The Churches of Florence, art and religion ...
A trip for discovering religions, art and personalities lived in Florence during the centuries ...
The Baptistery
This is one of the oldest buildings in Florence, where Dante and other illustrious Florentines were baptized. The outside part of the Baptistery dates around the eleventh century and reflects the florentine Romanesque style. The three bronze doors are very interesting: in one of them there is drawed the history of Humanity and its Redemption. The northern and the ester door were made by Ghiberti. The interior of the church is in Roman style: golden mosaics and extraordinary made by Florentine artists (such as Cimabue).
Piazza di San Giovanni. Phone: 055 2302885
The Cathedral
The dome of the cathedral is one of the most famous works of Brunelleschi . The Pope consacrated the church on March 25th 1436. The full name of the church is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and it is one of the largest buildings of Florence. The most important door are Porta dei Canonici, in Gothic style, and Porta delle Mandorle (almond) which takes its name from the shape of the Virgin rilievo. Inside the cathedral you can admire a series of frescoes of the greatest Florentine artists. An underground that houses the remains of the church of Santa Reparata and the tomb of Brunelleschi and finally the magnificent Dome.
Piazza del Duomo. Phone: 055 2302885
The Santa Maria Novella Basilica
The construction of the church began around the thirteenth century and was supposed to host the Florentine convent the order of Dominicans. The church represent the passing from the Romanesque to the Gothic style. It houses many important works by Leon Battista Alberti. The most important is without any doubt "The Trinity" of Masaccio. there is also the Chapel of Filippo Strozzi, with interesting frescoes by Filippino Lippi, the Gondi Chapel , that houses a crucifix by Brunelleschi.
Piazza di Santa Maria Novella. Phone: 055 215918
Ognissanti church
It has a facade in baroque style. Inside the church there are many works of the fifteenth century of Domenico Ghirlandaio and Sandro Botticelli. The masterpiece of Ghirlandaio is undoubtedly "The Last Supper", located in the upper room of the monastery, considered the most important anticipation of the work of Leonardo da Vinci.
Piazza d'Ognissanti. Phone: 055 2398700
Santo Spirito church
Although the church is in Gothic style, the church has some aspects of the Romanesque style. In the Chapel of Sestetti you can admire the most important work of the church, the frescoes of Ghirlandaio representing the life of St. Francis of Assisi. In front of the church there is the Buondelmonti Palace.
Piazza Holy Trinity. Phone: 055 216912
The San Lorenzo basilica
Filippo Brunelleschi was commissioned to design the church, but it was finisched by Antonio Maratti. The church contains many important architectural works such as the Old Sacristy by Brunelleschi, the New Sacristy based on the designs of Michelangelo, the Medici Chapels by Matteo Nigetti.
the Laurentian Library by Michelangelo
From Piazza San Lorenzo then access to the Laurentian Library by MIchelangelo, commissioned by Cosimo I dé Medici to preserve the collection of books of the family.
Piazza San Lorenzo 9. Phone: 055 216634
The Medici Chapels
One of the Medici chapels is the Cappella dei Principo (Chapel of Princes), a mausoleum where the grand dukes themselves are buried. It is decorated with colored marble, granite and stones.
Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini. Phone: 0552388602
Santissima Annunziata church
It was built in 1250 by the founders of the Ordine dei Servi di Maria and rebuilt by Michelozzo. In the tabernacle there is the famous painting of the Virgin, considered miraculous. There are also frescoes by Andrea dal Castagno and magnificent frescoes as the "Birth of Venus" by Andrea del Sarto and the "Visitation" by Jacopo Pontorno.
Piazza of the Santissima Annunziata. Phone: 055 266181
Santa Maria Maddalena dé Pazzi church and Convent
The church, characterized by columns in Ionic style, ihouses many frescoes and paintings. First of all a magnificent fresco that represents the Crucifixion, painted by Perugino between 1493 and 1496.
Borgo Pinti 58. Phone: 055 2478420
The Santa Croce Basilica
Completed in 1358, was originally a ranciscan foundation. It houses the tombs of some of the greatest Florentine artists, such as the monumental tomb of Dante Alighieri, of Michelangelo, designed by Vasari. You can admire the sculpture by Donatello representing the Annunciation.
In the chapel are preserved the frescoes by Giotto, the works by Giovanni della Robbia and the tomb of Galileo Galielei. Piazza di Santa Croce. Phone: 055 2466105
Sant'Ambrogio church
The church is dedicated to Sant'Ambrogio, the archbishop of Milan who, during a visit in Florence, stayed in the convent where today there is the church. There are tombs of different artists such as Mino da Fiesole, Verrocchio and the Chronicle.
Piazza Sant'Ambrogio.
The Santa Maria del Carmine Basilica
The most interesting attraction of this church is wthout any doubt the Brancacci Chapel, decorated with frescoes of Masaccio, Masolino da Panicale and Filippino Lippi. The work of Masaccio is so important because it outlines many aspects of the first Renaissance, such as "The Expulsion of Progenitori". The church is characterized by a late Baroque style and it is decorated with frescoes, arches and columns.
Piazza del Carmine. Phone: 055 2768224
The Santo Spirito Basilica
The church is considered a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, work of Brunelleschi. Wonderful columns (35), and the "Madonna and child and Saints" by Filippino Lippi.
Piazza Santo Spirito. Phone: 055 210030
San Miniato al Monte church
And 'one of the most esustivi Romanesque style in Florence. On the facade has inlaid marble depicting Christ between the Virgin and San Miniato, while the acquila represents the art of Calimala. Inside are a series of frescoes and the Chapel of the Cardinal of Portugal, created for the Portuguese prince Jacques de Lusitania, which preserves a tomb carved by Antonio Rossellino and earthenware of Luca della Robbia.
Via delle Porte Sante. Phone: 055 2342731
Santa Felicita church
It is the oldest church in Florence. Inside you can admire the Barbadori Chapel by Brunelleschi and it is enriched with two frescoes: "The Annunciation" and the "Deposition".
Piazza Santa Felicita.