Overview
This article will be a bit more complicated than most. The site I’m discussing has two separate tours, and another related site is across the street. Let’s start.
The Basilica of San Lorenzo was the first cathedral of Florence, consecrated in 393CE, less than a hundred years after Christianity became the official Roman religion. That ended when Santa Reparata became the cathedral in the seventh century. It did remain a parish church and is still in active use today.
There are two separate sites to visit: first is the Basilica. Secondly is the Medici Chapels Tour, which includes the crypts beneath the church, the Chapel of the Princes, and the Medici Chapels themselves.
San Lorenzo is deeply intertwined with the Medici family, one of the most powerful and influential families of the Renaissance, not just in Florence, but across Europe.
That leads us to the second site, the former Medici palace, diagonally across the square from the church entrance. It left the family when they moved to the former Palazzo Signoria, now known as the Palazzo Vecchio. The building is still in the possession of the purchasing family, the Riccardis, and is open for visits.
Basilica of San Lorenzo
The entrance to this site is on the southeast side of the building, near the main entrance. Before you enter, note the unfinished look of the building’s facade. That’s because it is unfinished. And, like a lot of things in Florence, it is because of the combination of politics, art, and religion.
Warning: history ahead. The story is part of a much larger and more complicated story that involves the Medici, the pope, and Michangelo. While the Medici family had been patrons of Michangelo, who even lived in their palace, they had a falling out over politics. Michelangelo favored a republican government; the Medici wanted to be the leader of a royal family governing Florence.
Enter Pope Leo X, who happened to be Giovanni di Lorenzo de’ Medici, a son of Lorenzo de Medici, named after San (or Saint) Lorenzo. Leo convinced Michangelo to do some work at the basilica, including building the Medici Chapels and the building’s facade. Michangelo, ordered the marble. After delivery, the pope ran out of money and sold it, leaving the facade unfinished. Even though Michelangelo’s model remains.
Stories like this abound in the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries. The story about the placement of Michelangelo’s David is one such tale. But that is for a different article. We haven’t even entered the basilica yet; I will try to refrain from more historical wanderings.
End of history lesson – Interior of the Basilica
Besides Michelangelo, other artists involved in the church’s interior include Donatello, Fra Lippi, Verrocchio, and Brunelleschi. To the left of the altar as you approach is the Old Sacristy. A sacristy is where the priest and other clergy prepare for the Mass. But in such an important church, it is much more; I will mention that the wooden cabinets and drawers are amazing.
There are two important tombs of Medici family members here. In the center, beneath what appears to be a table, lies the resting place of Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici and his wife. He was the founder of the Medici bank and considered the founder of the family. He was born circa 1360 and died in 1424. Along the wall is the tomb of Giovanni and Piero de’ Medici.
One more important tomb before we visit the New Sacristy. Directly in front of the altar is the top of the tomb of Cosimo de’ Medici. It is said that in life he supported the church with his wealth, and in death he supports the church with his tomb. Viewing the tomb from the crypt makes you understand the second part of the saying.
The New Sacristy is just across the nave from the altar. In the past, community members could enter it through the church. However, that is no longer possible, as it is a separate tour, with its own entrance fee.
New Sacristy
After leaving the interior of the church, walk around the building to the Northwest corner where the entrance to the second tour is located. After getting your tickets, you will walk down a few stairs and be in the crypt. About fifty members of the Medici family’s burials lie within the walls. One of the most important family members to us in modern times, and the last member of the family, was Anna Maria Luisa.
Her brother was the last Medici Grand Duke of Tuscany. When he died, she, as a woman, was not eligible to inherit the title. She spent her last days in a wing of the Pitti Palace. But she was not idle. She drew up a will that gave all the artworks and other physical treasures her family had gathered over the centuries to the people of Florence. There were two very important stipulations. First, nothing could leave Florence for any reason, including sale. The second was that the objects must be on display for the people. They must be available for public viewing. The will is the reason there is such a concentration of Renaissance art in Florence to this day.
Chapel of the Princes
After the crypt, you will enter the famous Chapel of the Princes. The ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which controlled the area at the time, made dukes, and then Grand Dukes, of the Medici. A total of six Grand Dukes are entombed here in this example of overwrought decorations and excess. I found the Chapel too much. Told Michelangelo designed the building, I don’t see how someone as great as him would allow such an interior. The Chapel of the Princes was designed by Michangelo, but the interior was built after his death and is not yet complete. Here is one quick story about the Chapel of the Princes.
On a state visit, Hitler told Mussinilhe that he idolized the Medici family and wanted to visit the Chapel of the Princes. Musillini couldn’t say no to his ally, yet the interior was far from completion. What should a fascist dictator do? He found a group of painters, had the stretch canvas applied over the unfinished areas, and then painted the decoration on the canvas. If he kept Hitler far enough away, he wouldn’t notice. And the scheme worked.
Medici Chapels
As soon as you can, leave the chapel and enter the much more tastefully done Medici Chapel. Let’s look at the tombs. The one for Lorenzo the Magnificent and his assassinated brother Giuliano is under the altar. The sculptures in the entire chapel were all at least started by Michangelo. In an argument with the pope, he threw a temper tantrum, threw the sculptures on the floor, and never finished them.
The tomb of Lorenzo, Duke of Urbino, was topped by two sculptures: a man representing dusk and a woman representing dawn. Across the chapel, his brother Guilano, Duke of Nemours, had a tomb with night (a woman) and day (a Man) on top. Both also have figures in Roman generals’ dress intended to represent the two dukes. However, neither statue looks anything like them.
Medici-Riccardi Palace
I will admit, I am fascinated by the Medici family. Having read several books about them and studied their impact on Florence and the rest of Europe, I was a natural to visit the palace where their dynasty began. When the family became too upscale for their palace, they sold it and moved into the Palazzo Signoria, renaming it the Palazzo Vecchio. That wasn’t enough for them; they purchased another palace across the Arno River, the Palazzo Pitti.
But getting back to the original. The Riccardi family purchased the property, and members of the family still own and live in part of it. Part is also open as a museum. The most famous exhibit in the museum is a small chapel for the family’s spiritual needs. Being fabulously rich and knowing just about every artist in Florence, the Medici had every square inch of their walls covered with frescoes depicting the Adoration of the Magi. The chapel is known as the Chapel of the Magi.
Even with all that, I was not very impressed and felt I could have spent my time better. Maybe I was just in a bad mood, or tired from walking. But I didn’t like the Palazzo.
Conclusion
Visiting both parts of the Basilica is well worth the cost in money and time. I have only hinted about the intrigue surrounding the projects. Just remember if it is in Florence, it probably involves politics, art, and religion.
On the other hand, unless you have a real interest in the Medici family or just want to see the Chapel of the Magi, you can skip the Medici-Riccardi palace.
One more little note. My favorite restaurant I ate at during this visit is right across the street from the side of the basilica, not the entrance, but the side. It’s named Trattoria Sergio Gozzi. A small, local place that uses a handwritten menu. Everything I had there was great.
