FORTE DI BELVEDERE

Fortification

The Forte di Belvedere or Fortezza di Santa Maria in San Giorgio del Belvedere (often called simply Belvedere) is a fortification in Florence, Italy. It was built by Grand Duke Ferdinando I de' Medici during the period 1590–1595, with Bernardo Buontalenti as the designer, to protect the city and its rule by the Medici family.

On the same side of the river as the Grand Ducal palace, the Pitti Palace in the Oltrarno district of the city, today the grounds provide spectacular outlooks over Florence; the buildings are used to hold works of art, and as a venue for exhibitions of contemporary sculpture.

The design and construction of the Fort were entrusted to architect Bernardo Buontalenti, the chief architect for both Cosimo I and his son, Ferdinando. The Fort served many purposes: to protect the center of government in Florence, the Pitti Palace; to protect the south end of the city of Florence and the Oltrarno district; to demonstrate the power of the Medici family; hold the treasury of the Medici; and finally to provide a shelter for the Grand Duke if the city came under attack. The fort was connected to Palazzo Vecchio via the Vasari Corridor over Ponte Vecchio, passages in the Pitti Palace and paths through Boboli Gardens.

Buontalenti applied contemporary fortification principles when he designed the Fort. The walls are designed at angles that allow for all the walls to be seen by another wall, allowing for cross fire to assist in protecting the other walls. The location where the fort was placed had long been considered of strategic importance since the time of Michelangelo, then head engineer of fortifications. An earlier version of the fort was built of earth and stone gabions as seen in frescoes in Palazzo Vecchio.

In addition to being a fortification, the Belvedere was meant to be a sign of Medici prestige. The villa inside the fortress was designed to be elegant and did not adhere to the military purposes of the rest of the fort. Since the villa was meant to be used as the residence of the Grand Duke during times of unrest or epidemic, it was built as a comfortable, luxurious palace, another sign of Medici domination in Florence.

The Fort served as a garrison for troops for over 100 hundred years after its completion.

Visit Florence and stay at our hotel:

HOTEL MARIO'S

Via Faenza, 89

50123 Firenze - Italy

Tel. 0039 055 216 801

Fax 0039 055 212 039

E-mail: hotelmarios@hotelmarios.com

www.hotelmarios.com

AAAS - 10 ADVANCED ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOL SYMPOSIUM: Palazzo dei Congressi, 20 - 24 Settembre 2010 Piazza Adua, 1, Firenze

As in the past event, the principal aim of the Symposium is to involve technicians, scientists, public administrators, associations and institutions in a debate on the role of aerosols in atmospheric pollution, the actions which should be adopted and the limitations proposed by the actual regulations.
Although more than two decades have been dedicated to these subjects in an extremely abundant literature and in several meetings, the distance of the clear understandings and the little appreciations of the proposed actions seem vanify any optimistic forecast for the next future. Therefore the Italian Association of Chemical Engineering (AIDIC) sponsored by the major Industries, Universities and Institutions invite all the specialists to a three days conference where the above theme will be put under discussion from all the possible different perspectives.

The Symposium topics will mainly deal with the following aspects:
- Fundamental Aerosol Chemistry & Physics
- Anthropogenic and Natural Aerosol
- PMx and Urban Aerosol
- Combustion and Materials Processing
- Instrumentation & Control Technology
- Remote Sensing and Satellite Aerosol Observations
- Aerosol Modeling
- Legislation & Health Related Aerosols
- Ultrafine and nanoparticles aerosol
- Anthropogenic and natural emission sources
- Biological effects of PMx and nanoparticles

Hotel Mario's a small cozy Hotel

Hotel Mario's is located in a perfect position in the city centre of Florence.It's close to the most important attractions and masterpieces. Very very close to the central train station Santa Maria Novella in a pedestrian street ( via Faenza 89 ), only one block from the Fortezza da Basso ( where there are the fairs ) and one block too from Palazzo dei Congressi. We only have 16 rooms, we absolutely want give to all the customers all the time they need. Clients are not a key of a door, a number, but somebody with their own history and need.People that come from all over the world can have at Hotel Mario's, the same ambient and warmth they have at home.
Don't choose a standart place, choose an Hotel that has history, that take care of you. Hotel Mario's in Florence, Tuscany, the right place where to stay.

Palazzo dei Congressi in Florence,extremely close to Hotel Mario's

Hotel Mario's is situated in a fantastic position. Wich position could be better than this? So close to the Palazzo dei Congressi, so close to the Fortezza da Basso usually used for the fair in Florence, so close to the railway station of Santa Maria Novella.It's convenient come here, because is an incredible opportunity to start your day being only few metres from your destination.
The Palazzo dei Congressi is housed in the nineteenth century Villa Vittoria which the Strozzi family from Mantova had built between 1880 and 1914 and which was completed in 1931 when it was passed over to the Contini-Bonacossi family.
In 1964 the Villa was purchased by the Azienda Autonoma di Turismo (the tourism board) whose intention was that it should become Florence’s convention centre.
The renovation project was commissioned to Architect Pierluigi Spadolini.
There were various difficulties to overcome in order to maintain the villa and garden in compliance with the Fine Arts protection laws.
The work finished in 1969 (already in 1966 the ground floor rooms began to host conferences) and was celebrated with the grand opening of the entire conference centre.
Despite the renovation work, the first floor of the villa remained as it was with monumental panelled ceilings, hand carved walnut doors decorated with patterns from drawings by Cosimo Feltrini and del Vasari and their frames sculpted and inlaid with coloured marbles.
The Palazzo dei Congressi, which is one of the most important and well-equipped facilities for conferences and events in central Italy, also enjoys a privileged position in the heart of the city in the shopping, hotel and monumental area, in the immediate vicinity of the railway station and the airport terminal and just a few kilometres away from the motorway junctions.
When you have a conference in Florence, join Hotel Mario's, the place where to stay, only 1 minute walking from the Palazzo dei Congressi.
Visit the website www.hotelmarios.com or contact us : info@hotelmarios.com