Views in Italy, During a Journey in the Years 1815 and 1816

1821

de Beer Eb 1821 F

London: Printed for Sir Richard Phillips and Co.

Some 30 kilometres south-east of Florence is the abbey of Vallambrosa. From there, in 1096, Pope Urban II addressed the congregation and implored them to support a crusade to the Holy Land. Today, the abbey is a mecca for visitors, especially in the summer. Picnicking is a favourite activity, and those who forget the essentials can purchase local produce, including a brew made by the monks called ‘Elixir Stomachico’. Herr Friedländer travelled to this idyllic spot between 1815 and 1816; other visitors have included William Wordsworth, Mary Shelley and Elizabeth Barrett Browning.