ArteEsistenza

ARTEesistenza (art existence) was a three-day series of events held around the city, culminating in a Friday afternoon walk from the Terrazza Mascagni to Town Hall. Some stops with street shows had been planned in significant places like Piazza Cavour, Piazza della Repubblica and in front of the Goldoni Theater.

The scope was to make aware the local public of the sorry state of the culture in Livorno with the closure of theaters, the transformation of cinemas into multi-storey parkings and the inaccessibility and neglect of many monuments and historical buildings.

The participation was not too good, but was enthusiastic nonetheless, especially from young dance-school students. The demonstration was organized by Ephraim Pepe.

See also: Terrazza Mascagni - Piazza Cavour - Teatro Goldoni - Piazza della Repubblica - Town Hall

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1800-Euro Sign

After removing the traffic signs modified at the time by Clet Abraham, the municipality of Livorno sold a first lot of them on eBay. These are the final prices, after the auctions ended:

Cartello stradale Rif N.40	660 Euro
Cartello stradale Rif N.43	725 Euro
Cartello stradale Rif N.46	313 Euro
Cartello stradale Rif N.58	1805 Euro

Search labels: Clet Abraham
External links: Clet Abraham (Wikipedia, in French) - The language of the street signs by Clet Abraham (Abitare)

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Salubritatem aegris corporibus

On the facade of the “Acquarium” we can read a Latin inscription referring to the waters available inside: salubritatem aegris corporibus afferre creduntur (are believed to bring good health to sick bodies). It is a quote from “de Aquaeductu Urbis Romae”, written by Sextus Julius Frontinus, the water commissioner (curator aquarum) for the City of Rome in A.D. 97. The TV antenna is of a later period.

External links: Frontinus (Wikipedia) - de Aquaeductu Urbis Romae by Sestus Iulius Frontinus (in Latin)
Search labels: spa
See also: The Waters of Health - The Beauty of Decay - Parco delle Terme - The Waters of Health: Hallway - Spa Terrace - Hall of the Five Waters - Acquarium

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Behind Bars

This portrait of a very composed dog is our out-of-jurisdiction photo for this week. It was shot in Lucca, in Piazza San Martino, in March 2012.

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Aethalia

With both her ramps opens, you can literally see through the “Aethalia” ferry...

“Aethalia” comes from the Ancient Greek name (Αἰθαλία) for the Elba island. (Photos taken last March)

Search labels: ferry

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Waste of Money

I am not a fan of bike sharing because I think the service has substantial hidden costs and even in the most succesful cases it is used only by a tiny fraction of a city's population. In Livorno that fraction seems to be zero, for an announced cost of 127.000 Euro.

After eight months it is clear beyond any doubt that nobody uses these bicycles. I have asked around over and over, and no one I know has ever seen one of these things in motion. Even our otherwise hyperactive bicycle thieves and the many restless vandals keep neglecting them.

See also: Five-Thousand-Euro Bicycles - Bike Sharing - A Diabolical Endeavour

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Church of Saint Julia

The modest church of Santa Giulia, dedicated to the patron saint of Livorno, sits on the left of the Cathedral and can barely be seen from Piazza Grande. The works for the building began in 1602, under the direction of the Florentine architect Alessandro Pieroni. The original and beautifully carved coffered ceiling was lost in the devastation of the Second World War. A well-known Livornese saying says “Santa Giula fa l'elemosina al Duomo” (Saint Julia is giving alms to the Cathedral), and it is used to describe someone of modest means buying something for a better-off friend. (Picture taken last April)

See also: Saint Julia

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