- Palazzo del Popolo
The palace was built in 1280-1316. - Giotto's Campanile
These hexagonal panels depict (from left): Gionitus (Astronomy), the Art of Building, Medicine, and Hunting. By Andrea Pisano and his workshop, and Nino Pisano. - Biblioteca Malatestiana, Cesena
Renaissance Library, build in 1447-1452 with original furniture and books. It holds about 400 000 books and 3200 manuscripts. - Bibllioteca Malatestiana, Cesena
It was built in the shape of a basilica - representing the temple of knowledge and culture. - Contrada Uberti, Cesena
- Cesena cathedal, Saint John the Baptist
My OCD hates the tower windows. - Zebra church: basalt and travertine stones
Orvieto. - Palazzo del Capitano and Palazzo del Popolo
Palazzo del Capitano (1293, left) and Palazzo del Popolo (1213-1228, right) Just a lovely stroll under an 800-YEAR-OLD building... - Via Santa Chiara, Assisi
Four different types of lions. - Temple of Minerva -> Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Assisi
- Etruscan well in Perugia
37 m deep and built in the second half of the 3rd century, - Fontana Maggiore
Fontana Maggiore (1275-1278), Perugia. The fountain decorated by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano. Palazzo dei Priori (1293-1443) in the background. - Palazzo dei Priori, Perugia
Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, Palazzo dei Priori (1293-1443), Perugia. - Palazzo dei Consoli, Gubbio
Palazzo dei Consoli (1332-42), Gubbio - Palazzo dei Consoli
Palazzo dei Consoli (1332-42), Gubbio - Roman Theatre, Gubbio
Roman Theatre (1st century BC), Gubbio - Palazzo Ducale, Urbino
Palazzo Ducale, Urbino (1454) - Palazzo Ducale, Urbino
Palazzo Ducale, Urbino (1454) - Palazzo Ducale, Urbino
- Laundry and fabric dyeing room in the palace
Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Ice cave in Palazzo Ducale, Urbino.
- Warehouses in Palazzo Ducale, Urbino.
- Napoleon's villa
Napoleon used this house in 1814-15. - Napoleon's villa
Kitchen - Napoleon's villa
Bathroom - Lacona
A granary, I believe. - LIguella Museum, Portoferraio
Archeological museum in Portoferraio is in the old salt store rooms of the Linguella Medicean Fortresses. - LIguella Museum, Portoferraio
Remains of a Roman villa. - Villa Romana delle Grotte, Portoferraio
A wonderful Roman villa from I century BC. If I'm not mistaken, this is the spa that included calidarium and frigidarium. - Villa Romana delle Grotte, Portoferraio
This was the upper pool of the villa. Not bad. Not bad at all. - Villa Romana delle Grotte, Portoferraio
A huuuge villa with an even larger garden. - Public wash-house
Lavatoio pubblico - public wash-house in Rio nell'Elba. In 1873 the population of Rio increased significantly, and they rebuilt the old wash-house. - Capoliveri
Via Circonvallazione. I don't know what this building was, but it looks old. - Palazzo Ducale
Palazzo Ducale, built in 1340 (and extended later). - Palazzo Ducale
Unfortunately, the palace was closed. Not enough tourists? - Basilica di San Marco
A detail on the southern facade of the Basilica - Piazzetta di San Marco
The Piazzetta between the Doge's Palace and Jacopo Sansovino's Biblioteca with the two columns with Saint Theodore and the winged lion. - Campanile
Built in the 10th-16th century, and rebuilt in 1902 after the original one collapsed. Originally a watchtower and a "lighthouse". - Palazzo Ducale
- San Giorgio Maggiore
The church was designed by Andrea Palladio, built between 1566 and 1610. - Piazza San Marco
Piazza in the times of Covid, wonderfully empty. - Basilica di San Marco
From the 11th century, inspired by Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. - Scuola Grande di San Marco
Originally one of the Scuole Grandi of Venice, now the city's hospital. Finished around 1500 by Pietro Lombardo. - Scuola Grande di San Marco
More great optical illusions on the facade. - Procuratie Vecchie
Procurator of Saint Mark was the second most prestigious title (after the Doge). This was their office. - Procuratie Vecchie
The facade is made of Istrian limestone. - Procuratie Vecchie
Built in the beginning of the 16th century. - Campo Manin
And another lovely building... - Campanile di Santo Stefano
Well, that is a very tilted bell tower. - Canal Grande
As seen from the Ponte dell'Accademia. - Piazza San Marco
- Ca d'oro
Ca d'oro or the Golden house. One of the best examples of Venetian Gothic architecture. It used to be gilded, therefore its name. - Etrurian Temple of Belvedere
Remains of an old Etrurian Temple. A wonderful windy location at the top of the cliff. - Pozzo di San Patrizio
This well was commissioned in 1527 by Pope Clement VII and designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. - Pozzo di San Patrizio
There are 70 windows in the well. - Pozzo di San Patrizio
The well has is 62 m deep and has double-helical stairs around it. - Palazzo del Popolo
Is this a dog with a helmet? And a cow sitting on top of it? - Piazza del Popolo
Well, now ... There must be another way of renovating windows, right? - 12-sided bell tower
Coat of arms on the 12-sided bell tower, next to Chiesa di Sant'Andrea. - Piazza Pianciani
- Palazzo dei Priori
Palazza dei Priori (1293-1443) - Etruscan Arch
One of the two remaining Etruscan gates: constructed in the 3rd century BC and restored by Augustus in 40. - Etruscan Arch
The loggia was added in the 16th century. - View of Perugia
- Torre del Diavolo
San Gimignano is known for its medieval towers. This one is called Devil's because ... apparently ... the owner got home one day finding the tower taller than it was before. Riiiight. All the balconies and terraces are now missing. - Palazzo Comunale
The palace was built in between 1289 and 1298. The tower (Torre Grossa) from 1300 is the tallest in town (54 m). - Torre Rognosa and Torre Chigi
The tall one (52 m) is Rognosa (1200) and the small one is Chigi (1280). - Piazza del Duomo
Piazza del Duomo with the dome and one of the two twin towers (Torri dei Salvucci). - Palazzo Tolomei
Palazzo was built in 1270-1275. It used to be a bank... and it still is. - Loggia della mercanzia
This loggia for merchants was constructed in 1417-1444. - Loggia della mercanzia
Frescoes by Pastorino dei Pastorini (1549-1552). - Palazzo Pubblico
Palazzo Publico (town hall) in the Piazza del Campo. The palace is from 1297 and the tower (Torre del Mangia) from 1338-1348. - Piazza del Campo
- Torre del Mangia
The tower was built in 1338-1348. Its height is exactly the same ad the height of the cathedral, indicating equal powers of the church and the state. - Siena Cathedral
Piccolomini coat of arms: a blue cross with five crescent. - Loggia della mercanzia
Frescoes by Lorenzo Rustici (1553-1563). - Palazzo Pubblico
- Palazzo Comunale
In 1405 Pope Pius II renamed his home town Corsignano to Pienza and rebuilt it in 1459 as an ideal Renaissance town. Once a town, it needed a town hall. - Palazzo Comunale
The entrance to the Palazzo Comunale. - Palazzo Avignonesi
Built between 1542 and 1572 by Jacopo Barozzi, known as the Vignola. Now a hotel. - Palazzo Bucelli
The bottom part of this palace is decorated with plenty of Etruscan and Roman remains. Some are quite interesting. - Palazzo Bucelli
I wonder what's the story behind these donkey's ears... Disclaimer: they of course may not be donkey's ears at all. - Palazzo Bucelli
A fish biting a pegasussnake? - Torre di Pulcinella
This 17th century Pulcinella from Naples strikes the time. The funny thing is that no-one knows how and when it got here ;-) - Torre di Pulcinella
Look at the top! - Palazzo Cervini
- Some tall buildings
These are some tall buildings! - Italian charm
This is a charming and inviting entrance. - Palazzo Comunale
Built in 1440 by Michelozzo, inspired by the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. - Palazzo Comunale
Now this was the highlight of my trip: climbing possibly the tiniest stairs I've ever seen. And I have climbed some dodgy towers in my life. - Palazzo Comunale
And the higher you go, the smaller they become. - Palazzo Nobili-Tarugi
Piazza Grande in rain. And Palazzo Nobili-Tarugi (left) built in the 16th century by either Antonio da Sangallo the Elder or possibly by Jacopo Barozzi from Vignola. - Palazzo Comunale
I had to agree to so many terms and conditions before I was allowed to climb ;-) - Giotto's Campanile
Giotto stared building this tower in 1334. He combined white marble from Carrara, green marble from Prato, and red marble from Siena. The tower was completed in 1359. - DSC 9615
- Palazzo Vecchio
Officially, such decorations are called grotesque. - Palazzo Vecchio
Grotesque or not, I like them a lot. - Medusa
Medusa's head from the statue Perseus with the Head of Medusa by Benvenuto Cellini (1545-1554) located in the Loggia dei Lanzi. - Ponte Vecchio
THE brige across Arno. Built/destroyed several times. This one is from 1345 and still holds. Butchers used to have their shops here, but were replaced with goldsmiths because of the smell. - Porta San Niccolò
Stone gate in fortification walls from 1324. The walls are gone now, but the entrance tower remains.