Prevalida turris

In 1358 Petrarch wrote Itinerarium Syriacum (Syriac Itinerary) as an itinerary to the Holy Land for a friend to keep him company, as Petrarch himself was not willing to make the long sea voyage. He wrote:

«Post hec paucis passuum milibus, portus et ipse manufactus, Pisanum vocant, aderit et fere contiguum Liburnum, ubi prevalida turris est, cuius in vertice pernox flamma navigantibus tuti litoris signum prebet»

(After a few miles there is the man-made harbor called Pisan port, close and almost adjoining Livorno, where a very strong tower arise, from whose top every night the flame shows the sailors the safe shore)

He was describing our lighthouse.

See also: The Lighthouse - The Caged Lighthouse - On Top of the Lighthouse - The Fresnel Lens
External links: Petrarch - Lighthouse (Wikipedia)

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Nos Aries

“Nos Aries” is an offshore support vessel built in 2014 by Yuexin Ship Industry in Guangzhou, China. The boat is a new entry in the fleet of the Neri Group, that won a contract with the European Space Agency and Thales Alenia Space for the recovery of the IXV reentry vehicles.

Last Monday, in a practice run, a prototype of the vehicle was recovered off our coast by the “Nos Aries” and we can see it in this grainy photo.

The launch of the first real spacecraft is planned for the next November. In mid-summer the “Nos Aries” will cross the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic to reach the Pacific through the Panama Canal.

External links: Neri Group (Official site) - Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle - European Space Agency - Thales Alenia Space (Wikipedia)
- Bringing back our spaceplane (European Space Agency)

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A Blackbird

Seagulls “own” the recently reopened Fortezza Nuova: this blackbird is one of the few exceptions.

(Picture taken last May)

See also: Fortezza Nuova (2009) - Fortress from the Sky (2012) - Welcome to the Fortress - The Grass of the Fortress - Along the Walls - The Hill on the Fortress - Sala degli Archi - Around the Fortress
Search labels: Fortezza Nuova

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The Joyful Gospel Ensemble

The “Joyful Gospel Ensemble” is an group of Livornese singers which performs gospel and spiritual music. The Ensemble was founded in 2002 and comprises the choir, but also the accompanying musicians and its technicians.

They were performing in Piazza XX Settembre, one of the few interesting events of the last Blue Night.

See also: Blue Night 2014
External links: The Joyful Gospel Ensemble (In Italian)

English version

The Cage

After that Ferdinando lost his scroll, it was only a question of time before the Four Moors underwent a restoration. For a while the Grand Duke and his captured pirates will share the same cage.

See also: Ferdinando's Scroll - Four Moors
External links: Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany - Order of Saint Stephen (Wikipedia)

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Queen Elizabeth

We have already seen the “Queen Elizabeth” arriving at dawn, a few months ago, escorted by a few tugs. Now she is back in port and preparing to leave.

Her sister ship, the “Queen Victoria”, has not yet showed up in Livorno, but we caught her once in Venice.

With a calmer sea the 294-meter cruise ship doesn't need tugboats.

See also: MS Queen Elizabeth - MS Queen Victoria
External links: MS Queen Elizabeth (Wikipedia)
Search labels: cruise ship

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Folgore

A group of paratroopers of the Folgore Brigade running along the sea front of Antignano.

External links: Folgore Parachute Brigade (Wikipedia)
Search labels: from behind

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Blue Night 2014

I have already expressed my opinion about the “Notte Blu” (Blue Night) four years ago and I still stand by my words. The only thing worse is the “Notte Bianca” (White Night), when cohorts of zombies take over the city making us nostalgic about the usual sparse drunkards and disorderly youngsters.

Our first stop in this Blue Night was at a very calorie-rich stall in Piazza XX Settembre.

The same stall also had on display some incredible slabs of raw licorice.

A few steps further, a normal balloon was posing as a hot air balloon of sorts.

Not so many customers willing to “Try the speed of the fiber”, but the stand in Piazza Cavour was nice.

A strangely multicolor reflection in the waters of the Fosso Reale (Royal Canal).

See also: Blue Night Walk - White Night - Tony's White Night
More Walks

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A Good Start?

In his first days as mayor Filippo Nogarin has already startled and sometimes even amused most of us. He immediately renounced his chauffeur-driven official car and turned up at Town Hall behind the wheel of his own white Audi. He still likes to ride his bicycle, but that could be somewhat impractical at times.

After going after the folly of a new hospital, he is also trying to stop a construction project that would result in the “cementification” of a square along the new canal, in the heart of the picturesque Venice quarter. We may even wonder if he could do something about the isthmus of Crocetta...

See also: A New Mayor - Town Hall - The Old Hospital - A New Canal - The Isthmus of Crocetta

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Balconies and Bougainvillea

Flowered balconies seen from the park of Villa Fabbricotti.

See also: Flowered Balcony - Villa Fabbricotti

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Livorno by Boat

The “Fosso Reale” (Royal Canal) passes under Piazza della Repubblica, which is a very wide bridge of sorts.

Here is one of the tour boats entering the dark tunnel.

See also: Piazza della Repubblica - Calm Waters - On the Fosso Reale - Caisson
External links: Livorno by Boat (in Italian)

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Mullets

A school of mullets seen from the Terrazza Mascagni.

See also: Terrazza Mascagni

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Pilots at Work

A busy day for the pilots of the port of Livorno: it is late afternoon and three cruise ships are leaving within minutes, with also ferries and cargo ships coming and going.

Twenty minutes later the 291-meter “Ventura” is already outside the port, but we can still see the pilot.

The 239-meter “Riviera” is still moored inside the Porto Mediceo, but the pilots are already on board.

External links: MS Ventura - MS Riviera (Wikipedia)
Search labels: cruise ship - pilot

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The Martian

How did my photo of the new mayor end up on the front page of the June 10 “Il manifesto”? I am still trying to ask, but until now I have received no answer. (“Il marziano” is The Martian)

See also: A New Mayor
External links: Il manifesto (Wikipedia) - Front pages (Il manifesto)

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Iconostasis

The iconostasis of the Santissima Annunziata (Most Holy Annunciation) church in Via della Madonna. This is not an Orthodox place of worship, but a Greek-Catholic church following the Byzantine Rite.

See also: Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata - Annunciation - Innocence and Mansuetude - How Did They Get Up There? - The Original Statues
External links: Iconostasis - Greek Byzantine Catholic Church (Wikipedia)

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More Cats of the Fortress

Here are a few more feline dwellers of the Fortezza Nuova.

They now seem to have got used to the presence of humans and dogs.

The cats are still quite wary of the omnipresent gulls.

See also: The Cats of the Fortress - Fortezza Nuova (2009)
Search labels: cat - Fortezza Nuova

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The Bride

Bride and groom for a photo shoot at the Terrazza Mascagni.

See also: Terrazza Mascagni
Search labels: Terrazza Mascagni - from behind

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Scali Novi Lena at Sunset

Scali Novi Lena at sunset, seen from the swing bridge.

See also: Scali Novi Lena - Swing Bridge

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Azura

The 290-meter “Azura” was built in 2009 by Fincantieri at their shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.

External links: MS Azura - Fincantieri (Wikipedia)
Search labels: cruise ship

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The Old Hospital

The hospital of Livorno was built in the 1930s and the construction of a new one on the hills of Antignano was one of the most controversial projects of the old administration. The choice of the location at the southern end of the city, with only secondary roads and no public transportation, can't be explained.

At the same time a lot of money was spent refurbishing the old hospital, which has plenty of open space where to build new, modern structures and is within walking distance for a great part of the Livornesi. The new mayor was a vocal opponent of the unpopular project and is now willing to stop it.

See also: Spedali Riuniti - The Helipad - Bad News - Works of Mercy

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2000!

On the stones of the “Fosso Reale” we can see an elaborate Medici coat of arms dedicated to Ferdinando I, third Grand Duke of Tuscany. The dangling electrical cable is a recent improvement...

It feels like yesterday when we were celebrating our 1,000th post, and here is our 2,000th one. In more than five years we never missed a day, showing you the good and quite often the bad of our city. Thanks to all of you who keep following us!

External links: Ferdinando I de' Medici (Wikipedia)
See also: Harshad Number

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A New Mayor

Livorno has a new mayor elect: Filippo Nogarin (Five Star Movement), a 44-year-old aerospace engineer, won with 53% the runoff against Marco Ruggeri (Democratic Party).

See also: Five Stars Livorno? - City Council
External links: Five Star Movement - Democratic Party (Wikipedia)
- M5S Takes Livorno (Corriere della Sera)
- Italian birthplace of Communist party falls to Beppe Grillo's M5S (The Guardian)

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A Horror in Plain View

The brilliant minds that are shaping the Livorno of the future have built an annex to the historic building of the “Scoglio della Regina” that is the definition itself of “eyesore”, at the cost of seven million euro.

Not far, just next to the Terrazza Mascagni, we already have an aquarium that looks like a supermax: so the “penitentiary” fad is becoming the norm for our lungomare.

See also: A “Horror” Revisited - Acquario di Livorno - Largo Bellavista - The End of Summer?
External links: Sette milioni per lo scoglio della Regina, è il naufragio del bello (Il Tirreno, in Italian)

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The Fresnel Lens

After the restoration works the lighthouse is at last free of the scaffolding. Here is a detail of the recently repainted top, with the Fresnel lens clearly visible inside the lantern.

See also: The Lighthouse - The Caged Lighthouse - On Top of the Lighthouse
External links: Lighthouse - Fresnel lens (Wikipedia)

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Tricolor Bicycle

A faded tricolor bicycle in piazza della Vittoria.

Search labels: bicycle art
External links: Bicycle Art

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Five Stars Livorno?

Livorno is probably the reddest city in Italy: in fact the “Partito Comunista Italiano” (Italian Communist Party) was founded here in 1921 and, after the Fascist Era and the war, it has ruled the city until now. In 2007 the name was changed to Partito Democratico (Democratic Party), but many older Livornese still call it “il partito” (the party).

In last Sunday's European Elections “the party” was boosted by the popularity of its secretary, the current Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, and a very low turnout. PD's national average was around 40%, reaching 52% in Livorno. The same day we also had elections for a new mayor and, until now, the party's candidate had always been elected at the first round.

Not this time: many disaffected voters snubbed the party lists to vote for a coalition led by a newly formed political group called “Buongiorno Livorno” (Good Morning Livorno). The PD's result fell locally to 40%, with the need of a runoff voting against the Five Star Movement's candidate.

External links: Democratic Party - Five Star Movement (Wikipedia)

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Costa neoRiviera

The 216-meter “Costa neoRiviera” was born in 1999 as “Mistral” at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique, in Saint-Nazaire, France. From 2003 to 2013 she was “Grand Mistral” and took her actual name only last year. She can carry 1600 passengers with a crew of 670.

External links: Costa neoRiviera - Chantiers de l'Atlantique (Wikipedia)
Search labels: cruise ship

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Red, Yellow... and Pink

Some colorful buildings on Scali delle Cantine, seen from the Fortezza Nuova. Below, at water level, the “cantina” of the San Marco-Pontino with its photogenic door.

See also: Fortezza Nuova - S.M. Pontino - A Photogenic Door

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Three Altars

The Altare Maggiore (Main Altar) of Santa Maria del Soccorso.

In the left transept we have the altar of the Santissimo Sacramento (Most Holy Sacrament).

In the right transept we can see the altar of the Madonna of Montenero, with an ornate tabernacle made by the Livornese cabinet-maker Ferdinando Magagnini.

See also: Santa Maria del Soccorso - A Cross within a Cross - The Nave

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Theme Day: Zest

Sailboats usually do not sail into the port, but this Grand Soleil GS 40 is an exception...

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

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