L’altro La Scala

Many people might know “La Scala” as the theater in Milan; however, the original “La Scala” is the absolutely stunning staircase by Michelangelo in Florence. Tucked away from the crowds, but within walking distance from the Duomo is the Laurentian Library.

The library was constructed during the Renaissance and features a reading room above the entry vestibule. It is this entry vestibule that is an extraordinary visual and architectural masterpiece, and one created by one of the most brilliant creative minds in history: Michelangelo. The artist-architect designed the powerful staircase that visually pours down from the upper level as if it were a torrent of water with eddies on either side, and it spills down into a landing that emulates a pool at the base. It is impossible to stand at the base of the staircase and not be overwhelmed. However, Michelangelo’s irony is notable: once reaching the top of the staircase at the entrance to the reading room, one enters a tranquil sea of order.

Wander off the beaten path to The Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana. Michelangelo was as talented as an architect as he was a painter, and whether viewing the Sistine Chapel, or his sculpture of “David,”or the staircase at the library, his work during the High Renaissance has influenced our lives for centuries.