1st Sunday

Sunday. Church bells ringing all over the city. After another good breakfast in the hotel dining room, 9:30 mass at San Lorenzo. About 30 people attended. The service was roughly 30 minutes long, in Italian of course, but fairly easy to follow with the order of service I picked up as we found our seats. 

San Lorenzo (the name, but not this structure) is the oldest of Florence's churches. It dates to the mid 4th century. This building was designed by Brunelleschi (inventor of modern 2-point perspective, architect of the Duomo's dome, the Pazzi Chapel at Santa Croce, the Ospidale degli Innocente, Santo Spirito ... you get the idea) in the early to mid quattrocento (the 1400s). There's a large sculpture of Brunelleschi across the street from the rear of the Duomo. He is seated, looking up at his accomplishment, the dome. He's a superstar here.

Michelangelo designed a facade for the church, but nothing has ever been done there, so naked brick is all we see. The interior is stunning.

YAHOOOOOO!! I may have to recant about Italy not having enough gluten free stuff. This cornetto con crema is made with rice flour. Grazie, Gran Caffe San Marco. Oh, how sweet it is.