ABBAZIA SAN MINIATO AL MONTE
Like a mirage from its hill, this magnificent church dominates Florence and offers a superb view of the Tuscan capital.
Close to Piazzale Michelangelo, from its hill, this magnificent Romanesque church dominates all of Florence and offers a breathtaking view of the city. In the centre of one of the most visited places in the world, there is everything you need to feel calm.
The church of San Miniato al Monte is dedicated to the 3rd century Christian martyr, St. Miniatus, the first martyr of the city, whose relics are in the crypt. The church was built during the 12th and 13th centuries on the foundations of an old parish. Its white and green marble facade is reminiscent of the baptistery. It is characterised by a basilical plan with three naves without a transept, and a raised choir above the crypt. This church is not only famous for its large mosaics and frescoes in Gothic style, but also for one of its two chapels. In fact, the funeral chapel of the Cardinal of Portugal (where Cardinal Jacques de Lusitania, who belonged to the royal family of Portugal, rests), built between 1461 and 1467, forms the place where three of the greatest artists of the Renaissance, Antonio Pollaiuolo, Bernardo Rossellino and Luca della Robbia, together created a splendid atmosphere of absolute harmony. They all combined their talents to make this chapel the most brilliant building of the 1460s.
At the foot of the church, the cemetery of the Holy Gates houses many funeral monuments of illustrious people who lived in Florence, such as Carlo Collodi, author of Pinocchio.
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