Florence & Tuscany - Italy - page 969

are much better preserved than others; Giotto's murals in the Cappella Peruzzi are in par-
ticularly poor condition.
From the transept chapels a doorway designed by Michelozzo leads into a corridor, off
which is the Sagrestia, an enchanting 14th-century room dominated on the left by Taddeo
Gaddi's fresco of the Crucifixion. There are also a few relics of St Francis on show, in-
cluding his cowl and belt. Through the next room, the church bookshop, you can access
the Scuola del Cuoio OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP , a leather school where you can see bags be-
ing fashioned and buy the finished products.
The second of Santa Croce's two serene cloisters was designed by Brunelleschi just be-
fore his death in 1446. His unfinished Cappella de' Pazzi at the end of the first cloister is
notable for its harmonious lines and restrained terracotta medallions of the Apostles by
Luca della Robbia, and is a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture.
Located off the first cloister, the Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP (admission incl basilica adult/concession €5/3) features a Crucifixion by Cimabue,
restored to the best degree possible after flood damage in 1966, when more than 4m of
water inundated the Santa Croce area. Other highlights include a wonderful terracotta bust
of St Francis receiving the stigmata by the della Robbia workshop; and frescoes by Tad-
deo Gaddi, including The Last Supper (1333).