Finally after a little probing around we were able to figure out that it is the triquetra symbol which is used often in the internal marble design of San Miniato, or officially the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte. The one used here is three overlapping vesica pisces – which has a significance going back as far as Pythagoras and is probably related to the Catch of 153 fish in Gospel of John. So much for a casual stroll out and not hoping to think too much. This is the wonderful curse of Florence for us: symbols and endless exploration of meaning and relating what we find across time and place.
San Miniato is a favorite of ours to spend time in and around. Today there was organ music for some time that we sat and listened to, and then the vespers (evening prayer service) started with the Gregorian chant which kept us lingering in the coolness of the basilica for another hour. Finally, released from the spell inside we stepped into the spell outside, the smell of jasmine wafting in the warm evening air and the city getting ready for evening.
Ciao Mark and Marc,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed meeting you both at Caffe degli Artigiani your last day in Florence, and have since had fun browsing through the pages of your blog. You did an amazing lot of things while you were here, and I was happy to see how much you, too, enjoyed the experience of visiting San Miniato (among many other things).
Happy travels...
Ciao Mark and Marc,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed meeting you both at Caffe degli Artigiani your last day in Florence, and have since had fun browsing through the pages of your blog. You did an amazing lot of things while you were here, and I was happy to see how much you, too, enjoyed the experience of visiting San Miniato (among many other things).
Happy travels...
Thanks. It was a pleasure meeting you too. Right now we are in the Dolomites reading your book about Piazzas of Florence. So a little bit of Florence while we eat nodo in brodo (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canederli)!
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