Even with thousands of tourists crammed into its small historic center, Florence, Italy, is stunningly beautiful. But without the crowds? Without the crowds, its beauty can be appreciated more fully. At least that’s what I discovered when I visited the birthplace of the Renaissance in the first weeks after Italy’s COVID-19 lockdown ended. I saw features of the massive Duomo that I had never noticed before. I was able to walk along the Ponte Vecchio without being jostled by throngs of other people crossing the iconic bridge. I was able to capture images in the historic center that have been impossible to shoot on any of my other stays in Florence.

Of course, my good fortune came at the misfortune of Italy’s economy. I visited Florence before Italy’s borders re-opened. The city’s restaurants, shops and numerous historic sites – in Florence and throughout the rest of Italy - had been closed for more than two months and face an anemic tourist season this year. It is a frightening prospect for business owners. The reality of the number of lives lost during this pandemic and the economic toll that Italy and much of the rest of the world will feel for many months to come cast a shadow over my recent visit to Florence. At the same time, I know visiting the city, eating lunch at my favorite restaurant there and shopping a bit before heading back to Lucca is one way I can help the economy.

Every time I go to Florence, I spend time walking around the Duomo – always in awe. The colors of the marble on the facade, the mosaics, the stonework, it all amazes me. I have always thought that I could study the Duomo for years and not see everything there is to see – and my recent trip proved me right. And I didn’t even go inside this time.

Outside, under a beautiful blue sky, on one side of the facade, I saw a small (compared to the rest of the structure) arch-shaped opening in the green marble. Visible through the opening were metal bars and a light. Then I noticed several much smaller slits in various stones. How long have they been there? I don’t know. But I’ve rarely been able to walk so close to the building on all sides before to even see these intricacies.

On the other side of the Duomo, the lack of crowds afforded me the opportunity to walk right up to the wood doors on that flank of the structure. One, I learned later, is the Canon’s Door, and includes Hebrew writing. The carvings on this door and its partner door are intricate and beautiful. The Hebrew writing apparently was included to welcome people from what at one time was a large Jewish Ghetto in Florence.

There is so much to see on and in the Duomo that I plan to return soon to Florence for further study. And while visitors from outside of Italy might not get to the city before tourists begin to return en masse, there is one way to see the outside of the structure with few people around. I did it on my first trip to Florence many years ago: Get up before the sun rises and go to the historic center. You won’t be able to enter any of the buildings, but you will be able to see them without crowds of people standing between you and the façades. I think the fact that I did that so long ago is one reason I am drawn to return to the Duomo again and again to be amazed by its magnificence.  -post by Judy