Archive for 'Churches & Religious Buildings'

When one thinks of Florence, the first things that spring to mind tend to be art, architecture, beautiful public spaces and gardens and a rich historical heritage.

Ghosts probably don't feature too prominently in most people's idea of the city but considering its long and rich history full of political intrigue, conflicts, passion, anger and crime, there are plenty of stories of specters that are said to haunt the streets and buildings, spooky events and unexplained incidents.

With Hallowe'en fast approaching, why not find a luxury villa in Florence and spend All Hallows Eve tracking down ghosts in the city this year.

Read on for some scary stories that we have gathered together about the less well-known side of Florence.

Sarteano is a stunning Tuscan town that has long been a bit of a hidden gem. Only recently have its many attractions and boons have become public knowledge to a wider audience outside the region.

The town itself is immediately distinguishable; a lush and green place with a medieval core and topped by its famous giant castle.

The castle is definitely one of the main highlights of the town and is a must-see but there are plenty of other historic and cultural gems to be discovered and explored; from Etruscan tombs to Renaissance palaces and medieval churches to local festivals, Sarteano has a diverse offering of interesting local attractions.

Just find a holiday rental in Sarteano and you can begin delving into everything the town has to offer.

For those visiting the stunning cathedral of Siena, there is another stop on the premises that you won't want to miss: the Piccolomini Library. Another artistic and architectural gem in this great Tuscan Renaissance city, it can be reached when you turn left about halfway along the length of the cathedral's aisle. The Piccolomini name holds a lot of weight and history in Siena. Enea Silvio Piccolomini was a 15th century noble who served as mediator in trying to reconcile Emperor Frederick III with the papal state, arranging the emperor's marriage to Eleonora of Aragon and organising his coronation in Rome and was rewarded by being made the Bishop of Trieste in 1447 and the Bishop of Siena in 1450.

He went on to become a cardinal in 1456 and was elected as Pope Pius II min 1458. A very powerful figure of the time, the library was named after him by the subsequent Pope Pius III, another Piccolomini, his nephew.

Siena's Cathedral was built between 1215 and 1263 and was designed by Nicola Pisano and his son, Giovanni continued the design when more building was undertaken from 1285. The upper half of the facade was not added until 14th century, a time of great wealth and prosperity for Siena. At the time, plans were considered to transform the church into a giant masterpiece that could even rival the mammoth St. Peter's in Rome, with the existing building forming transept of this huge imagined cathedral. However, this ambitious project sadly never came to pass as work was halted by the arrival of the Black Death in the city in 1348, which decimated the population of the town. Walls of the new cathedral still remain but are only a shell of the intended finished product.

Despite this, the rich and beautiful Tuscan church is still a gem and an important tourist attraction for those who have found a villa with pool in Siena and are planning a visit to the city.

Siena is one of the less hyped but most beautiful of all Tuscan cities. While it may not compete with Florence in terms of scale or choice, it is an equally lovely town, blessed still by the looming presence of the Renaissance. By day, there is much to see and do – many galleries, museums, architectural gems and more to visit, restaurants to try out, customs to learn about and much more besides – but, by night, the city takes on a different and rather special charm. The best way to experience this is by checking out “Divina Bellezza – Dreaming Siena”. Taking place in the unfinished Duomo Nuovo, part of Siena’s Duomo complex, Divina Bellezza is an immersive video mapping project that sees huge 3D images projected on the Facciatone and on the other two facades of the Duomo Nuovo and is accompanied by tales of the city in times gone by and more. It is an evocative, special spectacle that is unique to the city and is a must-see for those who have found a villa with pool in Siena and are planning to spend time there.