Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
worked on the
Cappella Baroncelli
(1328-38). Taddeo's son Agnolo frescoed the
Cap-
pella Castellani
(c 1385).
Sagrestia
From the chapels, a doorway designed by Michelozzo leads into a corridor, off which
you will find this enchanting 14th-century sacristy dominated on the left by Taddeo
Gaddi's fresco of the Crucifixion. There are also a few relics belonging to St Francis on
show, including his cowl and belt.
Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce
Located off the first cloister, the basilica's museum 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 Donatello's gilded bronze
statue
St Louis of Toulouse
(1424), originally placed in a tabernacle on the Orsanmichele
facade.
Cappella de' Pazzi
Brunelleschi designed this chapel at the end of the first cloister just before his death in
1446, and never saw it completed. It is notable for its harmonious proportions and its
central dome, which is decorated with glazed terracottas by Luca della Robbia (look for
two paired dolphins, the coat of arms of the Pazzi family).
Top Tips
›
Walk through the church bookshop to access the
Scuola del Cuoio
(
Click here
)
, a leather school where you
can see bags being fashioned and buy the finished products.
›
In 1817, the French writer Stendhal experienced a racing heart beat, nausea and dizziness when exiting the ba-
silica. His reaction to its cultural richness (and that of Florence as a whole) has been shared by many other visit-
ors, hence the description 'Stendhal Syndrome'. Consider yourself warned!
