Tour n° 3: Basilicas, large squares and preachers
The visit aims to retrace the history of some of the most significant places of worship in medieval Florence.
The beginning of the 13th century saw the arrival in Florence of some of the most important orders of mendicant friars and preachers, who left indelible traces in the urban and architectural layout of the city.
Itinerary
First stage
The Basilica of Santa Croce, on the square of the same name, is the fulcrum of one of the four historic quarters of Florence, which compete against each other every year during the calcio storico (historic football) in this very square. Built at the end of the 13th century in one of the places most severely tested by the frequent flooding of the Arno, and for this reason only incorporated in the last circle of walls, it houses unique masterpieces including Giotto’s frescoes, Cimabue’s cross, some sculptures by Donatello, as well as numerous tombs of illustrious personalities such as Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and Foscolo, making it a true iconic monument for Florence and the whole of Italy.
Second stage
The Basilica of Santa Maria Novella: this was the first of the city’s great conventual churches, and the centre of the Dominican order, whose presence was fundamental to the religious, artistic and cultural development of the entire city. A marvellous example of Gothic architecture, the Basilica has seen the succession of excellent artists, from the Middle Ages to the late Renaissance, as well as preserving precious evidence of the scientific interests, especially astronomy, that flourished under the aegis of the Medici government.
Among the works that can be admired inside are Giotto’s crucifix, Masaccio’s Trinity, frescoes by Ghirlandaio and Filippino Lippi, and many others.
Third stage
The Basilica of Santo Spirito: located in the Oltrarno, in one of the most enchanting corners of the city, it is one of Brunelleschi’s most representative architectural works.
From the very beginning, the Augustinian monks made this convent not only one of the most important cultural centres in Florence, but a true centre of theological and philosophical studies frequented by intellectuals, scholars, artists and humanists of the calibre of Petrarch, Boccaccio and Leonardo Bruni.
It was here that a very young Michelangelo, grateful to the monks who allowed him to devote himself to the study of anatomy, created a beautiful wooden crucifix, still on display and visible today in the sacristy.
What is included
Guided tour in the language of your choice, with licensed guide
Optional
It is possible to customise the tour by adding guided visits to museums
It is possible to add a professional photo shoot as a memento of the experience
Earphones: € 2.00 per pax
Not included
Entrance fees to churches or museums and any other service not mentioned
Tips
Customise your tour with a visit to one or more of the museums mentioned, contact me and we will plan your “Basilicas, Great Squares and Preachers Tour” together.
Please note that appropriate clothing is required for access to places of worship, i.e. shoulders, arms and legs covered.
Contact me
For more information you can call: +39 333 4570585 or send a whatsapp message directly. Alternatively you can write an email to: info@topflorencetours.com. We are at your disposal to plan a guided tour of Florence to discover its squares, bridges and monuments or to visit the city’s museums, with priority admission, such as the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia Gallery, the Palazzo Vecchio Museum, the Medici Chapels, the Opera del Duomo Museum and the Bargello Museum.
Specification: Tour n° 3: Basilicas, large squares and preachers
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