Santa Croce
The walls of this evocatively dim and echoing Franciscan church are lined by the tombs of some of Tuscany’s greatest luminaries: artist Michelangelo, scientist Galileo, composer Rossini, political philosopher Machiavelli, sculptor Ghiberti, and many others. It’s no slouch in the art department, either, with a Donatello Crucifix to the left of the altar and magnificent frescoes by Giotto to the right of it. Take the time to poke into the church’s various nooks and crannies, like the sacristy off the right transept, covered in beautiful Gothic frescoes, and the high-quality, high-priced leather school shop just beyond it. Don’t miss the Museo di Santa Croce, which occupies the cloisters to the right of the main church and incorporates modern sculptures by Henry Moore, a Cimabue Crucifixion restored after the devastating 1966 Arno flood, and the Renaissance Pazzi Chapel, a perfect example in miniature of Brunelleschi’s highly influential architectural style.
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