Parma, then home

The last day of our trip held a visit to Parma. As it turned out, it was the day with the most free time...and the same day that all the shops are closed (Sunday)! However, we enjoyed another tour with a guide who knew how to handle our personal know-it-all (I called him the self-appointed tour guide) who had been bogging the visits down up until then. Phew!

The visit included the Duomo and the Baptistery, the exterior of many buildings, and a walking tour. Since my camera battery had died by that point, I was reduced to taking photos with my ipad; being cumbersome, there aren't a whole lot. By no means is it indicative of my opinion of the town!

The piazza felt very spacious.

Inside the church...loved the figures overlapping the edges!

Inside the Baptistery

The font offers full immersion, which was the norm in
medieval times. Imagine in winter!

LOVED the ceiling.
The statues in the arcade area are the months plus a few for the seasons;
not originally in that location, someone
decided at some point to shove them up there.

This chapel reflects the original plan: somewhat sparse,
with stylized fresco work and plain/somewhat
rough stone. The architect died partway through
and the side chapels are now a mishmash of different
frescoes with varying levels of professionalism
and a wide range of themes.

Post office

I was amused to see the pigeons nesting in a zone that had been "pigeon-proofed"
They are ingenious in this way.

Love,

Alexandra