The church of Santa Croce, largest Franciscan church in existence, founded in 1294 , is considered the Pantheon of Italian glories. It honors some of the most important names of Italian history and culture, those who strongly impacted art, history, literature and music.
The most famous tombs are those of Michelangelo, Niccolò Machiavelli, Vittorio Alfieri, Galileo Galileo, Leonardo Bruni, Giacchino Rossini and Lorenzo Ghiberti done by some very reknown artists such as Rossellino, Desiderio da Settignano and Canova.
Not to wonder that Ugo Foscolo, at the beginng of 1800, wrote his most known poem “I sepolcri” (about the tombs) refering to Santa Croce as the church to go in order to to be inspired to be a better person because of all the important people buried there.
Besides the tombs in Santa Croce you can see one of the most important works of Giotto: the frescoes of the life of S. Francis in the Bardi chapel. The school of Giotto freskoes the Peruzzi chapel and the apse is a work of Giotto’s assistant Agnolo Gaddi.
Don’t forget to have a look at Donatello’s masterpieces: the Annunciation, an exquisite gilded limestone high relief, which expresses a quiet intimacy of emotions and the Crucifix located in one of the left side transept chapels (Bardi di Vernio). Santa Croce hosts on the floor 270 tombstones of people and they concur to make this church unique.
Do no forget to visit the Pazzi Chapel by Bruelleschi and the Museum with the very famous Cimabue crucifix that was damaged by the 1966 flood.
THE CHURCH OF SANTA CROCE:
Open 9.30 a.m.-5.30 p.m.; Sunday: 1 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Fax: 055-462-6615