The Tug and the Sailboat

The tug “Francesca Neri” and a passing sailboat. (Picture taken last August)

See also: CP 866 - Four Tugs - Liberty of the Seas
Search labels: tug - sailboat

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Orange Tree

An orange tree full of fruits in Via Ferrigni.

See also: After Christmas - Fruits & Flowers - Oranges

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Church of the Sacred Heart

A detail of the facade of the Sacro Cuore (Sacred Heart) church: “Venite ad me omnes” (Come to me, all you) is a quote from Matthew 11:28.

The construction of the Gothic Revival building began in 1919 and it is part of a compound of the Salesian fathers. The church became a parish in 1932.

External links: Salesians of Don Bosco (Wikipedia)

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Esselunga

Esselunga is an Italian retail store chain which controls about 9% of the Italian grocery distribution market and has been trying for thirteen years to open a supermarket in Livorno. Our city is a fiefdom of sorts of Coop, in theory a consumers' cooperative, but actually the largest supermarket chain in Italy.

The old Administration didn't make things easy for competitors and always managed to authorize new retail spaces for Coop. After the epochal change of the last local elections, it seems that Esselunga will be able to open, with the new Administration's blessing, a large store in the complex that once hosted the local branch of Fiat.

External links: Esselunga - Coop (Wikipedia)
See also: A New Mayor - City Council

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Mediterranean

“The Mediterranean is neutral in the Slavonic languages, and in Latin. It’s masculine in Italian. Feminine in French. Sometimes masculine, sometimes feminine in Spanish. It has two masculine names in Arabic. And Greek has many names for it, in different genders.”
“Why is that?” Lalla asked.
“I don’t know. It may have something to do with everyone's own bias. But I think the Mediterranean is like a body inside us. And that what our right hand does, our left hand can’t ignore.”

(Jean-Claude Izzo, The Lost Sailors)

External links: Jean-Claude Izzo (Wikipedia)

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Baubles

Self-portrait with baubles, thanks to a shop window in via Ricasoli.

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Sometimes They Come Back

The tree of light which was in Piazza Grande last year, this time has materialized itself in Piazza Cavour.

Merry Christmas to everybody!

See also: Tree of Light - The Pisan Tree - A Tree, at Last - Piazza Cavour

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Basiluzzo M

The 122-meter tanker “Basiluzzo M” maneuvering to her berth with the help of the tug “Alfredo Neri”.

(Picture taken last August)

See also: Alfredo Neri
Search labels: tug
External links: Basiluzzo - Aeolian Islands (Wikipedia)

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Piazza della Sanità

The entrance to the Capitaneria di Porto and Coast Guard offices, inside the Porto Mediceo. This is not the actual Piazza della Sanità, which is behind the building, but Via del Molo Mediceo.

External links: Corps of the Port Captaincies – Coast Guard (Wikipedia)
Search labels: Coast Guard

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Christmas Lights

We may have had some troubles with our Christmas trees, but holiday lights are almost everywhere.

Here are the ones in Via Ricasoli.

See also: The Pisan Tree - A Tree, at Last

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Six Years

This is our 2194th post: six years ago we posted our first picture of Livorno on this blog. We have published mostly from home, but also from elsewhere, during our vacations in Italy or abroad, without missing a single day. A few weeks ago we even posted for the first time from a smartphone!
An affectionate salute to all our friends: without you we will not be doing this anymore...

Anniversaries: Anniversary Walk - Two Years - Three Years of PowerShots - Four Years - Five Years
See also: Top Ranking Blog - Half a Million - 2000! - 500,000
External links: City Daily Photo (Portal) - Classifica blog provincia di Livorno (BlogItalia, in Italian)

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Ponte Nuovo

A view of the Fosso Reale (Royal Canal) with the Ponte Nuovo (New Bridge), seen from Scali d'Azeglio. The building on the left hosts the Istituto Nautico Alfredo Cappellini, our nautical institute.

See also: Alfredo Cappellini

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A Tree, at Last

We have a Christmas tree, at last! It was set up without using public funds, thanks to a pool of local entrepreneurs.

In the past days someone had already placed there a smaller tree, decorated with plastic plates: each one of them bears the name of a problem still “on the plate” for Livorno.

See also: The Pisan Tree

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New Racks

New bicycle racks in Via Pieroni.

Search labels: bicycle art
External links: Bicycle Art (Inspiration Green)

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Tasman Strait

The 175-meter container ship “Tasman Strait” was built in 2008 by the China Shipbuilding Corp. at the shipyard of Kaohsiung, Republic of China (Taiwan). She was named “Ocean Emerald” until last September.

External links: Port of Livorno (Pinterest)

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Via Nardini

Building on the corner of Via Nardini and Via Marradi.

Search labels: corner

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The Pisan Tree

For the first time in years we do not have a Christmas tree in any of our squares. There is no money for it, so let us enjoy the nice tree the spendthrift Pisans managed to set up in Piazza XX Settembre, in front of their Town Hall.

To add insult to injury, our profligate neighbors erected another sizable Christman tree at Palazzo Blu, which is hosting the exhibition “Amedeo Modigliani et ses amis” (Amedeo Modigliani and his friends), dedicated to the Livornese painter.

See also: Merry Christmas (2008) - Christmas Eve (2009) - Christmas Trees (2010) - Happy Holidays! (2011) - Starry Night in via Maggi (2012) - Tree of Light (2013)

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Glass Panes

A more up-to-date view of the new Dogana d'acqua, seen from the Scali Cerere Footbridge.

The body of the main structure is now being covered by glass panes decorated with the likeness of the old building.

See also: PIUSS - Scali Cerere Footbridge - Customs on the Water - Dogana d'acqua - Canale dei Navicelli - Leopoldine Walls
External links: Canale dei Navicelli (Wikipedia)

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Cloudy Sky

The road to the Terrazza may be unpleasant, but it leads to a place that looks great also under a cloudy sky.

See also: The Road to the Terrazza - Terrazza Mascagni
Search labels: Terrazza Mascagni

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“Talking” Statues

A few years ago we did a series of posts imagining the thoughts of our statues. Now the most important monuments in town are draped with banners of the workers of TRW, whose local plant is being closed with hundreds of layoffs.

“Livorno - Terni - Piombino, unico destino” (Livorno - Terni - Piombino, same fate)

“Con noi muore Livorno e tutto attorno” (Livorno dies with us and [also dies] everything around)

See also: Four Moors - Cavour - Livorno Won't Give Up - What Statues Think

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Cruise Terminal

Our “Terminal Crociere” (Cruise Terminal), mostly used by ferries like the “Moby Aki” in background. We have seen something of the inside with “Naturalia”.

See also: Moby Aki - Naturalia

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The Road to the Terrazza

There has been a lot of talk lately about a supposed touristic “vocation” of Livorno, but a quick tour of our lungomare is not encouraging in this sense.

Walking toward our most renowned landmark, the Terrazza Mascagni, it is easy to find the usual mix of untidiness, decay and sloppiness that too often makes our public spaces so ugly.

I keep wondering if I am alone in seeing these things...

See also: Terrazza Mascagni
Search labels: decay - Terrazza Mascagni

English version

Porto Baratti

The tractor tug “Porto Baratti” was built in 1997 at the Ferrari shipyard in La Spezia. As you can see from the links below we have seen her at work many times, but this is her first and well deserved solo, a picture taken last October while escorting the “Rita Schepers” out of the port.

See also: Morning Laura - Four Tugs - Elqui
Search labels: tug
External links: Port of Livorno (Pinterest)

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Autumn Cats

The last time we checked on them was in April, more than six months ago.

The feline population of the Fortezza Nuova is still there and in good health.

See also: The Cats of the Fortress - More Cats of the Fortress
- Fortezza Nuova (2009) - Fortress from the Sky (2012) - Welcome to the Fortress
Search labels: cat - Fortezza Nuova

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A “Horror” Revisited

The first time I wrote about this building I called it a horror in plain view. They say that when you get to know someone, eventually even the ones you dislike can become familiar and understandable and, sometimes, loved. I am still quite far from the love part, but this building probably deserves a second chance.

My favorite part of this complex is this watchtower of sorts: you can climb a short spiral stair to the top and look at the sea. A sculpture will be soon placed on the top.

They are still working at the plaza's pavement which has a peculiar wave design, a pattern made up of precisely cut stones of two different colors. I can see me liking this place, after all...

See also: A Horror in Plain View - PIUSS

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Twin Lamp Posts

Twin lamp posts, Andana degli Anelli, Porto Mediceo.

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El Che and Trappola

Somewhere in Antignano... (Pictures takes last June)

“A Simone 'r meglio di Livorno, E. Fiorini 2008”
(To Simone, the best of Livorno)

“Ar meglio cane di Livorno ir ‘Trappola’, Errico Fiorini 8/7/2008”
(To the best dog of Livorno: the ‘Trappola’)

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The Orange Path

This is not exactly the “yellow brick road”, but one could be tempted in following it: at other the end you will find Via Maggi, not the Emerald City.

See also: Via Maggi

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Norwegian Spirit, in Colors

A colorful background for the officer following the unmooring of the “Norwegian Spirit”.

The same cruise ship leaving the port of Livorno. (Pictures taken last August)

See also: Norwegian Spirit - MS Norwegian Epic - Norwegian Jade
External links: Norwegian Spirit - Norwegian Cruise Line (Wikipedia)
Search labels: cruise ship

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The Hole

When I say that our streets are full of potholes I usually mean something less conspicuous: anyway this is the one we got this weekend, in the middle of Scali Cialdini.

See also: Scali Cialdini

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Theme Day: People at Work

At work for the extension of the Elba pier: building a strip of land in the middle of the water.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

See also: A Longer Elba Pier

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PIUSS

PIUSS is an acronym for “Piano Integrato di Sviluppo Urbano Sostenibile” (Integrated Plan for Sustainable Urban Development), which is part of the V Axis of the POR CReO, or “Programma Operativo Regionale Competitività Regionale e Occupazione” (Regional Operational Programme Regional Competitiveness and Employment).

I didn't made this up: the works going on around the Dogana d'acqua are part of a PIUSS project, another one is what I have called a horror in plain view. This is a form of co-financing between public subjects which other cities use to fix parks or create pedestrian areas. We build strange new buildings around old ruins.

As you can see in this rendering of the project, we also insist in digging useless bodies of water in a city with a lot of potholed streets and too few parking areas. (The first picture was taken in August and the second in October)

See also: Scali Cerere Footbridge - Customs on the Water - Dogana d'acqua - Canale dei Navicelli - Leopoldine Walls
External links: Canale dei Navicelli (Wikipedia)

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Embraer E-195

An Air Dolomiti Embraer E-195 en route from Munich to Pisa, flying over the port of Livorno.

External links: Embraer E-Jet family - Air Dolomiti (Wikipedia)

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Mailmen's Building

I made up the name of this apartment building: it doesn't have a name, but it was built in Via San Giovanni in the early 1900s for the employees of what was then the Royal Italian Mail. It has an inner court and some interesting reliefs on the facade and also all around the top floor.

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One More Demonstration

One more demonstration for employment, this time organized by the major unions.

See also: Livorno Won't Give Up

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