Words cannot begin to describe... Galleria del Uffizi

So im sitting in my program office at school right now, still in awe of the artwork I just saw at the Uffizi gallery in Palazzo Vecchio. I am speechless... I cant believe I am living and breathing in a city with so much history and majestic art its really incredible. I am so lucky to be here and this afternoon proved to me why I chose Florence. This city has everything.

I set off for the Uffizi at 11 this morning, after my Italian class, just on my own not really sure what to expect. I got in quite easily actually, because I have a card called 'amici del uffizi' which is special for students at my school and gets me into most every museum in Florence for free. I traveled up the 3 flights of grandiose stairs and immediately the hall of the gallery took my breath away. I felt so small looking at the amazing, large columns flanking the sides of the corridor.

Actually though, when I first went to the Uffizi directly after 2 hours of intense class, I felt really lightheaded and though I passed through many of the famous rooms that house Botticellis and Leonarda da Vincis works, I felt myself getting tired so I got lunch in the Palazzo and came back in the afternoon. Id like to say in the morning I got my bearings and in the afternoon I was able to fully appreciate the art because I was full and ready to take in everything.

And oh did I! By far my favorite piece of art that im still awestruck by was the work by Gentile da Fabriano in his Adoration of the Magi...decorated with such ornate and delicate detail, and rimmed with gold trimmings everywhere, my jaw was dropped for a good three of four minutes just staring at the piece. I saw the incredible Birth of Venus and Primavera by Botticelli...and I have to say I preffered the latter to the former, especially the second time around. I thought that both were fantastic pieces of art, but something about the movements and depiction of Venus in Primavera moved me a little bit more than in his Birth of Venus.

I also got to see incredible paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, most specifically the collaboration painting (done with his master Verroccio) called the Baptism of Christ. And I absolutely loved the Sala delle Niobe, lined with amazing canvases brimming with gold and ceilings arching upwards towards the heavens. I felt so small in this room, but in the good way.

I cant believe I was just in the company of some of the most acclaimed pieces of art in all of Renaissance history, and it was a mere 3 minute walk from where I take classes. I only really saw in depth the first half of the Uffizi today, because I want to appreciate the museum as best and thoroughly as possible...and just the first half took me 2 hours to really get through. Im so glad to be living and studying here, and my little adventure today totally validated, in a way I cant really describe, the reason I chose Florence!