Rick Steves' Europe

HI, I'M RICK STEVES,

BACK WITH MORE OF THE BEST OF EUROPE.

THIS TIME, WE EXPLORE THE CITY THAT PULLED EUROPE

OUT OF THE MIDDLE AGES AND INTO THE MODERN WORLD --

FLORENCE.

15th-CENTURY FLORENCE WAS THE HOME OF THE RENAISSANCE

AND THE BIRTHPLACE OF OUR MODERN WESTERN WORLD.

WITHIN A FEW HUNDRED YARDS OF WHERE I'M STANDING,

YOU CAN ENJOY MUCH OF THE GREATEST ART

CREATED DURING THAT EXCITING AGE.

AND WE'LL DO JUST THAT -- GAZE INTO THE EYES

OF MICHELANGELO'S DAVID, ENJOY BOTTICELLI'S BIRTH OF VENUS, DELVE INTO THE 3D WONDERS

OF GHIBERTI'S GLORIOUS BRONZE GATES,

APPRECIATE FRA ANGELICO'S SERENE BEAUTY,

AND CLIMB THE DOME THAT KICKED OFF THE RENAISSANCE.

AND BEYOND THE ART,

FLORENCE KNOWS HOW TO EMBRACE LIFE.

WE'LL CROSS THE ARNO TO WHERE

FLORENTINE ARTISANS LIVE, WORK,

AND EAT VERY WELL.

OH, BEAUTIFUL.

BUT FIRST, A LITTLE BACKGROUND.

AFTER THE FALL OF ANCIENT ROME,

EUROPE WALLOWED IN CENTURIES OF RELATIVE DARKNESS.

THERE WAS LITTLE LEARNING, COMMERCE, OR TRAVEL.

THEN, IN ABOUT 1400, HERE IN FLORENCE,

THERE WAS A RENAISSANCE.

THIS EXCITING REBIRTH: OF THE CULTURES OF ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME

SWEPT FROM HERE ALL ACROSS EUROPE.

IN ARCHITECTURE, THE RENAISSANCE BROUGHT A RETURN

TO THE BALANCED DOMES, COLUMNS, AND ARCHES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD.

IN PAINTING, IT REVIVED REALISM AND EMOTION.

ARTISTS REDISCOVERED THE WONDER OF NATURE

AND THE HUMAN BODY.

PORTRAYING BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE IN HARMONIOUS SURROUNDINGS,

THEY EXPRESSED THE OPTIMISM AND CONFIDENCE

OF THIS NEW AGE.

THE SUDDENLY PERKY WESTERN CIVILIZATION

MADE UP FOR LOST CENTURIES: WITH HUGE GAINS IN SCIENCE, ECONOMICS, AND ART.

FLORENCE WAS THE CENTER OF IT ALL, AND FOR GOOD REASON.

THIS IS WHERE CAPITALISM WAS REPLACING FEUDALISM.

BEING THE MIDDLEMAN OF TRADE BETWEEN EAST AND WEST,

THE CITY HAD MONEY AND IT KNEW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

WEALTHY MERCHANT AND BANKING FAMILIES,

LIKE THE MEDICI, WHO RULED FLORENCE

FOR GENERATIONS, SHOWED THEIR CIVIC PRIDE

BY COMMISSIONING SPLENDID ART,

AND FLORENCE, RECOGNIZING AND PAYING

CREATIVE GENIUS LIKE NO ONE ELSE,

UNLEASHED AN EXPLOSION OF INNOVATION.

THE RENAISSANCE WAS AN AGE OF HUMANISM.

IT WAS A TIME OF CONFIDENCE, WHEN PEOPLE WORKED HARD,

BUSINESS WAS RESPECTABLE, AND EXCELLENCE WAS REWARDED.

THE CHURCH NO LONGER PUT A CEILING ON LEARNING,

AND THE GREAT PRE-CHRISTIAN THINKERS,

LIKE PLATO AND ARISTOTLE, WERE BACK IN VOGUE.

IN ABOUT 1400, WITH THE ADVENT

OF THE RENAISSANCE, MAN, NOW ALERT,

BEGINS TO STAND ON HIS OWN, MOVING OUT OF THE SHADOW

OF THE CHURCH.

THIS DAVID, BY THE EARLY-RENAISSANCE

FLORENTINE SCULPTOR DONATELLO, IS ONE OF THE FIRST

FREESTANDING MALE NUDES SCULPTED IN EUROPE IN A THOUSAND YEARS.

IT'S ART FOR ART'S SAKE, ADORNING NOT A CHURCH,

BUT A RICH MAN'S COURTYARD.

WHILE THE FORMAL SUBJECT IS STILL BIBLICAL --

DAVID SLAYING THE GIANT,

GOLIATH'S SEVERED HEAD IS AT DAVID'S FEET --

TRUTH BE TOLD, IT'S A CLASSICAL NUDE,

A CELEBRATION OF THE HUMAN BODY.

A GENERATION BEFORE, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN SHOCKING.

BUT WITH THE RENAISSANCE, IT'S ART.

FLORENCE WAS LONG AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE.

RATHER THAN ITS CHURCH, IT'S THE CITY HALL,

ONCE THE PALACE OF THE MEDICI FAMILY,

THAT TOWERS OVER THE MAIN SQUARE.

MICHELANGELO'S DAVID ORIGINALLY STOOD HERE.

THIS IS A COPY.

THE ORIGINAL DAVID IS THE CENTERPIECE OF

THE NEARBY ACADEMIA GALLERY,

WHICH FEELS LIKE A TEMPLE TO HUMANISM.

AT ITS ALTAR, ONE VERY IMPRESSIVE HUMAN.

THE SHEPHERD BOY, DAVID, SIZES UP THE GIANT.

THOUGHTFUL AND SELF-ASSURED,

HE SEEMS TO BE THINKING, "I CAN TAKE HIM."

THE STATUE WAS AN APT SYMBOL,

INSPIRING FLORENTINES TO TACKLE THEIR GOLIATHS.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT DAVID,

YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE RENAISSANCE MAN.

ARTISTS NOW MADE THEIR POINT USING REALISM,

AND THEY DID THIS BY MERGING ART AND SCIENCE.

FOR INSTANCE, MICHELANGELO ACTUALLY DISSECTED

HUMAN CORPSES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND ANATOMY.

THIS HUMANISM WAS NOT ANTI-RELIGION.

NOW PEOPLE REALIZED THAT THE BEST WAY TO GLORIFY GOD

WAS NOT TO BOW DOWN IN CHURCH ALL DAY LONG,

BUT TO RECOGNIZE THEIR TALENTS AND TO USE THEM.

ARTISTS LIKE MICHELANGELO: EVEN EXAGGERATED REALISM TO MAKE THEIR POINT.

NOTICE DAVID'S LARGE AND OVERDEVELOPED RIGHT HAND.

THIS IS SYMBOLIC OF THE HAND OF GOD.

IT WAS GOD THAT POWERED DAVID TO SLAY THE GIANT,

AND FLORENTINES LIKED TO THINK GOD'S FAVOR ENABLED THEM

TO RISE ABOVE RIVAL NEIGHBORING CITY-STATES.

THE NAVE-LIKE HALL LEADING TO DAVID IS LINED WITH MICHELANGELO'S UNFINISHED PRISONERS,

STRUGGLING TO BREAK OUT OF THE MARBLE.

MICHELANGELO BELIEVED THESE FIGURES

WERE DIVINELY CREATED WITHIN THE ROCK.

HE WAS SIMPLY CHISELING AWAY THE EXCESS.

HERE WE SEE THE RENAISSANCE LOVE OF THE BODY

AS MICHELANGELO REVEALS THESE COMPELLING FIGURES.

WHILE THESE STATUES ARE CALLED UNFINISHED, PERHAPS MICHELANGELO WAS SATISFIED HE'D SET THEM FREE

AND HE MOVED ON TO OTHER CHALLENGES.

NOW THAT THE OLD CENTER OF FLORENCE

IS ESSENTIALLY TRAFFIC-FREE,

THE CITY ITSELF IS MORE ENJOYABLE THAN EVER.

EARLY IN THE MORNING,

THE SERVICE TRUCKS MAKE THEIR DELIVERIES.

THEN THE PEOPLE HAPPILY RETAKE THE STREETS.

THE CITY IS EASY TO NAVIGATE: AND ITS SIGHTS ARE CLOSE TOGETHER.

EVERYTHING IN THIS EPISODE IS WITHIN A 15-MINUTE WALK.

AND WITHOUT THE NOISE AND DISTRACTION OF CARS,

THE ARCHITECTURE IS EASIER TO APPRECIATE.

THE RENAISSANCE LASTED ROUGHLY TWO CENTURIES.

THE HIGH RENAISSANCE, OR 1500s,

IS WELL KNOWN FOR THE WORK OF LEONARDO,

MICHELANGELO, AND RAPHAEL,

BUT THE FIRST HALF OF THE RENAISSANCE,

THE 1400s, IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED.

WHILE THE MAIN STRUCTURE OF THE FLORENCE CATHEDRAL

IS MEDIEVAL, ITS REMARKABLE DOME

AND MUCH OF THE ART DECORATING ITS FACADE,

BAPTISTERY, AND BELL TOWER

DEFINE THIS FIRST CENTURY OF THE RENAISSANCE.

THE DUOMO -- THAT'S ITALIAN: FOR "CATHEDRAL" -- IS HUGE,

THE LARGEST ANYWHERE WHEN FINISHED IN THE 15th CENTURY

AND STILL IN THE TOP 20.

THE CHURCH'S CLAIM TO FAME IS ITS DOME,

THE FIRST OF THE RENAISSANCE AND THE FIRST GREAT DOME

BUILT IN EUROPE IN OVER A THOUSAND YEARS.

THE CHURCH WAS BUILT IN GOTHIC TIMES,

BUT RATHER THAN BEING CAPPED BY ANOTHER SPIRE,

IT WAS LEFT WITH A GAPING HOLE, WAITING FOR TECHNOLOGY

TO CATCH UP WITH THE CITY'S VISION.

IN 1420, FILIPPO BRUNELLESCHI

WON THE JOB AND BUILT THE DOME

THAT KICKED OFF THE ARCHITECTURAL RENAISSANCE.

BRUNELLESCHI'S DOME, WHICH INSPIRED THOSE

THAT FOLLOWED, FROM THE VATICAN TO

THE U.S. CAPITOL, SHOWED HOW ART AND SCIENCE

COULD BE COMBINED TO MAKE BEAUTY,

AND TODAY, IT REWARDS THOSE WHO CLIMB TO THE TOP

WITH A GRAND FLORENCE VIEW.

WHILE THE DUOMO'S ARCHITECTURE AND STATUES ARE IMPRESSIVE,

THE BAPTISTERY, ACROSS FROM THE CATHEDRAL,

IS CENTURIES OLDER.

THE BAPTISTERY IS SEPARATE BECAUSE IN MEDIEVAL TIMES

YOU COULDN'T ENTER THE CHURCH UNTIL YOU WERE BAPTIZED.

ITS INTERIOR GLITTERS WITH BYZANTINE-STYLE MOSAICS

CREATED IN THE 13th CENTURY, LONG BEFORE THE RENAISSANCE.

THESE VIVID SCENES,

BRINGING COUNTLESS BIBLE STORIES TO LIFE,

INSPIRED THE MEDIEVAL FAITHFUL.

JESUS SITS AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL.

OVERLOOKING CREATION ON JUDGMENT DAY,

HE GIVES THE ULTIMATE THUMBS-UP AND THUMBS-DOWN.

ON HIS RIGHT, ANGEL GABRIEL BLOWS HIS TRUMPET,

BRINGING GOOD NEWS TO THE SAVED.

AND ON THE THUMBS-DOWN SIDE...

WELL, YOU DON'T WANT TO GO THERE.

SOME SAY THE RENAISSANCE BEGAN IN 1401

OVER THE EXCITEMENT CAUSED BY A CITY-WIDE COMPETITION

TO DESIGN AND BUILD NEW DOORS FOR THE BAPTISTERY.

LORENZO GHIBERTI WON THE COMMISSION

AND SPENT DECADES ON THIS PROJECT.

THESE BRONZE PANELS, GHIBERTI'S GATES OF PARADISE,

WERE REVOLUTIONARY IN THEIR REALISM.

BY UTILIZING THE MATHEMATICAL LAWS OF PERSPECTIVE,

GHIBERTI HELPED GIVE THE ART WORLD

A WHOLE NEW DIMENSION -- DEPTH.

HE PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS: TO CREATE MAXIMUM THREE-DIMENSIONALITY.

THE TILES HAVE LINES: WHICH CONVERGE TO A VANISHING POINT.

THE BENCH IS FORE-SHORTENED TO EXTENUATE THE DEPTH.

ELEMENTS ARE ADDED TO ESTABLISH A FOREGROUND

DISTINCT FROM THE MIDDLE AND THE BACKGROUND.

THE EFFECT?

AS VIEWERS, WE BECOME PART OF THE SCENE.

WHILE THE PANELS, LIKE MOST OF THE ART

YOU SEE OUTSIDE, ARE COPIES,

THE ORIGINALS OF THE CATHEDRAL'S GREATEST TREASURES

ARE STORED SAFELY OUT OF THE ELEMENTS

IN THE ADJACENT CATHEDRAL MUSEUM.

AFTER NEARLY 150 YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION,

BRUNELLESCHI'S DOME WAS UP: AND THE CATHEDRAL WAS NEARLY COMPLETE.

THEN THEY BEGAN DECORATING THE INTERIOR WITH

THE FINEST ART OF THE DAY.

THE CATHEDRAL'S STATUES AND RELIEFS

SHOWED A REALISM AND EMOTION: UNPRECEDENTED IN EUROPEAN ART.

THE WORK OF DONATELLO WAS A GROUND-BREAKING EXAMPLE.

THIS BALCONY FOR THE CHOIR: CAPTURES THE EXUBERANCE OF THE AGE.

DANCING AND SWIRLING IN A REAL SPACE,

OBLIVIOUS TO THE COLUMNS, DONATELLO'S HAPPY ANGELS

CELEBRATE THE FREEDOM AND MOTION OF THIS NEW AGE.

SOME SAY DONATELLO INVENTED THE RENAISSANCE STYLE

THAT MICHELANGELO WOULD PERFECT HALF A CENTURY LATER.

HE WAS AN ECCENTRIC, INNOVATIVE, WORKAHOLIC MASTER

WHO LIT UP HIS STATUES WITH AN INNER SPIRITUALITY OR SOUL.

DONATELLO'S MARY MAGDALENE, CARVED OUT OF WOOD,

IS PROVOCATIVE, SHOCKINGLY REALISTIC.

THE PROSTITUTE, RESCUED FROM THE STREETS

BY JESUS, FOLDS HER HANDS IN PRAYER.

HER ONCE-BEAUTIFUL BODY HAS BEEN SCARRED

BY THE FIRES OF HER FASTING AND REMORSE.

WHILE HER PHYSICAL BODY IS NEGLECTED

AND HER EYES ARE HOLLOW, HER SPIRIT STANDS STRONG.

THE MUSEUM'S MOST FAMOUS PIECE, SCULPTED A GENERATION LATER,

IS THIS PIETA BY MICHELANGELO.

THE BROKEN BODY OF THE CRUCIFIED CHRIST

IS TENDED BY THREE MOURNERS --

HIS MOTHER MARY, MARY MAGDALENE,

AND NICODEMUS.

MICHELANGELO SCULPTED JESUS TALLER THAN LIFE.

NOTICE THE ZIG-ZAG OF HIS BODY.

THIS ACCENTUATES ITS WEIGHT, MAKING THE THEOLOGICAL POINT

OF THE STATUE CLEAR -- JESUS IS DEAD.

NICODEMUS IS A SELF-PORTRAIT OF THE 80-YEAR-OLD MICHELANGELO.

AFTER SPENDING A LIFETIME BRINGING STATUES TO LIFE,

MICHELANGELO REFLECTS TENDERLY UPON HIS SAVIOR,

LOOKING DOWN THOUGHTFULLY AT WHAT COULD BE

ONE OF HIS FINAL CREATIONS.

I'M MEETING MY FLORENTINE FRIEND TOMMASO

AT I FRATELLINI, A VENERABLE HOLE IN THE WALL

MUCH LOVED AMONG LOCALS FOR ITS TASTY SANDWICHES AND WINE

SOLD BY THE GLASS.

GRAZIE.

AND WHEN YOU'RE DONE, YOU LEAVE IT ON THE RACK.

BOY, IT'S INTENSE IN THE CITY.

YES, IT IS.

WELL, IF YOU WANT TO LEAVE THE TOURISTS,

LET'S CROSS THE RIVER: AND LET'S GO TO WHERE THE REAL FLORENTINES LIVE AND WORK.

WHERE'S THAT?

THE OLTRARNO AREA.

Steves: THERE'S MUCH MORE TO THIS TOWN THAN TOURISM,

AS YOU'LL QUICKLY FIND: IN THE CHARACTERISTIC BACK LANES OF THE OLTRARNO DISTRICT.

ARTISANS, BUSY AT WORK, OFFER A RARE OPPORTUNITY

TO SEE TRADITIONAL CRAFTSMANSHIP IN ACTION.

YOU'RE WELCOME TO JUST DROP IN TO LITTLE SHOPS,

BUT REMEMBER, IT'S POLITE TO GREET THE PROPRIETOR.

YOUR KEY PHRASE IS, "CAN I TAKE A LOOK?"

POSSO GUARDARE?

[ SPEAKS ITALIAN ] GRAZIE.

HERE IN THIS GREAT CITY OF ART,

THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF TREASURES IN NEED OF A LITTLE TLC.

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.

HOW OLD IS THIS PAINTING?

THIS IS A 17th-CENTURY PAINTING.

FROM FLORENCE?

MMM...WE DON'T KNOW.

IDEALLY, IT'S GENOA.

GENOA.

Steves: EACH SHOP ADDRESSES A NEED

WITH PASSION AND EXPERTISE.

FINE INSTRUMENTS DESERVE THE FINEST CARE.

GRAND PALACES SPARKLE WITH GOLD LEAF

THANKS TO THE DELICATE AND EXACTING SKILLS

OF CRAFTSPEOPLE LIKE THIS.

A SATISFYING WAY TO WRAP UP AN OLTRARNO EXPERIENCE

IS TO ENJOY A FLORENTINE STEAKHOUSE

WHICH ANY ITALIAN MEAT LOVER KNOWS MEANS CHIANINA BEEF.

THE QUALITY IS PROUDLY ON DISPLAY.

STEAKS ARE SOLD BY WEIGHT AND GENERALLY SHARED.

THE STANDARD SERVING IS ABOUT A KILO FOR TWO,

MEANING ABOUT A POUND PER PERSON.

SO, BOTH OF THOSE FOR FOUR PEOPLE.

YEAH.

Steves: THE PREPARATION IS SIMPLE AND WELL-ESTABLISHED.

GOOD LUCK IF YOU WANT IT WELL-DONE.

OH, LOOK AT THIS.

OH, BEAUTIFUL.

[ LAUGHS ]

CHIANINA BEEF.

OKAY, PERFECT.

SO, THE MEAT IS CALLED CHIANINA.

THAT'S ITS NAME,

BECAUSE IT COMES FROM THE CHIANTI.

OH, CHIANTI, OKAY.

EXACTLY.

AND TELL ME ABOUT THIS CONCEPT

OF THE GOOD MARRIAGE OF THE FOOD.

WELL, WHEN YOU HAVE A CHIANINA MEAT,

YOU WANT TO HAVE SOME CHIANTI WINE.

AND THEY GO TOGETHER WELL, THEY MARRY TOGETHER.

WE SAY SI SPOSA I BELLI.

SI SPOSA I BELLI, A GOOD MARRIAGE.

THE WINE IS FROM TUSCANY AND THE MEAT IS FROM TUSCANY.

EXACTLY, YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE A WINE FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.

Steves: WE'RE STAYING AT HOTEL LOGGIATO DEI SERVITI.

THIS SPIFFED-UP 16th-CENTURY MONASTERY

OFFERS A GOOD MIX OF CHARACTER AND COMFORT.

FROM THE UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE OF ITS LOUNGES

AND BREAKFAST ROOM,

STONE STAIRWAYS LEAD TO COMFORTABLE BEDROOMS.

ONCE THE CELLS OF MONKS, TODAY'S ROOMS,

WITH AIR-CONDITIONING, ANTIQUE FURNITURE,

AND MINI-BARS, WOULDN'T BE RECOGNIZED

BY THEIR ORIGINAL INHABITANTS.

A BLOCK AWAY IS ANOTHER MONASTERY,

WITH SIMPLER CELLS THAN OUR HOTEL, BUT BETTER ART.

THE MONASTERY OF SAN MARCO, WITH ITS PEACEFUL CLOISTER,

IS NOW A MUSEUM, WELCOMING THE PUBLIC

TO ENJOY THE GREATEST COLLECTION OF FRESCOES

AND PAINTINGS BY FRA ANGELICO.

WORKING IN THE MID-1400s,

FRA ANGELICO, EQUAL PARTS MONK AND PAINTER,

FUSED MEDIEVAL SPIRITUALITY WITH EARLY RENAISSANCE TECHNIQUES.

IN THIS PAINTING, HE CREATES A REALISTIC SCENE

SET IN WHAT MANY CONSIDER: THE FIRST GREAT RENAISSANCE LANDSCAPE.

CHRIST IS MOURNED BY BOTH HALOED SAINTS

AND CONTEMPORARY FLORENTINES.

THE SCENE IS HOLY, BUT RATHER THAN IN HEAVEN,

IT'S SET ON A LAWN IN TUSCANY,

AMONG REAL TREES AND PEOPLE.

THE MONKS LIVED ABOVE THE CLOISTER,

AND GREETING THEM AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS

WAS FRA ANGELICO'S SUBLIME ANNUNCIATION.

THE QUIET BEAUTY AND EXQUISITE DETAIL

IN THESE 500-YEAR OLD FRESCOS CAN PUT EVEN A BUSY TOURIST

IN A PEACEFUL AND REFLECTIVE STATE OF MIND.

THE HALLS ARE LINED WITH MONKS' CELLS,

EACH WITH A SINGLE MEDITATION-ENHANCING FRESCO.

STUDYING THESE RELIGIOUS SCENES,

WE CAN SEE HOW FRA ANGELICO THOUGHT OF PAINTING

AS A FORM OF PRAYER AND WHY IT'S SAID

HE COULDN'T PAINT A CRUCIFIX WITHOUT SHEDDING TEARS.

THIS IS THE CELL OF SAVONAROLA,

THE CHARISMATIC MONK WHO, BY GIVING FIERY SERMONS

DENOUNCING THE DECADENCE OF THE RENAISSANCE,

THREW OUT THE MEDICI AND FOR A TIME

TURNED FLORENCE INTO A THEOCRACY.

RULING THE CITY,

HE ORDERED "BONFIRES OF THE VANITIES,"

IN WHICH HIS FOLLOWERS WOULD COLLECT AND BURN JEWELRY,

FLESHY PAINTINGS -- ANYTHING DECADENT,

MODERN, OR HUMANISTIC.

EVEN THE FLORENTINE PAINTER BOTTICELLI GOT CAUGHT UP

IN THIS MORALISTIC HYSTERIA, TOSSING SOME OF HIS

"DECADENT" PAINTINGS ONTO THE FIRES OF SAVONAROLA.

FINALLY, WHEN FLORENCE DECIDED IT PREFERRED THE RENAISSANCE

TO A CHURCH-SPONSORED RETURN TO THE DARK AGES,

SAVONAROLA HIMSELF WAS BURNED.

TODAY'S FLORENCE COULD PROVIDE PLENTY OF DECADENCE

FOR A SAVONAROLA RANT,

BUT IF YOU WANT TO ENJOY A SPLASH OF MATERIALISM

OR JUST APPRECIATE THE FINE SYMMETRY

OF ITALIAN WINDOW DISPLAYS,

FLORENCE CAN FILL THE BILL.

FOR SHOPPERS, FLORENCE MEANS HIGH QUALITY

AND TOP FASHIONS.

WANDERING THROUGH MEDIEVAL STREETS

WHILE BEING TEMPTED BY A SEDUCTIVE ARRAY

OF FINE FASHION AND ITALIAN DESIGN

CAN MAKE FOR A DELIGHTFUL AFTERNOON.

THE PONTE VECCHIO, OR OLD BRIDGE,

HAS BEEN BUSY WITH SHOPPERS SINCE BEFORE THE RENAISSANCE.

JEWELRY IS A FLORENTINE SPECIALTY.

THE BRIDGE IS LINED WITH GOLD AND SILVER SHOPS,

A TRADITION THAT GOES BACK CENTURIES.

NEARBY, THE MEDICI FAMILY RULED FLORENCE

FROM THIS GRAND PALACE, THE PALAZZO VECCHIO.

THEIR OFFICES,

OR UFFIZI, WERE NEXT DOOR.

NOW THESE OFFICES HOLD THE FINEST COLLECTION

OF ITALIAN PAINTINGS ANYWHERE -- THE UFFIZI GALLERY.

EACH DAY HERE AND THROUGHOUT EUROPE,

FRUSTRATED TOURISTS WHO DON'T STUDY THEIR GUIDEBOOKS

WASTE PRECIOUS HOURS: IN MUSEUM LINES.

MEANWHILE, TRAVELERS WHO MADE A RESERVATION BY PHONE

OR PURCHASED THE CITY MUSEUM PASS,

AS WE DID, ARE ALLOWED RIGHT IN.

THE UFFIZI'S COLLECTION,

DISPLAYED ON ONE COMFORTABLE FLOOR,

TAKES YOU ON A SWEEP THROUGH ITALIAN ART HISTORY

FROM THE 12th THROUGH THE 17th CENTURY.

GILDED GOTHIC ALTARPIECES, LIKE THIS ANNUNCIATION BY THE SIENESE MASTER SIMONE MARTINI,

MUST HAVE DAZZLED THE FAITHFUL IN THE 1300s.

THE STARS OF THE FLORENTINE CLASS OF 1500 ARE ALL HERE.

LEONARDO DA VINCI'S ANNUNCIATION IS EXQUISITE.

MICHELANGELO'S HOLY FAMILY SHOWS

HE CAN DO MORE THAN CARVE STATUES.

AND RAPHAEL, CONSIDERED A SYNTHESIS

OF THE POWER OF MICHELANGELO AND THE GRACE OF LEONARDO,

CAPTURES A DELICATE MOMENT IN HIS MADONNA OF THE GOLD FINCH.

AND THE COLLECTION FOLLOWS ART AFTER THE RENAISSANCE

WITH MASTERPIECES LIKE PARMIGIANINO'S

SLIPPERY LADY WITH THE LONG NECK.

FOR ME, THE UFFIZI, LIKE FLORENCE ITSELF,

IS ALL ABOUT THE THRILLING LEAP FROM MEDIEVAL TO MODERN,

AS HAPPENED WHEN EUROPE MOVED FROM GOTHIC TO RENAISSANCE.

THESE ALTARPIECES ARE GOTHIC.

BEING PRE-RENAISSANCE,

THEY SIMPLY TELL THEIR STORY: THROUGH SYMBOLISM RATHER THAN REALISM.

THE GOLD-LEAF SKY ISN'T REALISTIC,

BUT IT IMPLIES A RICH AND HOLY SETTING.

THE ANGELS ARE STACKED LIKE A TOTEM POLE.

FLANKING THIS CROSS, PANELS LIKE PAINTED PAGES

TELL THE STORY OF THE CRUCIFIXION,

BUT WITH LITTLE SENSE OF DEPTH.

YET, ARTISTS WERE TRYING.

TO SHOW JESUS' HEAD LEANING OUT,

IT ACTUALLY DOES.

GIOTTO, WHILE STILL GOTHIC,

IS OFTEN CONSIDERED THE FIRST MODERN PAINTER.

NOTICE THE PROGRESS.

HIS MORE REALISTIC SETTING PLACES MARY AND BABY JESUS

ON A THRONE OCCUPYING A BELIEVABLE SPACE.

THE KNEELING ANGELS IN FRONT AND PEEK-A-BOO SAINTS BEHIND

CREATE AN ILLUSION OF DEPTH.

IF THE RENAISSANCE WAS: A FOUNDATION OF OUR MODERN WORLD,

A FOUNDATION OF THE RENAISSANCE WAS CLASSICAL ART.

SCULPTORS, PAINTERS, AND POETS ALIKE

TURNED TO ANCIENT WORK FOR INSPIRATION.

2,000-YEAR-OLD ROMAN AND GREEK STATUES LIKE THESE

DECORATED GARDENS OF THE WEALTHY.

THIS ANCIENT ART WAS CONSIDERED THE EPITOME OF BEAUTY.

KINGS MADE COPIES OF IT.

NAPOLEON STOLE HIS FAVORITE PIECES.

IN THE 19th CENTURY, YOUNG ARISTOCRATS

ON THE GRAND TOUR CAME HERE AND SWOONED.

DURING THE RENAISSANCE, AS IN THE ANCIENT WORLD,

PEOPLE SAW THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE BEAUTY, ORDER,

AND HARMONY OF THE HUMAN BODY, GOD'S GREATEST CREATION.

CLASSICAL STATUES CLEARLY INSPIRED SANDRO BOTTICELLI.

FOR ME, HIS BIRTH OF VENUS IS THE PUREST EXPRESSION

OF RENAISSANCE BEAUTY.

THE GODDESS OF LOVE, BORN FROM THE FOAM OF A WAVE,

IS JUST WAKING UP.

BOTTICELLI COMBINES THE BEAUTY OF NATURE AND THE HUMAN BODY.

THE HANDS, WINGS, AND ROBE MINGLE WITH THE WIND.

WITH VENUS' FLYAWAY HAIR, THE AIRY SPACIOUSNESS

OF THE DISTANT HORIZON, AND THE FLOWERS,

CAUGHT AT THE PEAK OF THEIR BEAUTY,

TUMBLING IN SLOW MOTION, THE WORLD ITSELF

IS FRESH AND NEWBORN.

BOTTICELLI'S PRIMAVERA, ORSPRINGTIME,

SHOWS THE RENAISSANCE FINALLY IN FULL BLOOM.

THE WARM WINDS BLOW IN,

CAUSING FLORA TO SPROUT FLOWERS FROM HER LIPS.

MEANWHILE, THE FIGURE OF SPRING SPREADS PETALS FROM HER DRESS,

THE THREE GRACES DANCE,

A BLINDFOLDED CUPID HAPPILY SPRAYS HIS LITTLE ARROWS,

AND IN THE CENTER STANDS A FERTILE VENUS,

THE CLASSICAL GODDESS OF LOVE.

VISITING FLORENCE LEAVES LOVERS OF ART

AND GOOD LIVING WITH RICH MEMORIES,

AND WHILE MUCH OF THE GREAT ART OF THE RENAISSANCE REMAINS HERE,

THE INFLUENCE OF THAT CULTURAL EXPLOSION,

THE FLORENTINE RENAISSANCE,

REVERBERATES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD,

AND FOR THAT, WE CAN BE THANKFUL.

I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED OUR LOOK

AT THE ARTISTIC SPLENDORS OF FLORENCE.

LET'S EXPLORE MORE OF THIS GREAT CITY

AND MORE OF EUROPE TOGETHER AGAIN SOON.

UNTIL THEN, I'M RICK STEVES.

KEEP ON TRAVELIN'.

CIAO.

THIS TIME, WE LOOK AT THE CITY THAT PULLED EUROPE

OUT OF THE MIDDLE AGES AND INTO THE DARK AGES -- SIENNA.

FLORENCE.

FLORENCE.

THAT'S SUPERMAN COMING.

[ MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ]

[ MUSIC PLAYING ON LAPTOP ]

Man: THIS IS AFTER ONLY TWO WEEKS ON THE ROAD.

IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A MONTH.

IT'S THE WORLD WITH A PRETTY MELODY.