# of Steps Left = Infinity

So Friday we travelled as a studio to Orvieto! First off, it's on top of a huge hilltop and in order to get there, you have to take one of those little cable trolleys...Or you could just scale the mountain. We opted for option one. We went up the trolley and met our tourguide, Mara, at the city gate. She first took us to an outlook at the edge of the city where we could see the valley below and the massive walls containing the city. She said it was build on tufu, or brittle volcanic rock that is crumbling. I hope not too fast!

Next we were taken to a well that was specifically created to supply water to the pope at the time, who fled to Orvieto while fighting for control over the region. The well's steps are arrange in a double helix with a central shaft that lets light shine in all the way to the bottom. The reason for the double helix was to keep the donkeys which went down to get the water from seeing other donkeys going to the opposite way, causing them to try to turn around. Number of steps? about a million. Not to mention the rise and run was made for donkeys, not people. It was pretty magical though, the helix has windows to the central shaft so light is always coming in and you can see how far down the well is. Actually, this might be my favorite sight so far. It's architecural...right? 

Next we saw some underground areas that were used mainly for food storage. And the biggest portion of this underground network? Pigeon breeding holes...apparently pigeon was a huge staple of people's diet back in the day because they were abundant and you didn't have to take care of them. Yum? Other than this interesting tidbit, we could have done without seeing this site.

Finally...To the Duomo! Orvieto's Duomo is absolutely amazing! The sides of the building are covered with green and white marble in horizontal stripes. (I kept thinking of Beetlejuice when I saw it). The facade is a masterpiece with tons of mosaics and carvings. This particular church was built to house the corporal that has Jesus' blood stained on it. In addition, there's also frescos of the last judgement in a room across from the corporal. The frescos had a ton of detail and color, and everyone was blond for some reason. Also, the artist put his ex-girlfriend who cheated on him in the paintings. First, we see her as a prostitute and then we find her in hell being ripped apart by demons. Since we're hearing this story hundreds of years after it happened, I have to say that painting her was probably the best revenge ever. Mad props to the artist who's name I don't remember... as always. The rest of the Cathedral was amazing as well. Tones of alabaster stone windows give a really warm glow to the interior, and the Beetlejuice stripes are inside too.

We concluded the day by getting pizza and gelato and sitting in the sun on a huge stairway to nowhere....and sketching. It was very collegiate of us.

Things I learned about Italy this trip-

There aren't guardrails anywhere- aka they want to you fall into the abyss/ test Darwinism. So far, no one has fallen into any wells or off any cliffs...so far.

There is graffiti EVERYWHERE- Including on the pillars of the beautiful Duomo. This begs the question- What the hell is wrong with people?!

We're going back to Florence tomorrow as a class to see their Duomo. Let the comparisons begin! Arrivederci!