Destinations / The most beautiful churches of Italy / Basilica Santa Croce

 

  Basilica of Santa Croce is notable primarily for its architectural plan, in Gothic style, as well as its unique pieces of art kept here. According to the legend, the church was founded by St. Francis of Assisi. Francis of Assisi died in 1226, and two years later was canonized as saint. By 1229 there are mentions about the church dedicated to him. Construction of the church on the site previously occupied by this building began on May 12, 1294 (the project was assumingly developed by the famous Arnolfo di Cambio) and would last until the second half of XIVth century. Financing of the construction was made by the wealthy families of Florence. In 1442 the church was consecrated by Pope Eugene IV. The windows of the basilica are decorated with stained glass, to expand its interior. The church was built in the form of an Egyptian T-shaped cross, and it is the largest Franciscan church in Italy. Over time, there have been numerous restructuring of the church. In the second half of the XVIth century, there were destroyed many of its ancient parts. Frescoes by Andrea Orcagna were hidden under the altar made by Vasari. The church is decorated with many frescoes and sculptures of Giotto and other famous artists and sculptors such as Donatello, Antonio Canova, Tadeo Gaddi, Antonio and Bernardo Rossellini and many others. It is worth mentioning the art work made by Benedetto De Maia (1472), with bas-reliefs dedicated to St Francis. The facade of the basilica with its three portals, made on the basis of the  draft by N. Matas, dates from the XIXth century.

 

  In the church, there are buried about 300 famous Florentine personalities in the domain of culture, science and politics. The most famous tombs are located along the walls of the Basilica of the right aisle. The typical design of the tombs in the church is the following –a marble box with the figure of the deceased one on top of the sarcophagus. Some of the most famous people of Italy burried here are: Leon Battista Alberti, architect (15 century), Lorenzo Bartolini (sculptor, 18-19 century), Dante Alighieri (poet, XIII-XIV century), Galileo Galilei (astronomer, mathematician, XVI century -Galileo was born in Pisa, but has lived most of his life in Florence; the sarcophagus is topped with the figure of the scientist and the allegorical figures of Geometry and Astronomy), Niccolo Machiavelli (phylosopher, XV - XVI century), Michelangelo Buonarroti (sculptor, poet, painter, XV - XVI century - the tomb was made by Giorgio Vasari), Gioachino Rossini (composer, XIX century), Guglielmo Marconi (Nobel Prize in 1909 for the establishment of wireless telegraphy, XIX- XX century), Enrico Fermi - a prominent physicist and Nobel Prize winner in 1938. In addition, a true masterpiece is the tabernacle with the "Annunciation" made by Donatello (1435).

 

 

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