Explore the Tuscan capital, from Santa Croce to Badia Fiorentina
Who hasn’t dreamed of walking the streets of Florence? The cradle of the Renaissance offers dozens of ideas for themed walking tours. Art, food and wine, crafts and shopping: just choose your favourite monuments and neighbourhoods.
If you’d like to take a walk centred on spirituality, you can immerse yourself among Florence’s religious buildings. For this route, we suggest visiting two churches – one that’s Benedictine and one that’s Franciscan – to understand different periods and lifestyles.
A large monastic complex in the heart of Florence, for centuries the Badia Fiorentina has shared the city’s history, work and life of the. The monastery was part of the local community: many workshops opened nearby in line with the needs and activities of the religious order.
Tradition says that the Roman Emperor Conrad II donated the tower (1038) to defend the monastery, which later became the first meeting place of the Priori delle Arti (1282 – visible from via Dante Alighieri). In 1284, the entire complex by Arnolfo di Cambio was restructured as part of the city’s plans for a grand expansion and the redefinition of civic hubs. The apse and the distinctive bell tower are the most visible parts of this new Gothic building. In the 1400s, the neighbouring houses were acquired and the Chiostro degli Aranci was built; the atrium was constructed at a later date. Visitors can admire the Apparition of the Virgin to St. Bernard (Filippino Lippi, 1482-86).
A large monastic complex in the heart of Florence, for centuries the Badia Fiorentina has shared the city’s history, work and life of the. The monastery was part of the local community: many workshops opened nearby in line with the needs and activities of the religious order.
Tradition says that the Roman Emperor Conrad II donated the tower (1038) to defend the monastery, which later became the first meeting place of the Priori delle Arti (1282 – visible from via Dante Alighieri). In 1284, the entire complex by Arnolfo di Cambio was restructured as part of the city’s plans for a grand expansion and the redefinition of civic hubs. The apse and the distinctive bell tower are the most visible parts of this new Gothic building. In the 1400s, the neighbouring houses were acquired and the Chiostro degli Aranci was built; the atrium was constructed at a later date. Visitors can admire the Apparition of the Virgin to St. Bernard (Filippino Lippi, 1482-86).
The building of the Santa Croce Basilica, based on a T plan (the tau cross was St. Francis’s favourite) with wooden trusses, was financed by the city council and the wealthy Florentine families who became attached to the Franciscan order. Santa Croce is the largest Franciscan church in the world and the square in front of it was a necessary extension: the mission of the Francisan order is testimony and preaching. The piazza embraces everyone who has “understanding ears”.
In the Bardi Chapel, with extraordinary narrative power, Giotto communicated the Franciscan charisma in his summary of the saint’s life, while Donatello’s wooden crucifix depicts the identification between God and humankind.
The building of the Santa Croce Basilica, based on a T plan (the tau cross was St. Francis’s favourite) with wooden trusses, was financed by the city council and the wealthy Florentine families who became attached to the Franciscan order. Santa Croce is the largest Franciscan church in the world and the square in front of it was a necessary extension: the mission of the Francisan order is testimony and preaching. The piazza embraces everyone who has “understanding ears”.
In the Bardi Chapel, with extraordinary narrative power, Giotto communicated the Franciscan charisma in his summary of the saint’s life, while Donatello’s wooden crucifix depicts the identification between God and humankind.
In two distinctive elements on the exterior of the Palazzo Vecchio, designed by Arnolfo di Cambio as the headquarters of the priors (1298) and which later became Palazzo della Signoria (15th century), visitors can see the religious sensibility of the Florentines that they recognized in the republican government. The radial monogram of Christ was added to the Gothic frontage, above the door, as well as the Savonarola-inspired wording, suggested by gonfaloniere Niccolò Capponi: “Iesus Cristus rex fiorentini popoli”.
In two distinctive elements on the exterior of the Palazzo Vecchio, designed by Arnolfo di Cambio as the headquarters of the priors (1298) and which later became Palazzo della Signoria (15th century), visitors can see the religious sensibility of the Florentines that they recognized in the republican government. The radial monogram of Christ was added to the Gothic frontage, above the door, as well as the Savonarola-inspired wording, suggested by gonfaloniere Niccolò Capponi: “Iesus Cristus rex fiorentini popoli”.
The history of this building bears witness to the way in which Christianity was woven into the city’s civil society in an osmotic relationship of mutual exchange. The loggia of Orsanmichele was originally used as a corn market, but it became a religious building with the introduction of the devotion to an icon of the Virgin Mary.
This is probably why, the silk guild, which had been assigned the building, decided to turn it into a symbol of the power of the guilds in 1336, creating twelve tabernacles on the pillars with statues of their patron saints.
The coats of arms of the guilds were added above each coat of arms, designed as a fresco or in glazed coloured terracotta. The earliest ones are practically illegible now, although the latter ones can still be seen. The statues in the tabernacles are copies of the originals.
The history of this building bears witness to the way in which Christianity was woven into the city’s civil society in an osmotic relationship of mutual exchange. The loggia of Orsanmichele was originally used as a corn market, but it became a religious building with the introduction of the devotion to an icon of the Virgin Mary.
This is probably why, the silk guild, which had been assigned the building, decided to turn it into a symbol of the power of the guilds in 1336, creating twelve tabernacles on the pillars with statues of their patron saints.
The coats of arms of the guilds were added above each coat of arms, designed as a fresco or in glazed coloured terracotta. The earliest ones are practically illegible now, although the latter ones can still be seen. The statues in the tabernacles are copies of the originals.