On my wanderings in Florence the other day I found myself in a back street called Via del Inferno, where I found a wonderful old wooden door.
I have no idea how old it is, or what the building was originally. It is now the doorway to a garage, which offers parking. You would really need to know it was there, because finding it would be a challenge.
I’m sure it has been a doorway to many different things in its life. It must have had lots of new locks and fittings over the years.
It has clearly had lots of coats of paint…in many different colours. I hope nobody scrapes the layers off and gives it a shiny new coat.
Wandering the back streets in any Italian city is a good thing to do.
Click here to see a very old door I found in Naples.
Fabulous – deserves all the shots you took, what a find.
By: rozmacallanoz on February 9, 2013
at 11:20 am
Stunning, isn’t it?
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2013
at 11:24 am
Exquisit. I have a weakness for old doors and their hardware. Beautifully captured, Debra.
By: nuovastoria on February 9, 2013
at 11:38 am
I love them too..and we have lots to choose from in Italy.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2013
at 11:45 am
Seeing a door like this makes me wonder about all the people who have passed by that door, all the stories that door has seen. If that door could talk, it could tell some wondrous things, I bet.
By: Eagle-Eyed Editor on February 9, 2013
at 12:25 pm
It was a very big doorway, so it was no doubt a carriage entry. I would love to know more about it.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2013
at 4:25 pm
I would say that it is the product of the recycling of halves from two different doors. The Italians are masters when it comes to re-using architectural elements. They have been doing that for centuries. And the results are great, full of ingenuity!
By: mulino dominillo on February 9, 2013
at 1:03 pm
The doors were quite big. It is difficult to get an idea of the size from the photo, and I couldn’t get back far enough to get both sides together as it was a very narrow street.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2013
at 4:24 pm
Debra, what a find! I am a ‘sucker’ for those kind of photographs. One can find quite a few of those doors, windows, etc. here in India – but your door is splendid. I agree with mulino, it looks that the door has been “married”, 2 pieces from 2 diff. doors. But who cares, really. Carina
By: anyone4curryandotherthings on February 9, 2013
at 1:45 pm
my entry has vanished into thin air – will try again.
By: anyone4curryandotherthings on February 9, 2013
at 1:46 pm
What a find, Debra. Absolutely wonderful. I envy you – my kind of photography. Here in India one can find many nice old doors, windows etc. but for much longer? They are all being destroyed or dismanteled and shipped to Europe or America.I also agree with Mulino, that door has been “married”, 2 diff. halves from 2 diff. doors. Carina
By: anyone4curryandotherthings on February 9, 2013
at 1:49 pm
I hope you don’t lose all your gorgeous doors in India. I thought it was a beautiful place with so much gorgeous colour. I wish I had been writing my blog when I went to India. It was really before I started taking photos at all.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2013
at 4:20 pm
Debra, I have the very same problem and regrets. Especially from “my previous life” – all the photo opportunities I had but with films being soooo expensive one only took the minimum. Now it is so much different. And yes, I too wished I would have started my Blog earlier – but, no point crying over spilt milk. Lets hope we can make up for lost chances somehow, I certainly try., lol.
By: anyone4curryandotherthings on February 10, 2013
at 6:15 am
Beautiful details in your lovely photos. If only doors could speak to us, what would they tell us?
By: umbriascribe on February 9, 2013
at 2:41 pm
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to hear their tales.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2013
at 4:18 pm
Bagni di Lucca and Beyond wrote:
> a:hover { color: red; } a { text-decoration: none; color: #0088cc; } a.primaryactionlink:link, a.primaryactionlink:visited { background-color: #2585B2; color: #fff; } a.primaryactionlink:hover, a.primaryactionlink:active { background-color: #11729E !important; color: #fff !important; } /* @media only screen and (max-device-width: 480px) { .post { min-width: 700px !important; } } */ WordPress.com Debra Kolkka posted: “On my wanderings in Florence the other day I found myself in a back street called Via del Inferno, where I found a wonderful old wooden door. I have no idea how old it is, or what the building was originally. It is now the doorway to a garage, which of”
By: lisa rossini on February 9, 2013
at 2:41 pm
That’s what I love about an “old” city – you can walk down the same street many times and always see a little detail you didn’t notice before. Brooklyn is nowhere near as old as Florence, but I often get that feeling walking by the old brownstones.
By: Jackie Cangro on February 9, 2013
at 2:47 pm
I am hoping to do a bit of wandering around Brooklyn when I am in New York soon. I hope you were OK in the blizzard.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2013
at 4:17 pm
All is well here!
If you get to Brooklyn might I recommend walking along the Brooklyn Promenade? If you have a nice sunny day, the view of Manhattan and Stature of Liberty is stunning!
By: Jackie Cangro on February 10, 2013
at 1:51 pm
That is one of my favorite things about Florence, The old wooden doors. I never notice doors in Rome or Venice but in Florence they really do grab your attention.
By: laniersmith on February 9, 2013
at 4:08 pm
We have lots of wonderful old wooden doors around our village and I have photographed hundreds of them. I can’t resist them, especially the green ones.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2013
at 4:16 pm
Oh they sound wonderful!! You just have to love a beautiful old green door.
By: laniersmith on February 9, 2013
at 4:18 pm
What an amazing find, Debra, and your photos are really great. I bet the people who use it every day wouldn’t consider it as anything special. 🙂
By: adinparadise on February 9, 2013
at 5:09 pm
I’m sure they don’t think it is special and would probably prefer a shiny new one.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 10, 2013
at 7:27 pm
😀
By: adinparadise on February 11, 2013
at 12:02 am
beautiful old door…I wonder what stories it could tell.
By: cityhippyfarmgirl on February 10, 2013
at 12:51 am
These days it would just be talking about the types of cars driving in and out.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 10, 2013
at 7:28 pm
I hope it’s left to wear and weather another hundred years or so Debra. It would hopefully just keep getting more beautiful.
By: janinevasta on February 10, 2013
at 1:25 am
That would be good. The garage is quite modern inside, so this may not happen.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 10, 2013
at 7:29 pm
A door, the entrance and exit to and from privacy. In Italy those old doors are just so much more interesting.
By: paul on February 10, 2013
at 2:31 am
There are certainly many wonderful old doors to be found here.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 10, 2013
at 7:29 pm
Beautiful element! As usual, love your details.
By: maru clavier on February 10, 2013
at 2:54 am
I love the crusty old paint. I wonder how many layers of paint it has had.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 10, 2013
at 7:30 pm
The gems one can find when one takes time to look – especially in Italy. Good find Debra!
By: aFrankAngle on February 10, 2013
at 9:04 am
The back streets always offer lovely surprises.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 10, 2013
at 7:31 pm
Absolutely!!!
By: aFrankAngle on February 11, 2013
at 12:09 pm
That door brought back so many memories of my days there. The doors where huge. And, as this picture shows, very, very old.
By: lipstickandplaydates on February 10, 2013
at 1:30 pm
Florence is full of gems like this. I like to walk with no particular purpose in mind, just to see what I come across.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 10, 2013
at 7:32 pm
You can’t help but wonder at some of the old doors in Florence or pretty much anywhere else in Italy. I wonder how many people stepped through that particular door over the centuries and how they led their lives – pity doors can’t talk…….
By: christopher oconnor on February 10, 2013
at 3:23 pm
I love the huge doors at Palazzo Davanzati…and you can go inside there and see what an old Florentine house looked like.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 10, 2013
at 7:33 pm
Thanks for the tip. Thats something we’ll definitely be doing next time we’re there.
By: christopher oconnor on February 15, 2013
at 12:33 pm
Hi Debra, read about you in Florence shopping super jealous! I have blogged about you today xx Hope you don’d mind 🙂 Carla x
http://carlacoulson.com/meeting-women-who-are-living-their-dream/
By: Carla Coulson on February 11, 2013
at 10:37 am
I am delighted that you included me in your blog! What fun! I wondered why there was renewed interest in the Florence post. It is snowing here in Bagni di Lucca today and it is gorgeous.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2013
at 11:19 am
I am always drawn to taking shots of doors and windows and love this one.
By: The Travelbunny on February 11, 2013
at 10:53 am
I can’t resist them.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2013
at 11:20 am
Yes a great door – as “inferno” means “hell” it might even have been one of the original gates of hell! It’s also been noted on an acquaintance’s blogsite at
http://firenzeneidettagli.blogspot.it/2011/01/la-porta-dellinferno.html
By: Francis Pettitt on February 12, 2013
at 3:12 pm
Possibly…if there was such a thing as hell. Your friend’s photo is taken from the same spot that I took mine.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 12, 2013
at 4:22 pm
That really looks like it stood the test of time. It’s nice to know none dared to knock it down for burglary. ooops sorry, Burglary can be anywhere.
By: rommel on February 12, 2013
at 3:42 pm
It has certainly been around for a long time, and let’s hope it is there for a while yet.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 12, 2013
at 4:22 pm
Great post! Beautiful photos!
I’d also love to know the history of where those doors have been…
By: dearrosie on February 16, 2013
at 11:38 pm