Highlight pictures - Orvieto

Orvieto is situated in Umbria on a flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff. Its site is among the most dramatic in Europe, rising above the almost-vertical faces of cliffs that are topped by defensive walls built of the same volcanic stone,Tufa.

I first saw Orvieto in 2014. It was across the valley from a winery I was visiting as part of my Rick Steves’ tour. It looked amazing. Now in 2015 I had a chance to actually visit it and look upon the surrounding landscape from the opposite direction.

Here is what I saw a year ago in May 2014:

A year later I got to visit!

 

It was, quite simply, amazing.

(A separate post will deal with that cathedral that you see.)

Click on these pictures.  You will be glad you did

Yum Yum Yum - L'Officina del Gelato

Consider the following:

• chocolate hazelnut
• melon
• pineapple
• lemon
• kiwi
• coconut
• dark chocolate
• strawberry
• raspberry

What do all these things have in common?

Answer: They are all flavours of gelato I tried – on just this trip! 

And, I must confess, some of these I also had more than once. 

PS - BEST gelato made even more incredible by the friendliest, best and exceptional service.  If you're ever in Orvieto, go to this establishment!

 

Highlight photos - Cortona

Cortona is one of Tuscany's loveliest spots. It sits high on a the crest of Mont Sant'Egidio and offers incredible views of the surrounding landscape. Its historic centre retains its medieval character. No surprise it is here that author Frances Mayes lives, and is the setting of both the novel and film, “Under the Tuscan Sun”.

This is truly one of the most beautiful places on the face of this beautiful earth. I count it a blessing to have seen it. 

This, just a fleeting visit, means Cortona is definitely on my list of destinations to which I hope to return, nay a destination to which I MUST return. 

Do click on these for enhanced viewing.   :)

Church of Santa Margherita

Above Cortona at the top of its hill lies the church of Santa Margherita. It was built upon the site of a small 11^th century church originally constructed by the Camaldolesi monks and dedicated to San Basilio. It was damaged during the sack of Cortona in 1258 and reconstructed in 1288. Santa Margherita died in 1297 at the back of this little church where she had lived the last years of her life. After her death, the little church was rebuilt in her honour and this was the result. Her body is preserved here in a silver casket.

Santa Margherita had a remarkable life. She was born of farming parents, in Laviano, a tiny village. At the age of seven, Margaret's mother died and her father remarried. Little love was shared between stepmother and stepdaughter and she had a hard time of it. As she grew older she became rebellious, wilful and reckless. At the age of 17 she met a young man--according to some accounts, the son of Gugliemo di Pecora, lord of Valiano--and she ran away with him. Soon Margaret found herself installed in the castle, not as his wife, for that would never be allowed since she came of farming stock, but as his mistress. For ten years she lived with him and bore him a son. Some day, he had promised her, they would be married, but that never happened.

One sad day her lover's favourite hound returned alone from a journey. Eventually it led Margaret into the forest to his murdered body. This crime shocked Margaret into a life of prayer and penance. She returned to his family all the gifts he had given her and left his home. With her child, she returned to her father's house but her stepmother cast her out. Margaret and her son then went to the Franciscan friars at Cortona, where her son eventually became a friar. In 1277, after three years of probation, Saint Margaret joined the Third Order of Saint Francis. She chose to live in poverty and devoted her life to helping the sick, single mothers, homeless and impoverished. She was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII on 16 May 1728.

Note the glow of the relic. This was only seen in the photographs. This phenomenon was remarked on by others in the group as well. It is true. Uncanny.

Santa Margherita is the patron saint of unwed mothers; homeless; insane; orphaned; mentally ill; midwives; penitents; single mothers; reformed prostitutes; stepchildren; tramps.

The square in front of the church enjoys a spectacular view of the Tuscan landscape. Here we enjoyed a bit of wine. 

Life is good.

Siena Cathedral

Siena Cathedral, Aka Santa Maria Assunta: Holy Mary, Our Lady of the Assumption. 

 

What to say? Wow. SUCH a beautiful and striking cathedral with both its exterior and interior decoration of white and greenish-black marble in alternating stripes, and its red marble on its façade. Black and white are the symbolic colours of Siena, which links back to the black and white horses of the legendary city's founders, Senius and Aschius.

The inlaid marble mosaic floor – created between the 14^th & 16^th centuries is one of the most remarkable floors I have ever seen and one of the most ornate in all of Italy. Forty artisans were involved in its creation which consist of 56 panels in different sizes. However only a selection are on display at any one time, allowing the others to be protected. Those on display are cordoned off. 

 

So blessed to have had the opportunity to see these utterly incredible floor mosaics. The photos (just a wee selection) really, really don't do them justice. I haven't reminded you for a while, but click on them for best viewing.  Also, more pictures following a bit more text further along.  :)

 

Chapel of Saint John

In this chapel is a bronze statue of St. John the Baptist by renowned Italian artist Donatello and a 15th-century baptismal font. There are also eight frescoes by Pinturicchio, painted 1504-1505. (Two are repainted in the 17th century and a third was completely replaced in 1868.)The original paintings in the chapel are: Nativity of John the Baptist, John the Baptist in the desert and John the Baptist preaching. He also painted two portraits: Aringhieri with the cloak of the Order of the Knights of Malta and Kneeling Knight in Armour. 

The Piccolomini Altar

This is the work of Lombard sculptor Andrea Bregno in 1483 and is remarkable because of the four sculptures in the lower niches, made by the young Michelangelo between 1501 and 1504: Saint Peter, Saint Paul, Saint Gregory and Saint Pius. On top of the altar is the Madonna and Child, a sculpture attributed to Jacopo della Quercia.