A visit to FLORUGIA

Cue (NZERS), Issue 13, 15 December 1944, Page 13

A visit to FLORUGIA

With apologies .to G.B.P.

THOSE Kiwis who have not yet had the opportunity to visit Florugia, situated on Highway 996, halfway between Bologney and Spagezzi, on the top of a completely inaccessible crag, may be interested in this short account of its history and principal sights.

THE city was founded in 235 BC by a wandering Christian missionary to whom is credited the erection of the Cathedral, truly the earliest Christian shrine in history. It was erected in the Early Perpendicular Mooro - Gothic style, but owing to a chequered history is not quite as perpendicular as it used to be. It is built in a mixture of bathbrick and ferro-concrete and has been completely restored seven times, having bden burnt down twice, shaken down once by an earthquake and blown up when Count Cocqucigrue used it as a powder magazine during the struggles of the Guelfs and the Ghibellines. 7 • x

The other' three times it just fell down.

Traces of the original building can be seen with the actual date of erection in Roman numerals as follows:—

CCXXXV B.C.

' Some doubts have been thrown on the authenticity of this inscription, but they may be discounted as due to the jealousy of rival archaeologists. The altar of the church, one of the most delicate examples of seicento extravaganzo, is worth travelling! far to see. At the moment, alas, it is completely bricked in. / .

Samnites, Vandals, Goths, Visigoths. Gepids, Tepids and even Italians, have in turn ruled over the city.. St. Paul once visited it and, saying, I am appalled, left the inhabitants to their vices and took ship for Rome. He was luckier than . some saints as he got away whole. In the Cathedral may be seen the left anterior metatarsals of St. Cheiro, the milk teeth of St. Bambino Ragazzo and half the skin of St. Dermatitis, who was flayed alive in the Piazza in 964 for denying the consubstantiality of the Apophthegm. This doctrine, as every JMew Zealander knows, was later condemned at the Council of- Trente et Quarante. The original organs of St. Cecilia may be viewed in the north and south transepts which have been separated from the main body by a fallen arch.

The average Kiwi will not want to spend more than a few hours examining the delicate izzi-bizzi work in the facade of the Palazzo Stromboli, but he should not forget to go inside to view the magnificent collection of Roman domestic pottery which he will find of breath-taking interest. Threequarters of this collection is now hidden in the surrounding countryside

and most of the rest has been locked in the vaults for safety during the war. The next item of interest is the Piazza di Parocco. The magnificent statue in the centre by Ugolini Ugli, now entirely covered with bomb-blast protection, would be well worth inspection in happier times. Turning to your left you will see what was once one of the finest baroque palaces south of the Po. It was somewhat de-baroqued

by a bomb. Further down the Via del Vino Rosso is the Church of Santa Mensincorporesanto. On the walls are several interesting frescoes. Little detail can now .be seen but the left ear of San Giorgio, executed with extraordinary mastery, shows what beauty these paintings must once have possessed. The Baptistery should be carefully inspected. It has no possible points of interest, either inside or outside. 5

A climb of some 340 steps to the top of the Monument Umberto IV is rewarded by a fine piece of early Risorgimento Sculpture of a donkey suckling the infant Benito. This is attributed to Fra Frantico Frappo, who

originated the famous saying:— - Give me Art for Art's sake And Money for Gawd’s: Sake. This set the tone of the Renaissance Period. ‘ , The visit should be rounded off by a visit to the tomb of the Emperor Convolvulus. The tomb has been destroyed and the body removed by insurgent soldiers, but any guide wi show you where it once stood, an there you can meditate on the fol y of human vanity and the benefits o cremation.