Basilica di San Lorenzo — Attraction in Florence

We could not wait to visit this beautiful and significant church because we knew the connection between Michelangelo Buonarroti and the Medici family. The Medici were responsible for Michelangelo’s early education, some of his major commissions in Florence, and ultimately, his exile from the city as an elderly man. Michelangelo is one of the most important and versatile artists of all time. He was an ingenious Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect and poet. He spent one part of his life in this church. San Lorenzo was the first Florentine church built in a new, Renaissance style - a model for later construction, built by then young architect Filippo Brunelleschi (Old Sacristy and Basilica Remodeling). Later Upgrades - The New Sacristy and Medici-Laurenziana Library were designed by the ingenious Michelangelo project. Brunelleschi began reconstruction from the transept of the old church, replaced the old Romanesque apse, this new space was to become the burial place for the member of the Medici family - later called the Old Sacristy (The Old Sacristy was commissioned by Giovanni de' Bicci di Medici—the founder of the Medici bank and, hence, the family's subsequent fortunes—and he is buried here along with his grandsons, Giovanni and Piero de' Medici (son of the great civic leader Cosimo Il Vecchio and father of Lorenzo "the Magnificent"), in a tomb by Verrocchio). But remodeling was realized later due to wars and lack of money. After seventeen years under the patronage of Cosimo de 'Medici and the death of Brunelleschi, the construction of the church was completed by Antonio Manetti in 1448. The curiosity of the Basilica of San Lorenzo is the unfinished main facade, for which there were many designs (among other things, the project was made by Michelangelo who even procured the necessary stone for construction), but never enough money - so that it remained unfinished. Inside the Basilica of San Lorenzo are many valuable works of art, among others: Two Donatello's pulpits, which stand on Ionic columns with reliefs of scenes from Christ's life. The Desideria da Settignana Tabernacle of 1461 is a sculptural work that stands by its quality with Donatello's pulpits. The altarpiece by Filippo Lippi Proclamation from 1437. Mary's wedding, painting by the mannerist painter Rosso Fiorentino from 1523. Cardinal Giulio di Giuliano de 'Medici commissioned a project from Michelangelo in 1520 for the construction of the New Sacristy (architectural appearance and sculptures). Michelangelo in the floor plan - basically followed the concept of Brunelleschi's Old Sacristy, but he also installed a mezzanine floor under the cassette dome, thus obtaining a much higher room. He harmoniously divided the whole space into dark and light parts. An interesting detail from his relationship with the Medici family occurred in 1527 when the Florentines expelled the ruling Medici family and established a republican government. Michelangelo supported the new regime and turned against Pope Clement VII (of the Medici family), for whom he worked at the time. But after a 10-month siege, the Pontifical State recaptured Florence. Michelangelo had been hiding from the Medici at San Lonenzo Church for months, in a room that had a perfect view of the Medici Palace. So he had them under control without them being aware of it. Michelangelo escaped, and he went to Rome and never returned to Florence, although the Medici called for...

The Basilica di San Lorenzo (Basilica of St. Lawrence) is one of the largest churches of Florence, Italy, situated at the centre of the main market district of the city, and it is the burial place of all the principal members of the Medici family from Cosimo il Vecchio to Cosimo III. It is one of several churches that claim to be the oldest in Florence, having been consecrated in 393 AD,[1] at which time it stood outside the city walls. For three hundred years it was the city's cathedral, before the official seat of the bishop was transferred to Santa Reparata.

San Lorenzo was the parish church of the Medici family. In 1419, Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici offered to finance a new church to replace an eleventh-century Romanesque rebuilding. Filippo Brunelleschi, the leading Renaissance architect of the first half of the fifteenth century, was commissioned to design it, but the building, with alterations, was not completed until after his death. The church is part of a larger monastic complex that contains other important architectural and artistic works: the Old Sacristy (Sagresta Vecchia) by Brunelleschi and having interior decoration and sculpture by Donatello; the Laurentian Library by Michelangelo; the Medici Chapels, two structures that include the New Sacristy (Sagrestia Nuova) based on Michelangelo's designs; and the larger Cappella dei Principi ("Chapel of the Princes") being a collaboration between the family...

Brunelleschi's Old Sacristy is part of this San Lorenzo complex. Get your ticket to the left of the doors to the Basilica of San Lorenzo.

The Medici Chapel (aka Chapel of the Princes) and the New Sacristy by Michelangelo are on another €9 ticket, separate from the San Lorenzo complex, which you can enter from the Medici Chapel.

The Basilica of San Lorenzo was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi in 1442 and was one of the very first Renaissance churches. Compared to the earlier Gothic and Romanesque styles, the geometry and proportions hewed closer to Greco-Roman Classical architecture. Similar to Brunelleschi's other works such as Santo Spirito, the interior is relatively minimal, with the emphasis on the columns and arches made of gray pietra serena stone.

The Old Sacristy of San Lorenzo was built by Filippo Brunelleschi in 1440 and paid for by the Medici family, whose caught of arms of a yellow shield with 8 red balls can seen throughout the interior. The floor plan is a perfect square, the dome a perfect sphere, the archways half-circles. These simple geometric shapes were typical of Classical architecture, and the structure resembles an ancient Roman temple. The smaller dome above the altar is decorated with astrological depictions of star constellations. The arrangement of the constellations is accurate enough to date it to July 6, 1439, the date of the Council of Florence called by the...