and annika volkmann with jenny kondrasus and minshang fung copy editor simone bodmer-turner graphic layout jenny kondrasus and annika volkmann photography simone bodmer-turner minshang fung annika volkmann and jenny kondrasus photo editing mingshang fung publication coordinated by fua instructor grace joh and intern simone bodmer-turner publisher ingorda per florence campus editore in collaboration with nardini editore for the city of florence s e-book project corso tintori 21 50122 firenze tel 055 0332745

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piazza san firenze 05:02 05:00 piazza del duomo 06:55 via del corno 07:22 via del corno 07:29 mattina via belvedere 08:27 via dell oriuolo 08:43 costa san giorgo 09:06 piazza san marco 09:13 09:00 piazza della signoria 09:45 mercato sant ambrogio 10:22 mercato sant ambrogio 10:29 pomeriggio lungarno generale armando diaz 10:47 12:00 lungarno torrigiani 11:58

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lungarno torrigiani 16:57 16:00 via dei bardi 17:25 piazza santa croce 19:04 lungarno delle grazie 20:28 sera via dei servi 20:55 piazza del duomo 21:08 via del proconsolo 21:30 piazza del duomo 21:34 22:00 ponte alle grazie 22:03 piazza san pier maggiore 22:50 lungarno delle grazie 22:54 notte piazza della signoria 23:12 via san pier maggiore 23:13 via palermi 23:32 via matteo palmieri 00:45 borgo degli abizi 01:23 02:00 piazza del duomo 01:43

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e ach photograph in vita fiorentina a ore portrays a moment that is repeated over and over each day by people within florence s walls focusing on the people rather than the infamous landmarks the photographs within capture the small moments that make up la vita fiorentina the florentine life deserving as much attention as the duomo or santa croce these are the fibers that make up the beautifully adorned quilt of florence though miniscule and often insignificant pieces of daily routines it is these parts of florence that make her the lively city she is book research was contributed by four students at florence university of the arts who collaborated their photography writing graphic design and most importantly their love of florence to produce this book the book is organized very purposely according to local activity during different times of the day that when comprised together give a beautiful and lesser-known portrait of florence the chapters are arranged a ore by the hours of the day the early morning when the streets and piazzas are peacefully empty except for the busy street cleaners who devotedly polish their city joggers taking advantage of the cool morning air locals board the bus to get to work or school outside of the city and the occasional early bird eager to start their day with a cappuccino and a cornetto the late morning and miday when artists set up their handmade crafts in the piazzas chefs mothers and grandmothers go to the markets to get fresh ingredients for family dinner and people get their daily tasks laundry cleaning and errands done so that they are free by evening time the early evening when those who work in the morning s day are coming to an end and those who work at night s day are just beginning people take a break to wind down or take a breath before the night frenzy and as the sun sinks lower in the sky locals trickle out of their homes or places of work and make their way to meet friends at aperitivi and enoteche nighttime when there is a balance between families gathered indoors with windows open sharing a long pleasant meal and streets fill with young people off to the next wine bar or to dinner crowds gather in piazze to listen to street musicians and enjoy the ever present nightlife weather it be a concert a fireworks show a soccer match or simple people watching at the foot of a gorgeous monument each page presents a photograph depicting a common element of daily life in florence but a piece that makes the florentine day uniquely florentine we hope that through this book you find a new view of this city that we love and find even more pride and respect for your home and your traditions than you already had fua student authors jenny kondrasuk annika volkmann mingshan fan and simone bodmer-turner

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mattina

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piazza san firenze 05:02 p iazza san firenze a quiet square on the outskirts of the more lively piazza della signoria nonetheless begins its morning with comparable energy street lights supplement the dim sun of dawn as city workers actively cleanse the age-old cobblestones of debris from yesterday polishing florence in the same way one might gussy up for a special visitor rather than concealing the morning routine from the public city workers make residents fully aware of their work speeding garbage trucks through apartment alleys and shamelessly dumping bags filled with clamoring wine bottles into their vehicles the noise overpowers the typical charming bird calls and sweetly singing breeze of a typical morning scene with a shot of espresso to begin the day it takes no time at all for the city of florence to wake up.

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piazza del duomo 06:55 every morning is a spiritual moment for the sisters of florence the basilica di santa maria del fiore cast in chilled morning light looks over the sisters as a protective figure the church bells echo throughout the city an elaborate display of sounds to honor the seventh hour of the day rain is in the forecast and even nuns come to work prepared with umbrellas so as not to ruin their habits tourists begin to spill into the streets eager to capture the everlasting duomo with their disposable cameras before the weather changes smells of freshly baked pastries brewed coffee and street soap mingle in the still air a muddled fragrance of morning activities as pigeons clean up the scraps of food from last night s dinner shopkeepers sweep the streets and nuns make their way to cathedrals and churches the city of florence begins to awaken and prepare for another eventful day the basilica di santa maria del fiore was designed by arnolfo di cambio in 1296 only to be completed two centuries later in 1436 by the engineer filippo brunelleschi inspired by gothic design the exterior of the duomo is faced with polychrome marble panals one-hundred and fifty-three meters long and 38 meters wide the duomo easily dominates the center of florence while the exterior presents an elaborate display of masonry the basilica s interior gives an empty impression to reflect the austerity of religious life though various paintings and works of art adorn its halls the largest brick dome ever constructed the basilica is part of the unesco world heritage site and remains a major tourist attraction in florence.

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via del corno 07:22 just outside piazza san firenze an apartment resident along via del corno emerges from her recuperative slumber to peer at the bustling activities on the street four stories from the ground the woman sits perched at her windowsill like a cat waiting for something to spark her interest and allow her an excuse to do something interesting herself waiting for this woman is not a waste of time but a celebration of it patience becomes something of an oddity amidst a flourishing and bustling city when streets must be cleaned attractions must be seen and at least three meals must be eaten before the end of the day but to be able to slow down take a moment and enjoy a small piece of the day as if it could last a lifetime is a skill that only comes with age and experience.

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