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Buildings

S. Croce

In his city-wide, 1657 sepoltuario, Stefano Rosselli celebrated the Franciscan friary of Santa Croce as the noblest church (nobilissimo tempio), claiming it not only as one of the great buildings of Florence, but also Tuscany, and, he dares to add, even Italy (e forse ancor d'Italia). He notes that the complex had more tombs and other memorials in its church and complex than many of the city's other churches put together and that it houses memorials to numerous illustrious Florentines, including statesmen like Leonardo Bruni, artists like Michelangelo Buonarruoti, and scientists like Galileo Galilei. As the largest church on the eastern side of the city, Santa Croce gave its name to one of the new quarters drawn up when the city abandoned the sixth (sestiere) system in August 1343. The election purses for the Florentine Republic's three major magistracies (tre maggiori) were kept under lock and key by the friars in their sacristy.

Affiliations (1 total)
  • Franciscans (OFM)
Database ID 30

Alternate Names

  • Santa Croce
  • S. Croce di Firenze

Dates

1209 a
foundation
1228 b
1252 to 1267 c
renovation
1285 to 1294 d
renovation
May 3rd, 1294 e
foundation
May 7th, 1295 to 1310 f
construction
1443 g
1566 h
renovation

Affiliated Groups (2 total)

frati di S. Croce
1295 to 1808 i
Opera di Santa Croce

Memorials (1300 total)

Memorialized Groups (684)

674 Families (click to expand)

1 Guild (click to expand)

Memorialized Individuals (469)


Notes

  • [a] 1209 is the traditional date for the arrival of the first Franciscan friars in Florence.
  • [b] The earliest documented record of a community on the site of the present building comes from 1228.
  • [c] The second Franciscan church on the site was constructed in the middle of the thirteenth century.
  • [d] The friars and operai discuss plans to rebuild the church.
  • [e] The foundation stone for the new, larger, and present church has been reported variously in the sources as May 3rd, 7th, or 14th in 1294 or 1295. "The History of Santa Croce" published by the Santa Croce Opera prefers 3 May 1294.
  • [f] The crypt and surmounting chancel area were mostly complete by 1310.
  • [g] Though the church had been in use since the turn of the fourteenth century, the high altar was consecrated by Pope Eugenius IV in 1443.
  • [h] A renovation project managed by Giorgio Vasari saw the removal of the tramezzo, choir enclosure, and medieval altars, which were replaced by uniform, evenly spaced altars and white-washed walls.
  • [i] Though suppressed during the Napoleonic occupation in 1808, a community of friars continues to reside at Santa Croce.