Ciao again!
On Monday, June 2nd Brother Rob took our class on a day trip to Fiesole, Italy. This small town lies roughly a 30-minute bus ride away from the center of Florence and is truly a hidden gem with wondrous views on the way up. Upon arrival, we got a glimpse of a small market that is always open on Italy’s Independence Day–and I set myself a mission to replace sunglasses that had randomly broken the other day.
But first, we followed our professor on a short hike that led to probably the most breathtaking view of Florence and the greater Tuscany region, followed by exploration of the charming yet hidden San Francesco monastery.
Once home to an ancient civilization known as the Etruscans, this monastery is still actually inhabited by monks to this day–which surprised me considering their living quarters. I did not photograph their rooms, but imagine a very small rectangular room with nothing but a wooden slab on stilts for a bed, a small wooden desk, and a very plain, cramped chair. I was incredibly fascinated by monks’ vows of poverty and their simplistic lifestyle in general; it prompted me to reflect on my own privileges and freedoms that I have access to on a daily basis.
The monastery’s cloisters also caught my attention; Not only were the brick columns and arches surrounding a glistening garden home to gorgeous pink flowers, but I was suddenly brought back into New York, and I was standing in the Cloisters of The Met. Before this trip I was unaware of what Franciscan architecture consisted of, and felt enlightening to have realized that this repeated style of construction was purposeful.
Fiesole is certainly a location in Florence that I would not have thought to visit had I been traveling alone. I am so grateful that I was able to discover a new town in the outskirts of Florence and thoroughly appreciate the newfound knowledge that allows me to make connections between familiar and seemingly unfamiliar places around the world!
Enjoy some of the photos I attached of Fiesole and the monastery below! :)
Grazie,
Natalia
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