Santa Croce
Santa Croce (shown in the photo to the left from the
Dumo's tower) is the burial place of
many of the giants of Renaissance. Rebuilt in its present from for the
Franciscans in 1294 by Arnolfo di Cambio, its impressive exterior is
covered by a polychrome marble, reminiscent of the Duomo
Cathedral. (photo to the right) Unlike the Duomo, however, the
rest of the structure remains finished in stonework. The interior of
Santa Croce is interesting both for the artwork as well as the crypts
that it contains. It includes frescoes by Gaddi and Giotto. On the
south wall of the nave is a Donatello relief in gilded limestone, the
Annunciation. Just as impressive as the artwork is the pantheon of
Renaissance greats entombed
within Santa Croce's
walls. Perhaps the most
honored is Dante Alighieri. The photo to the
right shows a stature of Dante outside the church. Dante
himself, however does not reside here--he was buried in Ravenna. The occupied crypts in Santa Croce read like a "Who's Who" of
the Renaissance. The table at the bottom of the 
page contains pictures
of the crypts of these famous Renaissance men--Dante, Michelangelo,
Galileo, and Machiavelli. Next to Santa Croce is the
Cappella dei Pazzi, containing cloisters, the Pazzi chapel, and the
beautiful gardens shown to the right.
Renaissance Greats Entombed in Santa Croce
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Dante's Crypt |
Michelangelo's Crypt | Galileo's Crypt | Machiavelli's Crypt |