Paula's Tour Talk

Milan's Magnificent Duomo

I always encourage travelers flying into Milan to stop and stay a day or two in this great city before getting on a train and heading for their main destinations. And, even if they are just passing through, I always advise taking the time to visit Milan's Duomo (cathedral).

Work began on the building in 1386 and continued off and on until the 19th century. Designed to hold some 40,000 worshippers, it's one of the largest cathedrals in the world, and in Italy only St. Peter's in Rome is larger. It's a Gothic structure, a confection of pinnacles, pillars, spires, and statues held up by a web of flying butresses.

The interior is awe-inspiring with five large aisles and loads of gorgeous stained glass windows and statues and carvings everywhere you look. The chief treasure of the cathedral is a nail from Christ's cross which has been kept in a vault above the choir--a red light marks the spot--since 1461. The nail is displayed once a year in September in a special ceremony.

But what I love best is taking the elevator (for a small fee) up to the rooftop. There you can wander amid some 3200 statues of saints, gargoyles, symbols, and fancies. The craftsmanship is  mind-boggling. The views of the city (and on a clear day, the distant mountains) are stupendous too.

I usually spend at least 45 minutes up here. There is so much to see and marvel at. You can even see the central spire which is topped by a gilded bronze statue of the Madonnina (the little Madonna).

It's a great place for taking photos, even for the camera-challenged like me.

The church is open daily from 7am until 7pm. Proper attire (no shorts or sleeveless tops) is required, and visitors are asked to be quiet and respectful. It's a functioning church with several Masses throughout the day.

The rooftop is open from 9am until 4:30 pm and the entrance is outside the cathedral on the northern side. It costs about 5 euro to take the elevator, but the hardy can walk up for a smaller fee.

The Chimneys of Venice

The Italian Notebook has a interesting short article with great photos on Venetian Chimneys . I never really noticed them before with all there is to dazzle the eye in Venice, but now I can't wait to look up when I am there in April. 

Vivaldi's Orphans

In 18th century Venice, it was music rather than art that captured the public admiration. Concerts were performed in private homes,in churches, and in splendid public theaters. One of the most popular musical performances were those of the orphan girl choirs and orchestras.

These ensembles were famous for exceptional musical ability. The young musicians were even proudly displayed to important foreign dignitaries as a special feature of the Venetian Republic. Attending a concert at a girls' orphanage was considered an essential part of any visit to Venice.

Of course, in 18th century Venice, these were no ordinary orphan girls whose parents had died. No, the girls who ended up in these so-called orphanages were the illegitimate daughters of noblemen and their mistresses. The wealthy fathers generous endowed the institutions and these girls enjoyed a fair amount of luxury as well as a fine education. Plus, if they were talented enough or beautiful enough, they had a good chance of finding a husband--unlike the unlucky extraneous legitimate daughters who often ended up in convents.

Any any rate, the girl choirs and orchestras were famous and immensely popular with the public. In addition to the lovely music, part of the draw was the girls themselves. In a decadent age of ostentation in dress and license in behavior (the was the age of masked balls, gambling, and courtesans), the young girls performed in modest robes, entirely without ornamentation, wearing flowers in their hair.

One commentator tells us that the girls, with their glorious music and pure voices, were "closer to angels than any creature on earth."

One of the best and most popular of these choirs was that of the Ospedale della Pieta. And no wonder--the choirmaster and violin teacher was Antonio Vivaldi.

He was awarded this prestigious position in 1703, shortly after he was ordained as a priest. Vivaldi immediately gave up his priestly duties--he had become a priest only because his mother made a vow when he was a sickly young boy--and he never functioned as a priest again. However, he did remain in Holy Orders for his whole life and was known as the "Red Priest" (for his red hair) throughout the musical community.

Vivaldi wrote many compositions for the girls to perform and his popularity soared. After they heard his music at the orphanage, distinguished visitors would often commission works for themselves. For a  time, he was one of the most highly paid composers in Europe.

However, tastes changed and by the end of the 1730's Vivaldi's music was no longer in fashion. At the age of 62, he traveled to Vienna at the request of Emperor Charles VI with high hopes of a securing a steady income. But the Emperor died shortly after his arrival and Vivaldi himself died in 1741. He was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave.

Much of Vivaldi's music was lost for centuries and was only re-discovered and published in the 1950's. Today his music enjoys tremendous popularity.

When Time of Your Life Tours visits Venice in October 2008 on An Artful Tour of Florence & Venice , we'll hear Vivaldi's masterpiece,The Four Seasons, performed by an amazing ensemble of musicians in a beautiful and intimate former chapel. Our clients tell us it's one of their favorite parts of the tour. We hope you will join us.

The Best Chocolate in the World

A luxury chocolate from Tuscany has just been named the best in the world by the London-based Academy of Chocolate.

The Amedei Company's Toscano Black 63% won the Golden Bean award for "the best chocolate from bean to bar."  Amedei also won Gold Medals for its Porcelana chocolate bar, its Chuao dark chocolate, and its milk chocolate with hazelnuts. And, they won four Silver Medals, too, for other luscious chocolates.

This is nothing new for the company's owners, Cecelia and Alessio Tessieri, a brother and sister who share a real passion for chocolate. Their chocolates have won the Golden Bean for the last three years.

The prizes were awarded by an international jury of some 300 chocolatiers and experts.

Although Italy does not have a long history and tradition of chocolate-making like Switzerland, France, or Germany, the Italian chocolate industry has been a source of national pride. Italy is swiftly becoming well-known for its wide variety of specialty chocolates made exclusively from cocoa butter.

Chocolate lovers can learn much more at  Amedei Ciccolato, with photos so tempting you can practically smell the delicious aroma.

And, although the press release I read states that Amedei only produces 20,000 bars a year, primarily for luxury hotels and restaurants, I found a US distributor for the gorgeous (and expensive) treats: Chocosphere. (Please note: I have never ordered from this company myself and am not affiliated with them in any way).

There are some wonderful chocolate shops in Florence that we'll visit in October on our gourmet  Tastes of Tuscany Tour. I can't wait...

The Bronzes Horses of San Marco

One of the most famous treasures of the Basilica San Marco in Venice is the set of four bronze horses that stand over the main doorway of the cathedral. (as always, click on the photo for a larger view) Well, actually, the ones on the outside on the roof are replicas and the originals are inside in the museum.

These magnificent beasts were taken when the Venetians sacked and looted Constantinople in 1204 during the 4th Crusade (I'll write about that fiasco in the next article). Dating from the 4th century, they are believed to be the only existing monumental Roman quadriga, that is four horses in chariot harness. They once adorned a triumphal arch in Rome. No one is certain how they made they way to Constantinople, but I imagine they were a gift to the Emperor in Byzantium.

Bringing them to Venice and placing them atop the cathedral was a symbolic act. It marked the end of Venice's status as a vassal state of the Holy Roman Empire and celebrated its birth as an independent republic. The horses soon became a symbol of of the might and power of the Venetian state, and beloved by its people.

Many of her enemies threatened to topple the horses, but only Napoleon ever succeeded. When he conquered northern Italy and ended the Venetian republic in 1797, he sent the four horses, along with many other treasures, back to Paris. There they remained until 1815 when they were returned to their old site, amid much rejoicing by the people of Venice.

Since 1982 the original horses have been exhibited inside the San Marco Museum in order to protect them from damage from pollution. You can visit them in the museum, where you'll see tapestries, carvings, and other artifacts from the cathedral for a small fee.

But, I most enjoy climbing out on the roof, which is open to the public, and standing next to these magnificent beasts while enjoying a great view of the busy piazza below.

Basilica San Marco

Just a quick note. I am just wrapping up a great trip to California. One of the fabulous women who loved the Artful Tour last fall, invited me down to give my Venus and David: The Secrets Behind the Masterpieces talk to various interested groups. It's been a lot of fun, and it's generated a lot of interest in our tours.

So, I just have time to share a wonderful website with you: Basilica San Marco. This site gives you everything you ever wanted to know about one of the world's most maginificent churches including a virtual tour, history, all three museums within the church, and even e-postcards you can send. It's well worth spending some time here before you visit Venice, and a treat to re-visit if you've been there.

More soon.

Carnival in Venice

Tomorrow is the last day of this year's Carnival in Venice as Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, February 6th.  Lent is the period of 40 days before Easter, a time of fasting and prayer. The word carnival comes from "Carne Vale!" which means "Goodbye, meat."  In fact, in centuries past, no meat, eggs, or butter were eaten during Lent. Traditionally, the days before the fast began were days of feasting, dancing, and general license and merriment.

There are differing opinions about just when Carnival started in Venice, but a 1268 document specifically mentions carnival and masks. The most popular masks have always been the faces of Commedia dell'Arte characters like the Harlequin, Pantalone, Pucinella, and of course, the Doctor. (You can read more about the masks and costumes at Carnevale!)

I have always found the Plague Doctor mask with its long pointy beak to be quite terrifying. Doctors actually wore masks like these during outbreaks of the plague. They stuffed cloths soaked in vinegar in the long nose and believed that this protected them from the dread disease. They used a stick to touch the victims, also in the desperate hope that this would prevent contagion.

Today, people wear all kinds of fanciful costumes as well as the traditional ones. The city sponsors a series of concerts and performances in every neighborhood-- some free, some quite expensive. However, many Venetians see carnival as a good time to get out of town. The city is overrun with tourists taking photos, revelers in various stages of inebriation, and debris and garbage fill the Piazza San Marco and the surrounding streets.

I love the idea of carnival and its history, but I have no desire to join the crowd in the Piazza with its big stage at one end and a huge screen playing Benetton and Coca-Cola ads at the other. It might be fun to dress up and attend one of the lavish private balls, but I think I would need a magic fairy godmother to conjure up an invitation! Fortunately, I love Venice in the much more tranquil spring and summer when we visit with Time of Your Life Tours.

You can see photos and learn about this year's festivities and much more at Venice Carnival.