Submitted by Gavin Jefferson on the 2018 winter session program in Italy sponsored by the Department of History…
My arrival in Italy was met with pure beauty as I took the shuttle from Bologna to Florence. The rolling green hills and vineyards were simply stunning to see as I made my way through the countryside. I have never seen so many hills before and was immediately surprised with this. When I departed the shuttle bus in Florence, my first struggle was being confronted with so many Italian speaking people. I’m much more used to speaking French and it did not necessarily cross over very well. Luckily, the first taxi driver I found to take me to the hotel spoke enough English to get me where I needed to go. I arrived relatively early compared to everyone else and decided to wander about the local Florentine area to attempt to gather my bearings. I found it not too difficult to find my way around, especially since the road that our hotel is on directly connects to the Duomo.
I have found the architecture of the Florentine buildings surprisingly more beautiful than I originally anticipated. The grand scale of the Duomo and the incredible detail of the facade was breathtaking. The churches and museums house such amazing priceless treasures from some of the world’s most famous artists, I find it difficult to believe that I have actually seen Michelangelo’s David and several other works by him and his contemporaries. This also brings into focus that I’m walking the same streets as Michelangelo, Dante, Botticelli, etc. Albeit, it is about 500 years later, but I feel as though I can now appreciate Florence at a more personal level and better understand how so many people found this city to be their muse.