Hike to the top of the Duomo – Sept. 13, 2006
Last Wednesday September 13th I was one of a lucky group of PR students who climbed over 400 backbreaking steps to see the awe-inspiring view from Florence’s grandest church, the Duomo, Santa Maria del Fiore. Our group met up at Palazzo Rucellai and made our way through both the shopping crowds of central Florence to arrive at the entrance door that leads to “the climb”. We all hoped that our planning included ample time to make the journey to the top of the dome before sunset. But I still don’t think we were really prepared for what lay ahead of us. The expedition felt like it took about an hour, but in reality it took us only 15 humidity-filled, leg-aching minutes to reach the apex. Those in “forma”, made it to the top in less than 10 minutes, but even the slowest in our group arrived with enough time to witness an unforgettable sight. When we reached the viewing area, the sun was just starting to lower. The exquisite reddish-hued sky quite seamlessly blended into the tops of thousands of coral rooftops, where you could barely make out the end of one roof and the beginning of the next. It was an amazing site which helped me appreciate all the history, culture, and art that this city has witnessed in its lifetime. Before the sun fully set, we tested each other on our newly learned navigation skills of our home away from home; we found it a challenge to locate our apartments amongst the countless identical rooftops of central Florence. Because the day’s sunshine made for the clearest of evenings, we were able to locate by sight most of 
the well-known sites of the city; the towers of Palazzo Vecchio, the Arno River with its many bridges, and the towering David in Piazzale Michelangelo. We were even able to pick out our own school building, Palazzo Rucellai. The circular lookout allowed us to have a remarkable 360 degree “bird’s eye” view of Florence and we were positioned directly in the heart of the city. Countless photos were taken before everyone headed down the stairs, but pictures could never do this view justice. Quite easily we strolled down the countless steps, but it was probably the energy from the view that pushed us down so easily. This was the perfect way to end a busy day of classes. Those of us who were brave (and strong) enough to “do the steps” of the Duomo, had not only the best view of the city but a picture in our minds that will stay with us for years to come.
Last Wednesday September 13th I was one of a lucky group of PR students who climbed over 400 backbreaking steps to see the awe-inspiring view from Florence’s grandest church, the Duomo, Santa Maria del Fiore. Our group met up at Palazzo Rucellai and made our way through both the shopping crowds of central Florence to arrive at the entrance door that leads to “the climb”. We all hoped that our planning included ample time to make the journey to the top of the dome before sunset. But I still don’t think we were really prepared for what lay ahead of us. The expedition felt like it took about an hour, but in reality it took us only 15 humidity-filled, leg-aching minutes to reach the apex. Those in “forma”, made it to the top in less than 10 minutes, but even the slowest in our group arrived with enough time to witness an unforgettable sight. When we reached the viewing area, the sun was just starting to lower. The exquisite reddish-hued sky quite seamlessly blended into the tops of thousands of coral rooftops, where you could barely make out the end of one roof and the beginning of the next. It was an amazing site which helped me appreciate all the history, culture, and art that this city has witnessed in its lifetime. Before the sun fully set, we tested each other on our newly learned navigation skills of our home away from home; we found it a challenge to locate our apartments amongst the countless identical rooftops of central Florence. Because the day’s sunshine made for the clearest of evenings, we were able to locate by sight most of 
the well-known sites of the city; the towers of Palazzo Vecchio, the Arno River with its many bridges, and the towering David in Piazzale Michelangelo. We were even able to pick out our own school building, Palazzo Rucellai. The circular lookout allowed us to have a remarkable 360 degree “bird’s eye” view of Florence and we were positioned directly in the heart of the city. Countless photos were taken before everyone headed down the stairs, but pictures could never do this view justice. Quite easily we strolled down the countless steps, but it was probably the energy from the view that pushed us down so easily. This was the perfect way to end a busy day of classes. Those of us who were brave (and strong) enough to “do the steps” of the Duomo, had not only the best view of the city but a picture in our minds that will stay with us for years to come.
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