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Heading up to Certaldo in the funicular

 

On some of the frescoes, wear or damage is apparent

 

Deana, Diane, Wendy and Char in the funicular

 

Human heart sculpture

 

View from the top in Certaldo

After enjoying what Certaldo had to offer, we made our way back to the lift.  A funny thing happened on the way down in the funicular; We were riding with an Italian woman and her husband.  The woman sat down at the end near us and the man stood in the center.  We were discussing the Italian lessons that Karin had been giving us and we were trying to remember how to say “I want you well” which is what Italians say to very close friends, family and loved ones.  I could see that the Italian woman was listening to our conversation in English and we were doing our best to remember the correct pronunciation, when she said loudly to me “Te voglio bene” as well as the Italian phrase for “I love you”.  At that point,  her face turned bright red having realized what she had just done.  She called to her husband to explain why she was saying very intimate things to an American man (we all had a good laugh).  Back on the bus, we had a short drive to our next home-away-from-home,  Lucca.

In 1778, the church was abandoned and later rented to an earthenware dealer to use as his workshop.  Much of the damage to the frescos was a direct result of this action.

Certaldo is an extremely well preserved hill town.  We went through the Governor’s Palace (or Magistrates Palace), including a modern art display of huge human heart sculptures.  In the church, there were many interesting “damaged” frescoes.  In one area you could still see where the prisoners wrote on the ceiling of the cell with the candle smoke by forming a “human ladder”.  There are great views from the palace.  We could start to see the Alppilwan Alps (which we will see later in Cararra and on our way to Cinque Terre).

 

Modern art sculptures outside the palace

 

The front of the palace is decorated with many different coat-of-arms

 

Some of the frescoes are missing major sections

 
 
Rooftops around the palace.

 
 
View of lower Certaldo through the arch.

 

View across Certaldo.                                       

 
 
Another picturesque window.

 
 
"Just Married"

 
 
We're not sure why this policeman was carrying such a big gun...

 
 
Doorway in Certaldo

 
 
Gardens in Certaldo

 
 
Bonnie and Cathy share a "step" for a break.

 
 
Window garden in Certaldo

 
 
Statue in lower Certaldo

 

Local woman cleaning her steps in Certaldo.

 
 
Valerie, Marti, Paula, and Deana also contemplate why the policeman is so "well armed"... or maybe they're not looking at his arms!

 
 
Certaldo's Bluebird of paradise.

 
 
Exposed brick adds character in Certaldo

 
 
Another street scene in Certaldo

 
 
Entry in Certaldo

 
 
The Governor's Palace

 
 
Beautiful window "flair"

 
 
A nearby villa

 
 
I call this one "wallpaper border"

 
 
View from the palace.

 

Frescoes in the church

 

In the distance, you can see "Manhattan's" skyscrapers.

 

Beautiful designs

 

More colorful frescoes.

 

Lookout behind the palace.

 

Detailed colored glass windows in the palace.

 

1306, it was a very good year.

 

Cathy checks out the view of the Tuscan hills.

 

Still visible after all these years, the "writing" done by the prisoners using candle smoke and a "human ladder".

 

Locals drying laundry in Certaldo.                                  

 

Many of the frescoes are very worn

Certaldo is also very clean and has lots of picturesque buildings, windows, and doors.  There was a wedding in progress as we passed the church.