Florence Photo Gallery @ National Geographic Traveler

from July/August 2006

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Florence Photo Gallery
Photographs by Sisse Brimberg and Cotton Coulson

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weeping views of the Tuscan countryside spread out from the Benedictine monastery of San Miniato al Monte, where a monk leads a visitor to view old tombs. The monastery and church of San Miniato, which date to 1013—the church is considered one of the most beautiful in Italy—crown a hill across the Arno River from Florence's historic center. During the siege of Florence in 1530, when united forces under Pope Clement VII (who started life as Giulio de' Medici) and Emperor Charles V of Spain fought Florence's Republican government, Michelangelo helped design fortifications for the church and monastery, including a screen of mattresses to protect the belltower.

Read more about Florence in "Stalking Michelangelo," in Traveler's July/August 2006 issue.

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