Picturesque Montefegasi village in Tuscany

Magnificent inspiring Italy .

 At over 800 metres above sea level, Montefegatesi is one of many impressive, picturesque hill villages within the Comune of Bagni di Lucca in Tuscany. The village is pretty, set right on the peak of the mountain with small stone houses covering it's peak.

   

          

Weave through the meandering cobbled narrow streets of this remote village to the vista with amazing 360 degree mountain views and a surprise of a monument to the renown poet Dante.  We arrived in the village  in late afternoon, the sun was setting down and the clouds were rising up. And we were the lonely spectators of this magnificent play of clouds and the light. Constantly changing view.

 Down below was Tereglio, another spectacular village of Tuscany. And we could see how it is by ever changing scenery disappearing into the clouds.

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Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Florence is a wonder and there is something special about it. You have to be there to feel the magic and the beauty and the art in everything you see. It has a rich history. Florence flourished in the 15th century, under the leadership of Cosimo de Medici it became the most important center of artistic and intellectual achievement. The Medicis oversaw Florence most prominent periods.

This panorama is from Piazzale Michaelangelo with magnifiecant view of Florence and the Duomo.

The Ponte Vecchio (old bridge) over Arno river was built in Roman times but after floods destroyed the bridge, it was rebuild in 1345 in the way you can see it today.  Over it's arcades runs Vasari's concealed passageway. The bridge's present-day shops, merchants and dealers can come as a shock on this historical landmark, but the Ponte Vecchio has always been loaded with stores like those now propped over the water.

The Duomo or Cattedrale di SantaMaria del Fiore. When Arnolfo di Cambio was commissioned to erect a cathedral he was told to build it so magnificent that it would be "impossible to make it either better or more beautiful with the industry and power of man". I think he succeeded. The Duomo with it's ornate decoration looks unbelievable. Such a work of art in all respects.

The Campanile - the cathedral's bell-tower. You can climb up to the summit, the parapet at the top of the tower offers a wonderful viewpoint.

The entrance door to the Duomo with it's magnificent ornate carvings and beautiful mural painting.

Florence's fortress-like town hall, the Palazzo Vecchio was begun in 13th century, but in the current shape it was formed in 1540. At the entrance to the palace there is Michelangelo's sculpture of David. To the right there big open plan building with many other beautiful sculptures of famous arstists.

 

 Couple of images from the old city of Florence. So it is a lovely place to go to.

©  Sigitas Baltramaitis All Rights Reserved

Baltramaitis collection of images

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Lithuania

 

Here are some of my pictures from my motherland Lithuania taken around 1987-1991. It is a beautiful country with modest and creative people. It is the land still to be discovered by general public in the world.

The old city of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Saint Jonas' church and tower in the distance.

 Saint Ana's gothic church in Vilnius admired by so many.

Cathedral in Vilnius.

Very popular in Lithuania to erect by the road carved sculptures by the folk artists.

Old wooden church in a small village of Paberze in the very middle of Lithuania.

The reburial of Saint Kazimieras remains.

Folk artist in his home.

The independence movement in 1989.

Nemunas the biggest river in Lithuania and below some Lithuanian landscapes.

Small Ula river and small wooden hut decorated with folk art sculptures.

Sunrise in the forest.

Cross placed on Satrija mountain, one of the highest in Lithuania.

One of those beautiful Lithuanian lakes.

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Pisa, Italy

I visited  magnifecent Italy few times, usually just for a brief visit. The last time I went there for ten days and immensely enjoyed. I went there with my car, so together with my friends we had a wonderful opportunity to go some even remote places. We focused mostly on poetic Tuscany this time and it was a good decision. Here I included some pictures from Pisa.

Main tourist attraction there, of course, is the Duomo (cathedral) and Torre Pendente (leaning tower). The Duomo, begun in the mid 11th century, is the definition of Pisan-Romanesque architectural style. Below you can see different shots of it.

 

In the bigger picture you would be able to see the moon over the spike of this structure.

Here is also the moon in the sky. It always amazes me to see the moon in the middle of the day.

The leaning tower of Pisa is known for most people of the world. Even if it stood straight, it's delicate arcade would make it one of Italy's most important monuments, but tilt makes it very special, unique and attractive. So many people from all around the world while taking pictures of themselves next to it trying to pretend that they are straightening the tower. It is fun to watch it.

 Here My son is running away from the tower. For me it is funny because in the picture it looks as if he is running from already falling tower.

 

The Capitoline Wolf is a bronze sculpture of a she-wolf suckling twin infants, inspired by the legend of the founding of Rome. According to the legend, when Numitor, grandfather of the twins Romulus and Remus, was overthrown by his brother Amulius, the usurper ordered the twins to be cast into the Tiber river. They were rescued by a she-wolf who cared for them until a herdsman, found and raised them. The Capitoline Wolf so popular in Italy that there so many of those sculptures around. This one is in Pisa near the Duomo .

Arno river flows through Pisa. I like this very small church right on the bank of the river.

Pictures have been taken in October 2010
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