Among the must-see guided tours in Florence are Santa Croce, celebrated by Foscolo in ‘I Sepolcri’ as a tribute to the “urns of the strong,” and Santa Maria Novella, renowned for its Renaissance masterpieces by Giotto, Masaccio, Ghirlandaio, and Paolo Uccello.
The Franciscan Basilica of Santa Croce
Celebrated by Foscolo in I Sepolcri as a tribute to the “urns of the strong,” Santa Croce is one of Florence’s most iconic landmarks. Built by Arnolfo di Cambio and adorned with frescoes by Giotto and his followers, the basilica became a Pantheon of illustrious Italians, hosting the tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Rossini, Foscolo, and Alfieri. Santa Croce’s beauty is so overwhelming that it is famously associated with Stendhal syndrome—a condition where the viewer feels faint from the aesthetic impact of its artworks. Constructed at the end of the 13th century, possibly designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, it was largely funded by the Bardi and Peruzzi, two prominent Florentine banking families. The architectural layout includes three naves with wooden trussed ceilings and chapels in the transept, many of which are frescoed by Giotto and his collaborators. After years of extensive restoration, the Santa Croce complex now shines in all its splendor! During the guided tour, visitors will admire the most famous tombs, walking through the naves where monuments are mounted on the walls. The tour also highlights the ground-level tombstones, featuring knights in armor, Florentine nobles and merchants, friars, and Renaissance artists.
Cimabue’s Crucifix
A special mention goes to the renowned crucifix painted by Cimabue, now displayed in the sacristy. This masterpiece marks the dawn of Tuscan painting during the critical transition from Byzantine to Gothic art. The powerful image depicts Christ as the Christus patiens (Suffering Christ). Severely damaged during the catastrophic flood of 1966, the crucifix bears visible scars despite careful restoration, standing as a poignant symbol of the artworks affected by the devastating floodwaters of the Arno River.
The Pazzi Chapel
Leaving the church, we access the Pazzi Chapel through the cloister. The architectural design is emphasized by the gray of the pietra serena against the white plaster: pilasters, capitals, architraves, an umbrella-shaped dome, in a revival of ancient elements mixed with Byzantine and Romanesque motifs, typical of the architect Brunelleschi. The dolphins’ coats of arms remind us of the patronage of the Pazzi family.
The church of Santa Maria Novella
The Dominican Basilica of Santa Maria Novella was built in the mid-1200s in an area outside the city walls (which would later be included in the last city circle, begun at the end of the century), replacing the older Santa Maria delle Vigne. The convent complex included the church, numerous cloisters, the refectory, and the friars’ dormitories. It is said that even Dante studied at the Dominican convent. The church has a Gothic plan but underwent renovations in the 1500s following the Counter-Reformation by the Church of Rome, carried out by Vasari. The walls feature niches in pietra serena with altarpieces from the second half of the 1500s, while the transept is characterized by noble chapels, among the most interesting of which are those of the Tornabuoni, Strozzi, Rucellai, and Gondi families. The central chapel, or Tornabuoni chapel, is decorated with a fresco cycle dedicated to the Virgin and Saint John the Baptist, executed by Ghirlandaio in the 1480s.
The Trinity by Masaccio and the Cross by Giotto
Among the must-see works in Santa Maria Novella are: the fresco of the Trinity painted by Masaccio, the first painter of the Renaissance, which is a manifesto of 15th-century Florentine painting, revealing a new language in terms of spatiality, monumentality, and color effects, which would undoubtedly influence the future developments of art history. Additionally, Giotto’s Cross, a youthful work by the great master, stands majestically in the middle of the central nave, conveying a deep sense of spirituality alongside a naturalistic effect that was still unprecedented at the end of the 1200s.