David by Michelangelo
(detail)
Michelangelo’s David was unveiled in Florence in 1504. Michelangelo started working on the seventeen foot marble statue in 1501. For many years it was displayed in an open piazza, but it was moved to the Accademia Gallery in 1873. A replica was then placed in the statue’s original location. Children might be interested in the book Michelangelo for Kids: His Life and Ideas, with 21 Activities by Simonetta Carr.
Technologically Enhanced Remnant of Supernova 1604
Supernova 1604 first appeared in northern Italy in 1604. Johannes Kepler, while not the first scientist to see it, made observations of it while he was in Prague. Also known as Kepler’s Nova, the supernova, of the type to happen in the Milky Way, was the brightest star in the sky and was visible during the day for three weeks. Supernova 1604 was also observed and noted in China and in Korea. Children can learn more about supernovas at: Supernovas.
Leaning Tower of Pisa reopened in 2001 after 11 years of repair, costing 27 million dollars. Construction was started on the bell tower in 1173, and the structure began tilting north soon after. The foundation rested on soft soil. Builders tried to compensate, but the tower began to lean in a southern direction. Several other rescues were made, but the building continued to tilt. By 1990 officials feared the building would topple, and they closed the structure to the public. The latest round of repairs seems to have worked. Slowly the workers removed soil from beneath the foundation while applying weights on the other side. Children could read Building History – The Tower of Pisa by James Barter.