Built by Cosimo Medici for his wife and children, the gigantic palazzo houses one of the biggest gardens in all of Italy alongside an expansive museum, which plays hosts to many of the personal artifacts the Medici possessed.
My goal was first to tackle the gardens.
I packed up and marched to the Pitti Palace bright and early in the morning to begin my adventurous expedition.
I ended up having to wait in this ghastly entrance line:
Filthy peons!
Ok, it wasn't that bad...
Before actually entering the gardens, I was welcomed by an inner grotto that was tremendous.
Grotto Entrance
After viewing this preliminary sight, I headed up towards the gardens.
On the way, two dynamic sculptures stood mightily:
As I first laid eyes onto the garden, I was immediately struck by how dynamic the entrance was:
You could view the many iconic Florentine sights from here:
In the middle of the park stood a tall obelisk built from Egypt, which was specifically brought to Italy for the gardens.
The Medici family wanted to posses the finest materials from the world over, so having such sculptures displayed was something they took much pride in.
I have absolutely no clue why a gigantic tub was just sitting in the middle of the park. It's not like the Medici would have family baths, or would they?
As I continued up, I took a small detour, which would turn out to envelope the next few hours.
It led me down a path which took me to a very different part of the Gardens.
I encountered this sign:
The Bardini Gardens are a smaller, more intimate garden just adjacent to the Boboli Gardens.
Ok, a 5 minute walk wouldn't be too bad...
After my 5 minute trek, I encountered another, very truthful sign:
After what was more like a 15 minute stroll, I finally arrived to the Bardini Gardens.
The Gardens turned out to be quite splendid.
There was this amazing statue situated deep in the garden that took my breath away.
On one side you have this:
While on the other side:
The morphing of the two figures is done so brilliantly well. It's natural, yet artistic. Also, the material used gives the sculpture a robust, vivid persona. Creative stuff...
As I was exploring the gardens, I stumbled upon a very nice restaurant nestled deep within. It also provided a phenomenal panoramic view of Florence.
Florence Vista
I stopped by for a break, where I ordered a very much Italian Lasagna:
After recuperating my energy, I continued forth.
Due its offbeat location, not many people really visit the Bardini gardens, but it really is worthwhile and quite atmospheric.
Check out this wicked clay sculpture:
There was also this beautiful mini-waterfall tucked underneath one of the many paths:
Mini Waterfall
I'd like to see man recreate that!
After fully experiencing the Bardini Gardens, I started towards the exit to continue my exploration of the Boboli Gardens.
But on the way, I noticed a small exhibition being held in a villa nearby. It was a Caravaggio exhibition alongside a plethora of Modern artworks inspired by the Italian master.
Why not?
Unfortunately, no photos were allowed and every time I reached anywhere near my bag this paranoid security guard would begin eyeballing me. I guess it made her feel important or something...
The exhibition turned out to be quite interesting, but oddly enough they only housed one Caravaggio painting. Great marketing...
Regardless, some of the other artworks turned be quite magnificent, specifically the paintings by Mattia Pretti.
The images online do not capture the incredible skin tone painted onto the figures. They're painted with a very pale skin tone alongside a captivating tint of a light blue texture. It's quite odd, yet enthralling. Although I'd never heard of Pretti prior to this exhibition, I'm now a fully fledged devotee.
On the upper floor, the villa showcased a variety of fashion pieces from a famous Italian designer. Since I'm no expert in the art of Fashion, all the amazing artistic quality in the designs totally went over my head. Although it was interesting to see, fashion is really isn't my cup of tea.
After the exhibition I returned to the Boboli Gardens where I continued to reach higher ground.
I walked by this weird archway that didn't know which way it wanted to go:
They were some worthwhile views along the way.
A striking pond for Poseidon was placed near the center of the garden:
They were also Ducks!
And....Fishes!
I finally reached the highest peak where all the climbing, twisting, and endless steps seemed sooo worth it:
I was able record some incredible footage of the landscape:
Florence Countryside 1
Florence Countryside 2
It was downright ethereal to see this huge landscape of nature blossoming right before me.
To my left was the populated city of Florence, yet to my right, nature reigned.
They say this high vista was used by the royal family and various military leaders to survey the land and watch for any incoming invaders or potential threats.
Again, imagination runs wild when viewing such fantastical sights and almost any magical scenario turns into reality here. Really amazing stuff...
I love how everyone obeys the rules (just like the Duomo):
On the right, there was a little house showcasing classical Italian china and such...
Although I have .03% interest in china, my Mom adores such things, so I quickly snapped some shots of the exhibition:
Fastest tour ever BTW!
With time slowly ticking away and only half of the Gardens charted, I decided that a second venture in the Boboli Gardens would be necessary.
As leisurely made my out of the green maze, I did stop past some worthwhile monuments:
Ares!!!
There was a modern sculpture placed on the far side of the park that was actually done very well:
Here's a pretty good shot of Pitti Palace from behind:
They say this area was used as a parking of sorts, with numerous guests placing their carriages and such within this vicinity.
There was also ANOTHER random bathtub in the middle of nowhere:
Again, I have no clue what they used this one for either.
They look totally out of place!
I also stopped by this sign:
I couldn't help myself, so I went down the forbidden path and encountered this odd sculpture:
I'm not so sure it was worth it...
The final place, located just before the exit, was the Grotta di Buontalenti:
This is, without question, one of the finest things I've seen since studying here in Italy:
The sense of depth, ingenuity, and creative thought put into the construction of such a work is downright unfathomable.
Here's the thing, when you first look upon the various walls, you notice only the obvious figures. Yet as you continue to look on, other images begin to surface. Numerous animals, faces, and other morphing sculptures become apparent.
Before you know it, your encompassed in little world where earthly symbolism is pervasive all around you.
Grotta di Buontalenti Part 1
Grotta di Buontalenti Part 2
It was also said that when sunlight would seep through the roof, the light would bring specific figures and sculptures to fruition. Water would also be pumped in, allowing the grotto to become a fountain.
This is one of the most memorable places I've ever visited and a classic testament to the brilliance of the Renaissance period.
On the way out, I was left with a very humorous statue of Babino, the court dwarf of the Medici family:
Although it's actually a replica, the statue has become quite famous due it's ridiculous imagery.
What a way to end the day, eh?
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