Photographing the Sea

Photographing the sea at the Rotonda of Ardenza. (Already posted on Instagram)
Fotografando il mare alla Rotonda di Ardenza. (Già pubblicato su Instagram)

Il Gabbiano

Murals on the wall facing the sea, at the Rotonda of Ardenza
Murales sul muro di fronte al mare, alla Rotonda di Ardenza

San Simone

In the first years of the 19th century Ardenza was a quickly-developing neighborhood of Livorno and was in need of a church. The construction began in 1837 thanks to a Simone Bini, who offered a plot of land, building materials and a considerable sum of money.
The new church, inaugurated in 1839, was dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and also to Saint Simon, in honor of the first and most important of several donors. The bell tower was erected a few years later.

(Foto scattate lo scorso gennaio)

Versione italiana

Via della Torre

On the corner of Viale Italia and Via Pacinotti we can see an old gazebo inside the garden of a villa. The place faces the Rotonda of Ardenza, a round grove of pine trees by the sea.

A similar view, from the first years of the last century.

The same place in 1933: Via della Torre (Tower Street) was the old name of Via Pacinotti.

(Postcards digitized from the collection of Antonio Cantelli)

See also: Via Pacinotti
Search labels: postcard

Versione italiana

Beach Huts

A winding row of “cabine” (beach huts), under a sun canopy, in a desert sea resort. Our beach huts are slightly more than tiny changing rooms with some space for your clothes. (Picture taken last December)

Versione italiana

Twisted Trees

Along the coast at Ardenza, a line of twisted trees light up by the low winter sun.

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Pergola and Amphoras

A blue-sky version of one of the turrets of this villa.

See also: Pergola Turrets

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Libeccio

Our windsurfers aren't scared by the “libeccio”. The “Moby Corse” may be waiting before entering port, but they are going full force.The waters at the “Tre Ponti” (Three Bridges) are pretty scary...The Gorgona island on the horizon, behind the cargo ship.

See also: Windsurfers - Going with the Wind - Three Bridges

Versione italiana

From the Roof

Looking south from the roof terrace of “Villa Letizia”: we see the busy “Viale Italia”, then the pines of the “Rotonda” and the quite rocky coastline of Antignano. The farthest visible point is more than two kilometers away.Against the eastern hills stands the water tower of the “Caserma Paolo Vannucci”, were part of the Folgore Parachute Brigate is quartered. That would be another good point of view...The Ardenza Stadium, now “Armando Picchi”, lies just north of the villa. The “Grattacielo” is our modest and only high-rise.On the northwest the track of the “Ippodromo Federico Caprilli” and its grandstand with, in background, the buildings of the Naval Academy. If you look closely, you may even recognize some familiar turrets. On the far right, in the haze, the “Fanale”.A panoramic view showing the extension of the park of the villa.

Versione italiana

Going with the Wind

Last Saturday the sea was a problem for the ships but not for these surfers, sailing the waters of the “Tre Ponti” (Three Bridges) at the Rotonda of Ardenza.
See also: Windsurfers - Three Bridges - Libeccio
External links: Livorno Windsurf School (in Italian)

Versione italiana

Il Pescatore

“Il Pescatore” (The fisherman) is a bronze statue by Mino Trafeli, placed in 1957 on the Lungomare of Ardenza. The man looks relaxed but pensive, watching the sea beyond the seafront promenade.People take good care of the fisherman and in winter they put on him a pair of socks, a scarf or a bobble hat. Last year someone placed an old TV just in front of the statue, in case the “pescatore” got bored.

Ardenza Mare

Fairy tales villas in “Ardenza Mare” (Seaside Ardenza) along “Viale Italia”. Yes, we have also an “Ardenza Terra” (Inland Ardenza), but this is another story. “Viale Italia” goes from “Piazza Mazzini” to the “Rotonda” of Ardenza, following the coastline, passing the “Terrazza Mascagni” and the “Accademia Navale”. It has beautiful promenades, open-air bars and a few beach resorts. It was formerly known as “Viale Regina Margherita” (Queen Margherita Boulevard) changing its name in 1946, when Italy became a Republic.

Far from the Madding Crowd

Still last Saturday at “La Rotonda”, the place of the windsurfers post by Trillian. On good weather weekends this is a quite busy promenade, more than usual this time because of the boys and the girls dressed up in funny costumes for the start of the carnival season. Below in the photo, the and the kid seem a world away from the above crowd, looking carefully at some kind of interesting flotsam in the sand.

See also: Windsurfers

Windsurfers

A gloriously sunny Saturday with young surfers sailing in front of “La Rotonda” (literally: the round one), a small pine grove with a nice promenade by the sea.

See also: Going with the Wind - Three Bridges - Libeccio

Versione italiana