If you didn’t expect to visit in Florence a place with more than 1000 years of history, well …the church of San Miniato al Monte is that place! The first stone was laid on April 27th, 1018.
San Miniato al Monte is the only church in Florence with the typical elements of Romanesque architecture: a crypt below and an upper presbytery.
Even before the interior of the church, what will leave you breathless is its location, on a hill overlooking Florence, even a little higher than Piazzale Michelangelo.
How long can we stay to enjoy the view of Florence from above ? Until the goosebumps out of our arms disappear!
The front welcomes us with the same geometric forms of its marbles that you noticed also on the 8 sides of the Baptistery (Romanesque style).
The entire interior of the church is pampered by a soft and respectful light .
Fortunately, the internal architecture wasn’t changed after the Council of Trento (1545-1563). We can still admire its original beauty!
An amazing part of this beauty is the floor decoration, which divides into two parts the central nave, with geometric and figurative designs (zodiac signs) literally carved in marble.
Of course in Medieval and Renaissance Florence, both the religious and the merchant meaning had to be visible. It had to be clear to anyone who had paid and in our case the guild of the cloth merchants whose symbol, the eagle holding clothes with its paws, is always evident inside and outside the church. Marketing was already practiced in Florence centuries ago 🙂
No, you don’t, the entrance is free.
Of course, you can and the rate will be recalculated. All my tours are tailor-made.
Yes, you can.
Yes, but it would be great if you book it together with another tour. Maybe with the Walking Tour? 🙂
Yes, you do, legs up to the knee and shoulders must be covered.