Basilica of Santa Croce
Basilica of Santa Croce is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Florence audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~75 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type religious
- Suggested visit ~75 min
- Florence Florence guide
About Basilica of Santa Croce
The 'Temple of Italian Glories' where Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli are buried, with Giotto's frescoes and Brunelleschi's Pazzi Chapel in the cloister.
Santa Croce is the largest Franciscan church in the world and the pantheon of Italian genius. Construction began in 1294, probably to a design by Arnolfo di Cambio. Inside, the vast Gothic interior is lined with magnificent tombs and memorials: Michelangelo (died 1564), buried here at his own request; Galileo Galilei (died 1642), interred here a century after his death; Niccolò Machiavelli; composer Gioacchino Rossini; and Leon Battista Alberti. Dante has a cenotaph, he is buried in Ravenna. The Bardi and Peruzzi Chapels at the east end contain Giotto's greatest surviving fresco cycles: the Life of St Francis and scenes from the lives of St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist. In the first cloister, Brunelleschi's Pazzi Chapel stands as one of the purest expressions of Renaissance architectural ideals.
Did you know? Galileo was denied a proper public burial for nearly a century after his death in 1642 because the Church considered him a heretic; he finally received his tomb in Santa Croce in 1737.
How long should you spend at Basilica of Santa Croce?
Plan about ~75 min at Basilica of Santa Croce. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Basilica of Santa Croce worth visiting?
Basilica of Santa Croce is one of the 42 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Florence, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Florence
Hear the story of Basilica of Santa Croce
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