Monday, March 7, 2011

Street Names

Via del Metallo (Metal Street) plaque, Livorno
“Via del Metallo” (Metal Street)

Via della Vecchia Casina (Old Little House Street) plaque, Livorno
“Via della Vecchia Casina” (Old Little House Street)

Via del Fagiano (Pheasant Street) plaque, Livorno
“Via del Fagiano” (Pheasant Street)

See also: Anchovies Street - Narrow Streets, Long Names - Low and Dark

Sunday, March 6, 2011

10th Port

Decimo Porto (10th Port) pizzeria, LivornoThere are probably not many restaurants in the world named after a battalion of the U.S. Army. “Decimo Porto” is exactly 10th Port, which was, in the last war, a unit of the 7th Sustainment Brigade.Liberty ships, September 1944, port of Leghorn, LivornoOn September 1, 1944, the 10th Port deployed to the heavily damaged port at Leghorn, Italy, where the unit continued to support U.S. Fifth Army. On November 25, 1945, the 10th Port assumed responsibility for port operations at both Naples and Leghorn. Although the war in Europe ended on May 8, 1945, the 10th Battalion still had to run the ports while units departed the continent. It was finally inactivated on January 31, 1947.

(U.S. Army Sea Tales by Walter L. Grey Jr.)

“Decimo Porto” (10th Port), at the time and after the war, became another name for Livorno.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Close-Up

Four different colors on plain and rough plaster, LivornoAn assortment of colors on plain and rough plaster.Different colors on a wall in via dell'Origine, LivornoThe same wall in “Via dell'Origine” seen from a few meters away.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Armenian Plaque

Plaque in Armenian, Saint Gregory the Illuminator, LivornoOn the facade of Saint Gregory the Illuminator we can see two 19th century plaques, one in Armenian and one in Latin, bearing the history of the temple and of its restorations.Plaque in Latin, Saint Gregory the Illuminator, LivornoSkipping the Armenian for obvious reasons, even the epigraphic Latin is well beyond my scarce interpretive skills. An old friend from high school, Silvestro Raffone, was able to accomplish the task with the decisive help of a colleague of his, Isella Piquè. Thanks to both of them for going beyond the literal translation, an effort which I am now trying to summarize in English:

The temple, consecrated to the Eternal God in honor of Saint Gregory Martyr, Apostle Savior and Patriarch of Armenia, built in 1701 with considerable investment of money and effort by the Armenians of Livorno under Cosimo III Grand Duke of Tuscany, is now lying in direpair.
The congregation, under the auspices of Leopoldo II Grand Duke of Tuscany, while Gregorio Alessandri was prefect, restored and embellished the church with the help of the architect Olinto Paradossi, who completed the works in 1844. This should be passed on to posterity.


See also: Half a Church - Saint Gregory the Illuminator - Faith and Charity

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Faith and Charity

Allegorical representation of Charity by Andrea Vaccà, LivornoOn the sides of the bust of the saint, above the former entrance of “San Gregorio Illuminatore”, stand the allegorical representations of Charity (viewer's right) and Faith (viewer's left).Allegorical representation of Faith by Andrea Vaccà, LivornoBoth the bust and the statues are works by Andrea Vaccà.

See also: Half a Church - Saint Gregory the Illuminator

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

In the Rain

Rosebud under the rain, LivornoA rosebud under the rain on the parapet of the “Scali Nuovi Lena”.Chained plastic chairs, LivornoChained plastic chairs in “Piazza Mazzini”.Smart parked like a scooter, LivornoA Smart parked on the sidewalk like a scooter in “Corso Mazzini”.Madonnnina, votive niche, LivornoA votive niche with a “Madonnina” in “Via della Maddalena”.Balcony and windows, corso Mazzini, LivornoA balcony on “Corso Mazzini”. Many of these pictures were taken while it was raining, with the help of a lens hood to protect the lens and of a waterproof hat to keep the photographer's head dry.

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