Your Guide to the Churches of Florence and What to See

With several dozen churches within the city of Florence it can be tricky to know which churches to see and which to skip when you have limited time. Especially when you add in all the museums and additional city sights you'll want to see. So I created a guide to the most popular churches (and a brief history) to visit when you have limited time. Welcome to your guide to the churches of Florence!

This guide is meant to inform you what can be found inside each of the main churches of Florence to help you better plan your trip. I've created a Museum guide that you can find here that will breakdown the popular and less popular museums and what you can find in them.

Il Duomo di Santa Maria del Fiore

This is the heart of the city. Everything goes out from here and it's always a good idea to figure out how to get from your hotel to the piazza. This way if you get lost you can ask 'Dove il Duomo?' (Where is the Duomo?) as people are more likely to know how to give you directions to the Duomo than to your hotel.

Construction of Florence's central church started in 1296 and was officially completed in 1436 with the completion of the dome by Brunelleschi. The green, pink and white marble facade was added in the 19th century by Emilio De Fabris. The main complex of the Cathedral includes the Piazza dell Duomo, Baptistery and Giotto's Campanile aka the bell tower. It is one of the Italy's largest churches and until modern times its dome was the largest in the world.

Entrance to the cathedral is free but please dress appropriately. In Italy this means covered shoulders and legs, no hats, no sandals (more of the flip flop variety) or sunglasses. These rules can either be strictly enforced or not depending on the church and who's working. It's better to err on the side of conservative rather then having to wait in line only to be turned away at the door. For larger cathedrals, dress codes are always enforced.

Unlike many of Italy's opulent interior church facades, Florence's Duomo is of a plain Gothic style. This is mainly due to Florence's most infamous monk, Girolamo Savonarola (often credited with ending the Renaissance in Florence. He's very much the villain in the world of art...don't get me started). Most of the important pieces of art have been moved to the Opera dell Duomo (the church's museum) which is well worth the visit. Other pieces are on display at the Berlin Museum and in the Louvre in Paris.

The cathedral has 44 stained glass windows including one done by Donatello (Coronation of the Virgin), in the drum of the dome. Donatello also provided other artwork, as did Lorenzo Ghiberti and sculptures by Michelangelo. The Last Judgment fresco in the interior of the dome is by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari and was completed in 1579.

The Dome:

Due to Brunelleschi's genius and at-the-time modern design, you can climb the 463 steps to the top of the dome. You'll actually be climbing in between two domes, the interior one you can see from inside the church, and the exterior dome you see from the street. On the way up to the top you will be able to get an closeup view of the Last Judgment fresco on the interior of the dome. The top gives you beautiful panoramic views of the city.

Booking a time to climb the dome is mandatory and is done at time of ticket purchase. This sells out fast so book as early as possible. Also note that the passageways are narrow and the only way to the top is by foot. Your legs will definitely feel it!

The Baptistery:

The Baptistery of San Giovanni is one of the oldest churches in Florence. In fact a church or religious structure of some type has stood in this same location since Roman times. The building seen today dates back to the 4th or 5th century, the structure growing in size and grandeur as the city grew. The interior houses a mosaic dome that can not be seen from the outside. The mosaic was done by Jacopo Torriti and shows a large figure of Christ in Judgement. Additional mosaics tell the stories of St. John the Baptist, Jesus, Joseph, as well as the Creation of the World.

Make sure to walk around the exterior of the Baptistery as well, where three sets of bronze doors decorate the exterior. The most famous being 'the Gates of Paradise', the east doors, by Ghiberti and so named by Michelangelo. The real bronze doors can be found in the Opera dell Duomo.

Giotto's bell tower:

Standing just shy of 280 feet tall, Florence's main bell tower hovers over the Piazza dell Duomo. The tower was started by Giotto in 1334 but upon his death in 1337 was only completed to the hexagonal panels on the lower portion of the tower. Andrea Pisano helped carry out Giotto's plans, making small changes in the design that would allow artists like Donatello and Nanni di Banco to leave their own mark on the towers centuries later. After a brief pause in construction due to the Black Death, the Tower was finally completed in 1359 by Francesco Talenti.

Today you can climb the over 400 steps to the top for panoramic views of the city. The bell tower is generally less crowded then the Dome of the cathedral and may be a good alternative if times for the dome sell out.

Opera Dell Duomo:

Like most large churches in Italy, the Duomo has its own museum for valuable pieces of art that for preservation purposes can not be housed in their original location. It's a great stop if you're interested in seeing original pieces.

Ticket Info:

To book your ticket for any of the Duomo's activities visit the official website here. A ticket costs 18 euro but works for all the monuments within a 72 hour period.

Santa Croce

Located south east of the Duomo, The Basilica di Santa Croce is one of the most important churches in Florence. Started by Franciscan monks, the current church was began in 1294 and is the largest Franciscan church in the world, featuring sixteen chapels and tombs of some of Florence's most important figures including Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Foscolo (poet), Gentile (philosopher) and the composer Rossini to name a few. There are also plaques for Leonardo Da Vinci and Dante. Many of the chapels are decorated in frescoes by Giotto and one by Donatello, the Annunciation, located on the south wall.

The exterior facade is in the Neo-Gothic style built and designed by Niccolo Matas from 1857-1863. Matas included the prominent Star of David in the front of the facade to represent his own heritage, as well as small star of Davids in the details around the front doors. Matas had asked to be buried within the church, alongside many of his peers, but as he was Jewish his body was not allowed to be laid to rest within the church. Instead he is buried in front of the central door just outside the church. There is a floor plaque that marks the location on top of the stairs.

Also in front of the church stands a massive statue of Dante, often referred to as the father of the Italian language. Dante's relationship with the city of Florence is a tense one as he was exiled from the city of his birth after the publication of The Divine Comedy. Dante fled to Ravenna where he lived out the remainder of his life. After his death Florence decided to forgive Dante and requested his remains to be brought back into the city. His family along with the city of Ravenna refused and there was an attempt to steal the remains but in the end Dante is still buried in Ravenna and Florence has had to settle for a monument in honor of it's most famous author.

The Piazza di Santa Croce is the largest open piazza in the city and is used for public events and gatherings. Make sure to check out the flood plaques across the piazza on the left (facing the church) that marks the water levels from the 1966 flood that ravaged the city and caused a ton of damage to not only the church but shops and homes as well.

San Lorenzo

The Basilica di San Lorenzo is located in the heart of the market district. It is one of the oldest churches in Florence as well as one of the largest. It was consecrated in 393 and was the main church of Florence for over three hundred years until the official seat of the Bishop was moved to Santa Reparata, which was later rebuild as Santa Maria del Fiore. The Renaissance church you see today was built by Giovanni di Bicci in 1418. San Lorenzo was also the parish church for the Medici family and where the head members of the family are buried from Cosimo il Vecchio to Cosimo III.

The church holds several important art and architectural elements including the Laurentian Library by Michelangelo, Old Sacristy by Brunelleschi, with interior decoration and sculpture by Donatello, the New Sacristy based on Michelangelo's designs, and the Medici Chapels by Matteo Nigetti.

Other things to note about the church is the Annunciation by Fra Filippo Lippi that is located in the north transept chapel and Donatello's bronze pulpits (his last work), Rosso Fiorentino's Marriage of the Virgin as well as the funeral monument of Donatello.

Tickets for San Lorenzo are 6 euro and can be bought at the church entrance.

Santa Maria Novella

Santa Maria Novella is a Dominican church and was the first great basilica of Florence built around 1246 and finished in 1360. The original church built on the site, Santa Maria delle Vigne, was built in the 9th century.

"The square in front the church was used by Cosimo I for the yearly chariot race (Palio dei Cocchi). This custom existed between 1563 and late in the 19th century. The two Obelisks of the Corsa dei Cocchi marked the start and the finish of the race. They were set up to imitate an antique Roman circus. The obelisks rest on bronze tortoises, made in 1608 by the sculptor Giambologna." (Wikipedia)

Leon Battista Alberti designed the façade of the church between 1456–1470. The green and white marble design represents the ideals of humanist architecture and proportion while also incorporating the preexisting medieval section of the façade. The design includes repeating Dominican solar emblems on the pediment and a custom scroll that repeats across the center freeze, actually a ship sail that is the emblem of the Alberti family. In fact Alberti very cleverly marked the entire façade with his family name or symbol. The frieze below the top pediment translates to: Giovanni Rucellai son of Paolo in the year of salvation 1470.

Inside the church you can find the Filippo Strozzi Chapel to the right of the right of the main alter. Here you'll find a series of frescoes by Filippino Lippi, as well as frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio and his apprentice Michelangelo and the tomb of Filippo Strozzi behind the main alter. In the Gondi Chapel is a wooden Crucifix by Brunelleschi. There are several frescoes dating from late medieval to Renaissance.

There are several additional chapels including Cappella Strozzi di Mantova, Della Pura Chapel, Rucellai Chapel, Bardi Chapel, Spanish Chapel and Sacristy. Additional things to note: Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi over the door.

South of the Arno

Santo Spirito

The Basilica of Santo Spirito is located in the oltrarno, or south of the Arno river. It's located on the Piazza di Santo Spirito, which is surrounded by restaurants and small craftsman shops. The current church was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, who died only ten days after the first pillars of the church were delivered in 1446. The completed church was carried out by his followers but the facade of the church was left blank.

Among the church's 38 side chapels you can find a wooden crucifix carved by Michelangelo when was 17. Filippino Lippi's Madonna and Child with Saints and Nerli Family Donors can be found in the 12th chapel.

San Miniato al Monte

A small church located above Florence on one of the highest points in the city. The Basilica is built in the Romanesque style and is considered one of the finest examples in Tuscany. The church was begun in 1013 and is still run by Olivetan monks who took over the church in 1373. They are known for their liqueurs, honey and herbal teas that they sell on site.

Little has changed within the church since its original design, the flooring dates to 1207 and the painted panels are thought to have been painted by Agnolo Gaddi. The alter's mosaic Christ between the Virgin and St Minias dates to 1297.

There is a large graveyard around the church that you can walk through as well as gardens. The church is well worth the walk, especially if you are visiting Piazzale Michelangelo. Once at the look out point head along the path on the right (looking away from the city) and after a few minuets you'll see a large staircase. Take the stairs up and you'll see the church entrance across the street.

Remember to double check opening times before you visit as hours may change depending on the season.

Happy Wandering!