The Pineapple over the Arno

First, some back story:

In the mid 1500s, when the Medici became official grand dukes of Florence (as opposed to just "ordinary citizens" who happened to control everything that went on in the city, a system which worked surprisingly well for many years), Cosimo I (who was not the first Medici duke, but was the first really important one, and the first one (Medici duke, that is) named Cosimo) moved his family from the Palazzo where they were living to Palazzo Vecchio, the seat of the government.  He was trying to make a (rather heavy-handed) point about who was in charge.  It was a short-lived point, however, because the government palazzo was never designed to be a residence, and despite modifications remained inconvenient, cold, and drafty.  Either Cosimo changed his mind, or else his wife the grand duchess (Eleonora of the matrimonial sheep, for those of you who have been reading since the fall) changed it for him, because they relocated to Palazzo Pitti across the river (which Eleonora purchased with her own funds), complete with a nice yard (that would be Boboli Gardens).

However, to keep things convenient and properly grand-ducal, they also arranged to have their own personal raised passageway built, running from Palazzo Pitti, through the balcony of their preferred church, across the top of Ponte Vecchio, through the Uffizi (government offices at the time), and on into Palazzo Vecchio.  Thus they could get from home to church to work and back without needing to mingle with the common folk.  A far cry from Cosimo the Elder way back in the early 1400s, who, despite being wealthy and powerful, refused to dress in fancy clothing and rode a mule (if anything) through the streets of Florence.  (Photo is from an Uffizi website: http://www.nuoviuffizi.it/complesso/storia/)

Getting to walk across it has been on my long-term to do list since September.  Rare tours of the Corridoio Vasariano do supposedly exist, but it is notoriously difficult (and probably pricey) to get hold of one, so when Giovanna told us a friend of hers had gotten hold of some free tickets to a Caravaggio exhibit that included a walk across the Corridoio, and did anyone want to go?, I jumped at the chance.

The opening of the exhibit included a speech in the courtyard of Palazzo Pitti, during which we mingled and chatted with the Italians, who, in typical Italian fashion, mingled and chatted with each other instead of paying attention to the speech.  There was also a reception buffet, which provided a perfect Exhibit A of How Italians Do Not Believe in Lines.  Basically as soon as we all applauded for the speech (nobody had a clue what had been said, but everyone applauded anyway), the buffet table was mobbed, and you were lucky if you got so much as a grape.

Sofi managed to snag a pineapple.

This was because, after the mob dispersed, all that was left were the empty trays, a lot of crumbs, and six or seven pineapples.  The pineapples were only still there because they were whole, and therefore difficult to snack on.  Not for lack of trying, mind you: one of the guys in our group (friend of a Smithie) hacked open a pineapple (with a pocket knife?) and wound up distributing slices of it to the small group of elderly Italians who had gathered round eagerly, all smiles at the prospect of pineapple and willing to wait patiently for it.  But in the end it was more trouble than it was worth, so the other seven pineapples remained whole, and Sofi asked if she could have one.  She could, and did.

Thus it was that a pineapple accompanied us through the Caravaggio exhibit and across the Corridoio Vasariano into the Uffizi  I think it may be the first pineapple to have ever made that journey, making it not only uniquely cultured among pineapples, but also more fortunate than most human tourists. The guard at the entrance to the Corrodoio laughed when she saw it--I think we made her evening.  The guard at the Uffizi, however, found it less entertaining.  As we entered the gallery, he stopped Sofi and said: "Signorina, l'ananas va in borsa."  (Miss, the pineapple has to go in the purse).  I don't know how anyone can say that with a straight face.  Maybe he was worried it would scratch the art.

The Corridoio was very cool.  We saw the Medici's balcony in the church, and many, many self-portraits by different artists from different time periods, and views of Florence and the Arno.  Mostly it was pretty cool just to be there, walking where the Medici walked and where most people don't ever get to go.

I'm told the pineapple was also quite tasty.

More pictures of the corridor are in this album:

Maggio a Firenze