Saturday, August 15, 2009

Ferragosto

View of via Grande, LivornoToday is “Ferragosto” and this is “Via Grande”, the main street of Livorno: no visible trace of the usual dense traffic, magically vanished at mid-August. Both photos were taken at the intersection with “Via della Madonna”, standing safely in the middle of the street. In the first image you can see a crane in the distance, where the western part of the street reaches the port.View of via Grande, LivornoIn the second image the other part of “Via Grande” ends in the vast expanse of “Piazza della Repubblica”. The porticoes and the buildings lining the street are relatively modern, because the whole zone was heavily damaged and almost destroyed by the air raids in the last war.

21 comments:

stromsjo said...

We're so fortunate to live in a city (and country) which hasn't seen war for centuries.

I wish our usual dense traffic could magically vanish once in a while!

rob said...

Buon Ferragosto!

joo said...

Looks neat and quiet. Beautiful street with nice perspective.
Have a great weekend enjoying lack of dense traffic:)

Jilly said...

Superb. There is nothing like the porticoes and buildings of Italy, not to mention the food...

cieldequimper said...

Today is "le 15 août" and it's quiet here too! ;-) And hot. You've just given me an urge to walk through Livorno. Today is the perfect day, the shops are closed, it wouldn't be too dangerous for my bank account! ;-) BTW, *you* don't like coffee?!!!

VP said...

@ ciel - The song says 'mad dogs and Englishmen', but we can make an exception for a French lady...
I am not an 'addict' and had some troubles with French waiters, so now I know by heart every Starbucks in Paris and... in Versailles.

Hilda said...

I had to look up Ferragosto to make sense of the disappearance of cars. Fascinatingly mixed up holiday.

Reminds me of the commercial parts of the City of Manila built after the war — what would have been 'downtown' to my father. Not as well-maintained as these though.

VP said...

@ Hilda - Sorry, you are right: I forgot the link on 'Ferragosto'...

Leif Hagen said...

How many arches on the left side and how many on the right side - top photo?
How many pillars on the left side and how many on the right side - bottom photo?
Nice photos Senor Livorno

B SQUARED said...

Hard to believe it is so quiet. Love the perspective.

brattcat said...

How beautiful. I feel as if I've been out for a walk this morning in your neighborhood.

Unknown said...

Great perspectives! The first shot reminds me of Bologna.

Lowell said...

We just don't see these kinds of thoroughfares in the States...it all looks quite lovely and provides a nice shady pedestrian area.

Does look a wee bit deserted, though!

amatamari© said...

Buon Ferragosto!!!
:-)

Saretta said...

Standing in the middle of the street to take a picture? Now that's a rare experience! Buon Ferragosto!

Anonymous said...

Perfect perspective! So many lines following the perfect direction. Thanks for clarifying the crane :) I thought it is some kind of monument at first. It is probably fun to watch the machine working in such a frame - it would made a cute video :)

Cezar and Léia said...

Beautiful pics!
Oh, man, we were caught by surprise with this holiday (which also takes place here as Assumption Day) as in Brazil this particular one is not celebrated.
God bless you!
Cezar

tapirgal said...

I love these views. The streets look somewhat normal to me, because every time I've been to Italy it's been in the fall or winter or early spring. Thanks for the link to Ferragosto. I enjoyed learning about it.

These are wonderful photos. It's so sad about the destruction from the war.

Tinsie said...

Buon Ferragosto! Greeks celebrate this too, and it's exactly the same - all the cities are deserted. London only looks like that on Christmas Day...

James said...

Great shots, It must be nice to take pictures without all of the traffic and crowds.

Gunn said...

I am so impressed about the arcade/architecture of these buildings! Nice.....
The only thing "missing" is my favorite car, a cute Fiat 500 S (Bambino)....;-)