By Georgie du Boulay, Block 5
Photo by Jake Scott, Block 5

In early December, a group of Block 5 Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (PRE) students ventured to Florence, Italy, along with Clare Jarmy, Al McConville, Alastair Harden and Nick Meigh.

On our first day, we took a coach to Siena, where we visited its cathedral and the Palazzo Pubblico, where we sat and discussed Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s Allegory of Good and Bad Government – a series of three fresco panels which line three walls of the room in the palace where Siena’s chief magistrates, Sala dei Nove, held their meetings – with our upcoming utopia projects in mind.

For the rest of the trip we stayed in Florence, exploring the widely celebrated Le Gallerie Delgi Uffizi and other renowned Florentine cultural highlights, as well as visiting the Santa Croce Christmas market for some festive gift shopping!

Florence is one of the most inspiring places in the world, let alone Europe, and the trip was a great opportunity to reflect upon what makes a good government – and what the purpose of a government actually is – something that society has perhaps neglected to question in modern politics.

More photos from the trip

By Georgie du Boulay, Block 5:

By Jake Scott, Block 5:

By Aryana Taheri-Murphy, Block 5:

By Oskar de Aragues, Block 5:

By Samantha Smith, Block 5: