Thursday, March 31, 2005

ITALY

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A Carnivale reveler poses for a photograph in Venice.


One of the most famous views of Venice from the Grand Canal.


Detail of a house, Venice.


Built in 1591, The Rialto bridge was the only way to cross Venice's Grand Canal until 1854. Providing one of the most striking views of the canal, the interior is lined with shops.


The Palazzo Ducale, which used to house the rulers of Venice, appears to float on air, its massive bulk supported by a laticework of stone loggias and arcades.


Mixing West and East, Venice's Basilica di San Marco, seen here from the rear courtyard, is one of the most beautiful structures in Europe. St. Mark's body rests inside.


Detail of a house, Venice.


A small girl plays with the pigeons in Venice's Piazzo San Marco.


Venice under snowfall.


Just outside of Venice's Piazza San Marco, Harry's Bar was a famous haunt of such authors as Henry James and Ernest Hemingway.


Venice's Santa Maria della Salute, a church supported above the water by thousands of wooden pylons.


A Venician gondelier. Gondeliers do not apply for the job--they are passed down through the generations.


A Venician gondelier waits in his boat for the fog to lift.


Venice's Bridge of Sighs was built as a passage-way between the Palazzo Ducale, where prisoners were tried, and the prison. The small windows afforded thier last views of the outside world; hence the name.


A Venician gondola moves from the shadows into the brilliant setting sun.


A gondola, which costs as much as a German luxury car, bobs in Grand Canal, Venice.


From the top of Basilica di San Marco's campanile one can enjoy sublime views of Venice and, on clear days, the Alps. This is, obviously, not one of those days.


Detail of gondolas, Venice.


Venice's Piazza San Marco, described by Napoleon as the "most elegant drawing room in Europe."


Window, Venice.


Gondelier, Venice.


A priest relaxes with a book on the Vatican steps, Rome.


Detail of the Trevi fountain. According to myth, a coin thrown over the sholder and into the water ensures a return trip to Rome.


Capable of holding up to 55,000 people, the Roman Colosseum was home to deadly gladitorial combats, wild animal fights, and, when flooded, even naval battles!


Detail of the Arch of Septimius Severus, the Roman Forum.


The gorgeous "Flavian Lady" at the Capitoline Museum, Rome.


The buildings of the Roman Forum, "main street" of ancient Rome.


Piazza San Pietro as seen from the top of St. Peter's Basilica; the Vatican.


A view of the Palatine, once the resisence of the emperors; Rome.


The Pantheon, Rome's best preserved ancient building, was a temple to all the gods; now a Catholic church.


The magnificent "Dying Gaul" at the Capitoline Museums, Rome.


Two watchful Carabinieri officers, Rome.


A woman begs for money on the streets of Rome.


The Leaning Tower of Piza is seen creeping out from behind the city's Duomo for which it was originally built to complement but now overshadows.


The Leaning Tower of Piza from which Galileo once conducted his famous experiments on the velocity of falling objects.


The delicious white, green, and pink marbled Duomo of Florence, the fourth largest cathedral in Europe, is topped by Brunelleschi's magnificent dome.


Storm clouds enshroud one of the many statues that line the historic Piazza della Signoria in Florence.


Michelangelo was only 29 when he chisled the breathtaking and colossal "David" -- The Galleria dell' Accademia, Florence.


The Campanile, the bell tower of Florence's stunning Duomo, overlooks the city.


Statue, Vicenza.


Manarola, the Cinque Terre.


A lone fisherman navigates the waters off Manarola.


Vernazza is one of five towns in the Cinque Terre perched dramatically along the side of cliffs. Self-contained, no roads lead to or connect the towns. Each is accessible only by foot, train or sea.


Detail of boats, Cinque Terre.


A small girl leans against a boat in the Cinque Terre town of Vernazza.


One of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world, Milan's stunning Duomo took 500 years to complete.


A worshiper in Milan's Duomo.


The glass ceiling and dome covering Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, an ornate shopping arcade. The designer, Giuseppe Mengoni, fell to his death from this spot shortly before construction was completed.


Leonardo di Vinci considered this massive statue his finest work. However, it was never made during his lifetime. Using his original notebooks, sculptors recently helped di Vinci's horse greet visitors to Milan.


Milan's Duomo.


Candles burn inside Milan's Duomo.


The extraordinary rooftop of Milan's Duomo is covered by 135 spires, innumerable statues, and gargoyles.


A courtyard of Milan's imposing Castello Sforzesco, the interior of which is decorated by Michelangelo and di Vinci.


Caribineri officers, Milan.


A stone angel perches atop Milan's Duomo.


Pigeons taunt an irritated marble lion in front of Milan's Duomo.

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

MAGNIFICENT. Truly breathtaking, thanks once again for sharing...

Beth

6:07 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I chose the EXACT same angle for the Pantheon. Unfortunately, it was a Kodak disposable.

3:45 PM  
Blogger @MoonyTj said...

Hi Brandon!!!

I loved this set!!!... you are really good in both, color and black and white!... It's hard to choose a favorite...

Grettings
Mony

8:46 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Brandon,
You know I have told you before to get this published. You have such an eye for beauty. You take a picture at just the right angle. I love your work. You must really get paid for these works of art. You could move into a much larger apartment, lol.
Andrea

8:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

These really are beautiful photographs! I recently came back from Italy and it was a pleasure to see how you captured all those wonderful moments.

4:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your pictures of the Italian landscape reveal the romantic in you!

2:04 PM  

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