Dante's neighbourhood in Florence is timeless. Many of the original buildings still stand, including the church where he married his wife, Gemma Donati, and where his children were baptised. It is also the church where his muse, Beatrice Portinari, is buried. Our class had the chance to visit his original family church as well, which he abandoned in favour of the Portinari parish church as a result of his obsession with Beatrice. It was incredible to walk through the spaces where Dante once stood, and through the streets where he spent the majority of his younger years. I found it lent so much to the understanding of his works, as you really get a feel for where Dante came from and what his life would have been like. Not only are we reading literature and observing art & architecture in our classes here, but we are able to live and breathe where these artists were inspired by and created their masterpieces.
Dante's Family Church
Dante's "House"
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