Walking tours

Santa Reparata offers two walking tours to students--one covering Medieval Florence and the other, Renaissance Florence. Jen came along for the tours since neither was full. Our guide both days was Joe, a transplanted German with a delightful sense of humor. He told wild and exciting tales of the lives of Florentines as we strolled around Florence. Day One brought us to the Medieval Palazzo Davanzati. Saved from alteration in the early 1900s, the Palazzo showed how homes were fortifications, as well. I enjoyed the "parrot room" and open courtyard.



Joe pointed out iron work--a torch holder, a wine pass-through--times were iffy and security was necessary.






























At Orsanmichele, a grain barn turned Gothic church, exterior niches house patron saints of the fourteen guilds of Florence.

Saint George, patron saint of the armor guild, is a Donatello (the original now housed in the Bargello), with the first known bas relief demonstrating one point perspective.