This large and wonderful 13th century Gothic Church, Santa Croce, is known by Florentines as "The Pantheon of the Italian Glories" because of the tombs and cenotaphs of so many great Italians found within: Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo, Alberti, Alfieri, Bruni, Foscolo, Gentile, Marconi.
The Gothic Church of Santa Croce was built by the Franciscans on the site of a small oratory the order founded when they arrived in the city around 1210. The Church was begun in 1294, by the architect Arnolfo di Cambio, and was not completed until 1442 - the year it was consecrated by Pope Eugene IV.
The Church's black and White marble facade was added in 1857-1863 by the Jewish architect Niccolo Matas, who is buried in the porch of the Church.
The Church is built in the shape of a Franciscan Cross (Tau) 115 metres in length and has 16 chapels decorated with frescos. The frescos in the Bardi Chapel contain scenes from the life of St Francis of Assisi, and those in the Peruzzi Chapel tell the life of John the Baptist, both sets of frescoes are by Giotto. The remaining chapels are decorated with frescoes painted by students of Giotto, such as Taddeo Gaddi.
The church also contains other important pieces of Italian Renaissance art, such as the altarpiece 'Coronation of the Virgin' by Giotto; an elaborate carved pulpit (1472-76) by Benedetto di Maiano; and a Crucifix by Donatello.
Within the church is located The Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce, housed in a former convent cloister and refectory, which includes The Pazzi Chapel by Filippo Brunelleschi. The chapel was built as the convent's main chapter house, and is considered a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. The work is based on simple geometrical forms. The forms are emphasised by the gray pietra serena stone that outline the architectural lines against the pale stucco walls.
The museum's collection contains pieces of art damaged during the 1966 flood of the Arno river. The most important piece in the collection is Cimabue's crucifix, considered one of the artist's masterpieces.
The church looks out on to spacious Piazza Santa Croce which is ringed with shops and restaurants. It is here that every June the medieval game calcio storico (a violent form of football) is played by men dressed in period costume. On the south side of the Piazza is the frescoed facade of Palazzo Antella, a 16th century patricians house. On the North West side can be found a plaque which marks the level the water rose to when the Arno River flooded in 1966.
Prices
5 Euro
Opening Times
Mon - Sat 9:30am-5:30pm
Sun 1pm - 5:30pm
(Times can change!!)
Address
Piazza Santa Croce
 | | Tomb of Michelangelo |
 | | Tomb of Galileo |
 | | Cloister by Brunelleschi |
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