In my previous posts, I showed you some incredible views of Florence. But, we are not done yet! I have more photos to share with you.
Today, I'd like to talk briefly about the Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross) (Photo #3). Considered the largest Franciscan church in the world, its construction began in 1294. The building was consecrated in 1442.
The Basilica was built as an Egyptian cross and first used to house the graves of families living in the area. Then, the 15th century saw it become the resting place of a number of very famous Italians - Michelangelo, Leonardo Bruni, Julie Clary, Galileo Galilei, Niccolò Machiavelli, Gioachino Rossini, and Dante (Photo #5) to name a few.
(Dante's tomb is actually empty. The poet had been exiled for his political activities. His remains are buried in Ravenna and the city has refused to allow Florence to reclaim his body.)
The Basilica has an impressive façade and features work from major artists like Donatello, Giotto, Santi di Tito, Giorgio Vasari, and Domenico Veneziano.
Next week, I'll share photos of the funerary monuments in the basilica.
More photos of my trip to Europe can be found here.
