Dramatic sky

The façade of San Fermo is enlightened by the sun whilst the back is threatened by a dark, dramatic sky.

San Fermo #400th post!

Church of San Fermo, detail of the Saint on the southern portal.

Centuries of worship

Church of San Fermo, side entrance.

The church was built between 1065 and 1350 on a pre-existent smaller church built in the 5th century AC.

You can find more historical details here.

Locks of Love

It all comes from a book by Federico Moccia: "I want you", a bestseller and later a movie. The story inspired thousands of roman lovers to imitate the protagonists in writing their names on a padlock and lock it on Ponte Milvio lampposts.

Soon the lampposts became too heavy and polemics exploded about the visual impact of this unusual love statement (the key was thrown in the Tevere, that implied eternal love) but soon the habit became almost a fashion and spread all over Italy....(from the NY Times, read more!)

Traffic light and flower shop

San Fermo

This beautiful church is very close to where we live. It has a complex architecture and a stunning brick work. Here is a short excerpet from the Associazione Chiese Vive Verona web site:

Between 1065 and 1143 the Benedictine monks realized a great project. They built two Romanesque churches: the lower church to keep the relics, the upper to be used for religious functions. In 1261 the complex was handed over to the Franciscans, who transformed the upper church into its present form.

Whenever I pass I am captured by the artistic work. I look at the lower rows of terracotta bricks and think about the hand who placed it there, "the builder"that actually put one brick after another, a man that existed centuries ago, that had a family and a life, a medieval life, surely not an easy one.

Have you read "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett?