The (

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

for 'Basilica of the Holy Cross') is a

minor basilica Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectura ...

and the principal

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...

church of

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

, Italy. It is situated on the Piazza di Santa Croce, about 800 metres southeast of the

Duomo ''Duomo'' (, ) is an Italian term for a church with the features of, or having been built to serve as a cathedral, whether or not it currently plays this role. The Duomo of Monza, for example, has never been a diocesan seat and is by definitio ...

, on what was once marshland beyond the city walls. Being the burial place of notable Italians, including those from the

Italian Renaissance The Italian Renaissance ( ) was a period in History of Italy, Italian history between the 14th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Western Europe and marked t ...

such as

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...

Galileo Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642), commonly referred to as Galileo Galilei ( , , ) or mononymously as Galileo, was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a poly ...

, and Machiavelli, as well as the poet Foscolo, political philosopher

Gentile ''Gentile'' () is a word that today usually means someone who is not Jewish. Other groups that claim Israelite heritage, notably Mormons, have historically used the term ''gentile'' to describe outsiders. More rarely, the term is used as a synony ...

and the composer

Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. He gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano p ...

, it is also known as the Temple of the Italian Glories ().

Building

The basilica is the largest Franciscan church in the world. Its most notable features are its sixteen

chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...

s, many of them decorated with

fresco Fresco ( or frescoes) is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting become ...

es by

Giotto Giotto di Bondone (; – January 8, 1337), known mononymously as Giotto, was an List of Italian painters, Italian painter and architect from Florence during the Late Middle Ages. He worked during the International Gothic, Gothic and Italian Ren ...

and his pupils, and its tombs and cenotaphs. Legend says that Santa Croce was founded by St Francis himself. The construction of the current church, to replace an older building, was begun on 12 May 1294, possibly by

Arnolfo di Cambio Arnolfo di Cambio ( – 1300/1310) was an Italian architect and sculptor of the Duecento, who began as a lead assistant to Nicola Pisano. He is documented as being ''capomaestro'' or Head of Works for Florence Cathedral in 1300, and designed th ...

, and paid for by some of the city's wealthiest families. It was consecrated in 1442 by

Pope Eugene IV Pope Eugene IV (; ; 1383 – 23 February 1447), born Gabriele Condulmer, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 March 1431 to his death, in February 1447. Condulmer was a Republic of Venice, Venetian, and a nephew ...

. The building's design reflects the austere approach of the Franciscans. The floorplan is an Egyptian or Tau cross (a symbol of St Francis), 115 metres in length with a

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

and two aisles separated by lines of octagonal columns. To the south of the church was a

convent A convent is an enclosed community of monks, nuns, friars or religious sisters. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The term is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...

, some of whose buildings remain. The Primo Chiostro, the main

cloister A cloister (from Latin , "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open Arcade (architecture), arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle (architecture), quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cat ...

, houses the Cappella dei Pazzi, built as the

chapter house A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room that is part of a cathedral, monastery or collegiate church in which meetings are held. When attached to a cathedral, the cathedral chapter meets there. In monasteries, the whole communi ...

, completed in the 1470s.

Filippo Brunelleschi Filippo di ser Brunellesco di Lippo Lapi (1377 – 15 April 1446), commonly known as Filippo Brunelleschi ( ; ) and also nicknamed Pippo by Leon Battista Alberti, was an Italian architect, designer, goldsmith and sculptor. He is considered to ...

(who had designed and executed the dome of the Duomo) was involved in its design which has remained rigorously simple and unadorned. In 1560, the

choir screen The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or ...

was removed as part of changes arising from the

Counter-Reformation The Counter-Reformation (), also sometimes called the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to, and as an alternative to or from similar insights as, the Protestant Reformations at the time. It w ...

and the interior of this area was rebuilt by

Giorgio Vasari Giorgio Vasari (30 July 1511 – 27 June 1574) was an Italian Renaissance painter, architect, art historian, and biographer who is best known for his work ''Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects'', considered the ideol ...

. As a result, there was damage to the church's decoration and most of the altars previously located on the screen were lost. The Bardi Chapel which contained a cycle of frescoes of the life of St Francis was plastered over, at the behest of

Cosimo I Cosimo I de' Medici (12 June 1519 – 21 April 1574) was the second and last duke of Florence from 1537 until 1569, when he became the first grand duke of Tuscany, a title he held until his death. Cosimo I succeeded his cousin to the duchy. ...

, and Vasari placed some new altars against the walls, causing considerable damage to the frescoes. The bell tower was built in 1842, replacing an earlier one damaged by lightning. The

neo-Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half of the 19th century ...

marble façade dates from 1857 to 1863. The Jewish architect Niccolò Matas from Ancona designed the church's façade, working a prominent

Star of David The Star of David (, , ) is a symbol generally recognized as representing both Jewish identity and Judaism. Its shape is that of a hexagram: the compound of two equilateral triangles. A derivation of the Seal of Solomon was used for decora ...

into the composition. Matas had wanted to be buried with his peers but because he was Jewish, he was buried under the threshold and honoured with an inscription. In 1866, the complex became public property, as a part of government suppression of most religious houses, following the wars that gained Italian independence and unity. Among the 19th-century restorations, the 16th-century altars and plaster were removed from the Bardi Chapel, revealing Giotto's frescoes of the Life of St Francis, which include the ''Death of St. Francis''. This painting, missing sections where an altar had been attached to the wall, was heavily restored in the 19th century. These restorations were later removed to reveal those areas which are definitively Giotto's, leaving portions of the painting missing. The Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce is housed mainly in the

refectory A refectory (also frater, frater house, fratery) is a dining room, especially in monastery, monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminary, seminaries. The name ...

, also off the cloister. A monument to

Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale (; 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910) was an English Reform movement, social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during th ...

stands in the cloister, in the city in which she was born and after which she was named. Brunelleschi also built the inner cloister, completed in 1453. In 1940, during the safe hiding of various works during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Ugo Procacci noticed the Badia Polyptych being carried out of the church. He reasoned that this had been removed from the

Badia Fiorentina The Badìa Fiorentina is an abbey and church now home to the Monastic Communities of Jerusalem situated on the Via del Proconsolo in the centre of Florence, Italy. Dante supposedly grew up across the street in what is now called the , rebuilt in ...

during the

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

ic occupation and accidentally re-installed in Santa Croce. Between 1958 and 1961,

Leonetto Tintori Leonetto Tintori (1908 - 2000) was an artist (painter and sculptor) in varied media, who pursued various prominent restorations of Renaissance paintings, including frescoes. He was born in Prato, region of Tuscany, Italy Italy, officially ...

removed layers of whitewash and overpaint from Giotto's Peruzzi Chapel scenes to reveal his original work. In 1966, the Arno River flooded much of Florence, including Santa Croce. The water entered the church bringing mud, pollution and heating oil. The damage to buildings and art treasures was severe, taking several decades to repair. Today the former dormitory of the Franciscan friars houses the Scuola del Cuoio (Leather School). Visitors can watch as artisans craft purses, wallets, and other leather goods which are sold in the adjacent shop. Florence, Santa Croce, Cappella dei Pazzi, 1440s-70s.jpg, First Cloister with the Cappella dei Pazzi (1440s-70s) Florence, Santa Croce, Greater Cloister.jpg, The Greater Cloister Basilica di Santa Croce Ora Pro Animis gate.jpg, A gate in the gardens with the letters "OPA" for ''ora pro animis'' ("pray for souls")

Restoration

Santa Croce di Firenze viewed from Giotto Campanile dllu

The basilica has been undergoing a multi-year restoration program with assistance from Italy's civil protection agency. On 20 October 2017, the property was closed to visitors due to falling masonry which caused the death of a tourist from Spain. The basilica was closed temporarily during a survey of the stability of the church. The Italian Ministry of Culture said that "there will be an investigation by magistrates to understand how this dramatic fact happened and whether there are responsibilities over maintenance."

Art

Artists whose work is present in the church include (for funerary monuments and stained-glass windows see below): *

Benedetto da Maiano Benedetto da Maiano (1442 – 24 May 1497) was an Italian Early Renaissance sculptor. Biography Born in the village of Maiano (now part of Fiesole), he started his career as a companion of his brother, the architect Giuliano da Maiano. When ...

: pulpit; with his brother Giuliano: doors to Cappella dei Pazzi *

Cimabue Giovanni Cimabue ( , ; – 1302), Translated with an introduction and notes by J.C. and P Bondanella. Oxford: Oxford University Press (Oxford World's Classics), 1991, pp. 7–14. . also known as Cenni di Pepo or Cenni di Pepi, was an Italian p ...

Crucifix A crucifix (from the Latin meaning '(one) fixed to a cross') is a cross with an image of Jesus on it, as distinct from a bare cross. The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to in English as the (Latin for 'body'). The cru ...

, badly damaged by the 1966 flood and now in the refectory *

Andrea della Robbia Andrea della Robbia (20 October 14354 August 1525) was an Italian Renaissance sculptor, especially in ceramics. Biography Born in Florence, Robbia was the son of Marco della Robbia, whose brother, Luca della Robbia, popularized the use of g ...

: altarpiece in Cappella Medici *

Luca della Robbia Luca della Robbia (, also , ; 1399/1400–1482) was an Italian Renaissance sculptor from Florence. Della Robbia is noted for his colorful, tin-glazed terracotta statuary, a technique that he invented and passed on to his nephew Andrea della R ...

: glazed terracotta decoration of Cappella dei Pazzi *

Desiderio da Settignano Desiderio da Settignano, real name Desiderio de Bartolomeo di Francesco detto Ferro ( 1428 or 1430 – 1464) was an Italian Renaissance sculptor active in north Italy. Biography He came from a family of stone carvers and stonemasons in Settigna ...

: frieze in Cappella dei Pazzi *

Donatello Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi ( – 13 December 1466), known mononymously as Donatello (; ), was an Italian Renaissance sculpture, Italian sculptor of the Renaissance period. Born in Republic of Florence, Florence, he studied classical sc ...

: ''Cavalcanti Annunciation'' on the south wall; crucifix in the lefthand Cappella Bardi di Vernio; ''St Louis of Toulouse'' in the refectory (originally made for

Orsanmichele Orsanmichele or Orsammichele (; from the Tuscan contraction of ''Orto di San Michele'', "Kitchen Garden of St. Michael") is a church in the Italian city of Florence. The building was constructed on the site of the kitchen garden of the monaster ...

) *

Agnolo Gaddi Agnolo Gaddi (c.1350–1396) was an Italian painter. He was born and died in Florence, and was the son of the painter Taddeo Gaddi, who was himself the major pupil of the Florentine master Giotto. Agnolo was a painter and mosaicist, traine ...

: fresco cycle of ''The Legend of the True Cross'' in the apse with stained glass windows designed by him (1385–1387); fresco decoration of the Cappella Castellani with scenes of the lives of SS Anthony the Great, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist and Nicholas (1385) *

Taddeo Gaddi Taddeo Gaddi (c. 1290, in Florence – 1366, in Florence) was a medieval Italian painter and architect. He was the son of Gaddo di Zanobi, called Gaddo Gaddi. He was a member of Giotto's workshop from 1313 until the master's death in 1337. Acc ...

: frescoes in the

Baroncelli Chapel The Baroncelli Chapel is a chapel located at the end of the right transept in Santa Croce, Florence, church of Santa Croce, central Florence, Italy. It has frescoes by Taddeo Gaddi executed between 1328 and 1338. Description Gaddi artworks The ...

; ''Crucifixion'' in the sacristy; ''Arbor vitae with the Last Supper'' in the refectory (c. 1330–40 or –60), considered his best work *

: frescoes in Cappella Peruzzi and righthand Cappella Bardi; possibly ''Coronation of the Virgin'', altarpiece in the

, also attributed to Taddeo Gaddi *

Giovanni da Milano Giovanni da Milano (Giovanni di Jacopo di Guido da Caversaccio) was an Italian painter, known to be active in Florence and Rome between 1346 and 1369. His style is, like many Florentine painters of the time, considered to be derivative of Giotto ...

: frescoes in Cappella Rinuccini) with Scenes of the ''

Life of the Virgin The Life of the Virgin, showing narrative scenes from the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a common subject for pictorial cycles in Christian art, often complementing, or forming part of, a cycle on the Life of Christ. In both cases the ...

and the Magdalen'' *

Maso di Banco Maso di Banco (working ''c'' 1335–1350) was an Italian painter of the 14th century, who worked in Florence, Italy. He and Taddeo Gaddi were the most prominent Florentine pupils of Giotto di Bondone, exploring the three-dimensional dramatic re ...

: frescoes in Cappella Bardi di Vernio) depicting ''Scenes from the life of St. Sylvester'' (1335–1338) *

Henry Moore Henry Spencer Moore (30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986) was an English artist. He is best known for his semi-abstract art, abstract monumental Bronze sculpture, bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art. Moore ...

: statue of a warrior in the Primo Chiostro *

Andrea Orcagna Andrea di Cione di Arcangelo (c. 1308 – 25 August 1368), better known as Orcagna, was an Italian painter, sculptor, and architect active in Florence. He worked as a consultant at the Florence Cathedral and supervised the construction of the fa ...

: frescoes largely disappeared during Vasari's remodelling, but some fragments remain in the refectory *

Antonio Rossellino Antonio Gamberelli (1427–1479), Janson, H.W. (1995) ''History of Art''. 5th edn. Revised and expanded by Anthony F. Janson. London: Thames & Hudson, p. 465. nicknamed Antonio Rossellino for the colour of his hair, was an Italian Renaissance ...

: relief of the ''Madonna del Latte'' (1478) in the south aisle *

Santi di Tito Santi di Tito (5 December 1536 – 25 July 1603) was one of the most influential and leading Italian painters of the proto-Baroque style – what is sometimes referred to as "Counter-Maniera" or Counter-Mannerism. Biography He was born in Sa ...

: ''Supper at Emmaus'' and ''Resurrection'', altarpieces in the north aisle *

: ''Way to Calvary'' *

Domenico Veneziano Domenico Veneziano (c. 1410 – May 15, 1461) was an Italian painter of the early Renaissance, active mostly in Perugia and Tuscany. Little is known of his birth, though he is thought to have been born in Venice, hence his last name. He then move ...

: ''SS John and Francis'' in the refectory Once present in the church's Medici Chapel, but now split between the Florentine Galleries and the Bagatti Valsecchi Museum in Milan, is a

polyptych A polyptych ( ; Greek: ''poly-'' "many" and ''ptychē'' "fold") is a work of art (usually a panel painting) which is divided into sections, or panels. Some definitions restrict "polyptych" to works with more than three sections: a diptych is ...

Lorenzo di Niccolò Lorenzo di Niccolò or Lorenzo di Niccolò di Martino was an Italian painter who was active in Florence from 1391 to 1412. This early Renaissance artist worked in the Trecento style, and his work maintains influences of the Gothic art, Gothic styl ...

, whilst the Novitiate Altarpiece by

Filippo Lippi Filippo Lippi ( – 8 October 1469), also known as Lippo Lippi, was an Italian Renaissance painter of the Quattrocento (fifteenth century) and a Carmelite priest. He was an early Renaissance master of a painting workshop, who taught many paint ...

and a predella by

Pesellino Francesco Pesellino (probably 1422 – July 29, 1457), also known as Francesco di Stefano, was an Italian Renaissance painter active in Florence. His father was the painter Stefano di Francesco (died 1427), and his maternal grandfather was the p ...

was painted for the church's Novitiate Chapel. Giotto di Bondone - Scenes from the Life of Saint Francis - 4. Death and Ascension of St Francis - WGA09307.jpg, Giotto's ''Death of St. Francis'' (early 1320s) with overpainting removed Taddeo Gaddi, Stories of the Virgin, c1330, Baroncelli chapel, Santa Croce, Florence.jpg, Taddeo Gaddi, ''Stories of the Virgin'' (c. 1330), Baroncelli chapel, north wall Taddeo Gaddi, Arbor vitae, c1330-40 or -60, Santa Croce Refectory, Florence.jpg, Taddeo Gaddi, ''Arbor vitae'' (c. 1330–40 or –60), refectory Florence, Santa Croce, apse, Legend of the True Cross, frescoe cycle by Agnolo Gaddi, 1385-1387 north.jpg, Agnolo Gaddi, ''Legend of the True Cross'' (1385–1387), north wall of the apse Florence, Santa Croce, apse, Legend of the True Cross, frescoe cycle by Agnolo Gaddi, 1385-1387 south.jpg, Agnolo Gaddi, ''Legend of the True Cross'' (1385–1387), south wall of the apse Florence, Santa Croce, 1294–1385, high altar, Madonna by Niccolò Gerini, the Doctors of the Church by Giovanni del Biondo and NN.jpg, High altar with a Madonna by Niccolò Gerini, and the Doctors of the Church by

Giovanni del Biondo Giovanni del Biondo was a 14th-century Italian painter of the Gothic and early-Renaissance period. He was active in the period 1356-1399 and is mainly known for his panel paintings. He specialized in religious-themed works, many of which have s ...

and an unknown hand (14th ct.) Donatello, Cavalcanti Altar, c1433-35, Santa Croce, Florence.jpg, Donatello, ''Cavalcanti Annunciation'' (c. 1433–35) Giorgio Vasari, Way to Calvary and Christ Meeting with Veronica, 1568-72, Buonarroti altar, Santa Croce, Florence.jpg, Giorgio Vasari, ''Way to Calvary and Christ Meeting with Veronica'', 1568–72, Buonarroti altar

Stained-glass Windows

Santa Croce also contains some of the earliest stained-glass windows in Florence. In medieval Italy, stained-glass windows were usually designed by a painter and then created by a

glazier A glazier is a tradesperson responsible for cutting, installing, and removing glass (and materials used as substitutes for glass, such as some plastics).Elizabeth H. Oakes, ''Ferguson Career Resource Guide to Apprenticeship Programs'' ( Infoba ...

, an artist with specialized training in the fabrication of stained-glass windows. Many of the private chapels located in the church's

transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...

, as well as the high altar chapel of the church, contain well preserved late 13th- and 14th-century stained-glass windows. There are also several examples of 19th- and 20th-century stained glass in Santa Croce. The windows in and around the high altar chapel include: File:Su disegno di taddeo gaddi, elia sul carro di fuoco.JPG, Unknown glazier and

, stained glass roundel depicting Elijah in the Fiery Chariot. Originally located in the top roundel of the right window in the high altar chapel. Currently in the Museum of Santa Croce. File:Firenze, santa croce, interno, vetrata superiore del transetto sinistro 02.jpg, Window depicting the genealogy of the

Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

, designed and created by the Master of Figline, ca. 1320-25. Located above the Spinelli chapel to the left of the high altar chapel. File:Firenze, santa croce, interno, vetrata superiore del transetto dx 01.jpg, Window depicting Franciscan saints and Popes, designed and created by the Master of Figline, ca. 1320-25. Located above the Bardi chapel to the right of the high altar chapel. File:Capilla Bardi 02.JPG, Window depicting the Appearance of the Angels, designed by

Jacopo del Casentino Jacopo del Casentino (c. 1297 – 1358) was an Italian painter, active mainly in Tuscany in the first half of the 14th century. Life Very little is known about this artist other than that he likely came from Casentino. Giorgio Vasari incor ...

and created by an unknown glazier, ca. 1321-30. Originally located in the Velluti chapel; moved ca. 1945 to the Bardi chapel, where it is currently located. File:Firenze, santa croce, interno, vetrata della cappella maggiore, attr. a pacino di buonaguida (1320-40 ca.) e agnolo gaddi (santi, 1380 ca.) 01.jpg File:Firenze, santa croce, interno, vetrata della cappella maggiore, attr. a pacino di buonaguida (1320-40 ca.) e agnolo gaddi (santi, 1380 ca.) 02.jpg File:Firenze, santa croce, interno, vetrata della cappella maggiore, attr. a pacino di buonaguida (1320-40 ca.) e agnolo gaddi (santi, 1380 ca.) 03.jpg

Funerary monuments

The basilica became popular with Florentines as a place of worship and patronage and it became customary for greatly honoured Florentines to be buried or commemorated there. Some were in chapels "owned" by wealthy families such as the Bardi and Peruzzi. As time progressed, space was also granted to notable Italians from elsewhere. For 500 years monuments were erected in the church including those to: *

Leon Battista Alberti Leon Battista Alberti (; 14 February 1404 – 25 April 1472) was an Italian Renaissance humanist author, artist, architect, poet, Catholic priest, priest, linguistics, linguist, philosopher, and cryptography, cryptographer; he epitomised the natu ...

(15th-century architect and artistic theorist) * Giovan Vincenzo Alberti (Florentine senator and minister to first two Lorraine Grand-Dukes) *

Vittorio Alfieri Count Vittorio Amedeo Alfieri (, also , ; 16 January 17498 October 1803) was an Italians, Italian dramatist and poet, considered the "founder of Italian tragedy." He wrote nineteen tragedies, sonnets, satires, and a notable autobiography. Early l ...

(18th-century poet and dramatist) by

Antonio Canova Antonio Canova (; 1 November 1757 – 13 October 1822) was an Italians, Italian Neoclassical sculpture, Neoclassical sculptor, famous for his marble sculptures. Often regarded as the greatest of the Neoclassical artists,. his sculpture was ins ...

Eugenio Barsanti Eugenio Barsanti (12 October 1821 – 19 April 1864), also named Nicolò, was an Italian engineer and Catholic priest who, together with Felice Matteucci, invented the first internal combustion engine in 1853. Their patent request was granted in ...

(co-inventor of the

internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal comb ...

) *

Lorenzo Bartolini Lorenzo Bartolini (Prato, 7 January 1777 Florence, 20 January 1850) was an Italian sculptor who infused his neoclassicism with a strain of sentimental piety and naturalistic detail, while he drew inspiration from the sculpture of the Florentine ...

(19th-century sculptor) *

Julie Clary Marie Julie Clary (26 December 1771 – 7 April 1845), also known as Julie Bonaparte, was Queen of Naples, then of Spain and the Indies, as the wife of Joseph Bonaparte, who was King of Naples from January 1806 to June 1808, and later King ...

, wife of

Joseph Bonaparte Joseph Bonaparte (born Giuseppe di Buonaparte, ; ; ; 7 January 176828 July 1844) was a French statesman, lawyer, diplomat and older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. During the Napoleonic Wars, the latter made him King of Naples (1806–1808), an ...

, and their daughter

Charlotte Napoléone Bonaparte Charlotte Napoléone Bonaparte (31 October 1802 – 2 March 1839) was the daughter of Joseph Bonaparte, the older brother of Emperor Napoleon I, and Julie Clary. She was active as an artist. Life After the fall of her uncle Emperor Napoleon in ...

Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 1452 - 2 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially rested o ...

(1919 commemorative plaque, buried in

Château d'Amboise The Château d'Amboise is a château in Amboise, located in the Indre-et-Loire ''Departments of France, département'' of the Loire Valley in France. Confiscated by the monarchy in the 15th century, it became a favoured royal residence and was ex ...

in France) *

Leonardo Bruni Leonardo Bruni or Leonardo Aretino ( – March 9, 1444) was an Italian humanist, historian and statesman, often recognized as the most important humanist historian of the early Renaissance. He has been called the first modern historian. He was t ...

(15th-century chancellor of the Republic, scholar and historian) by

Bernardo Rossellino Bernardo di Matteo del Borra Gamberelli (1409–1464), better known as Bernardo Rossellino, was an Italian Renaissance sculptor and architect, the elder brother of the sculptor Antonio Rossellino. As a member of the second generation of Renaiss ...

Dante Dante Alighieri (; most likely baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri; – September 14, 1321), widely known mononymously as Dante, was an Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer, and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called ...

(buried in

Ravenna Ravenna ( ; , also ; ) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire during the 5th century until its Fall of Rome, collapse in 476, after which ...

) *

Ugo Foscolo Ugo Foscolo (; 6 February 177810 September 1827), born Niccolò Foscolo, was an Italian writer, revolutionary and poet. He is especially remembered for his 1807 long poem ''Dei Sepolcri''. Early life Foscolo was born in Zakynthos in the Ionia ...

(19th-century poet) *

Galileo Galilei Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642), commonly referred to as Galileo Galilei ( , , ) or mononymously as Galileo, was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a poly ...

Giovanni Gentile Giovanni Gentile ( , ; 30 May 1875 – 15 April 1944) was an Italian pedagogue, philosopher, and politician. He, alongside Benedetto Croce, was one of the major exponents of Italian idealism in Italian philosophy, and also devised his own sys ...

(20th-century philosopher) *

Lorenzo Ghiberti Lorenzo Ghiberti (, , ; 1378 – 1 December 1455), born Lorenzo di Bartolo, was an Italian Renaissance sculptor from Florence, a key figure in the Early Renaissance, best known as the creator of two sets of bronze doors of the Florence Baptister ...

(artist and bronze-smith) *

Giovanni Lami Giovanni Lami (8 November 1697 – 6 February 1770) was an Italian jurist, church historian, and antiquarian. Early years and education He was born at Santa Croce sull'Arno (between Pisa and Florence) into a relatively affluent family; his pate ...

Niccolò Machiavelli Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli (3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527) was a Florentine diplomat, author, philosopher, and historian who lived during the Italian Renaissance. He is best known for his political treatise '' The Prince'' (), writte ...

Innocenzo Spinazzi Innocenzo Spinazzi (1726–1798) was an Italian sculptor of the Rococo period active in Rome and Florence. Biography Born in Rome the son of a silversmith, he became the leading sculptor in Florence, where he died. He was trained by Giovanni Ba ...

Carlo Marsuppini Carlo Marsuppini (1399–1453), also known as Carlo Aretino and Carolus Arretinus, was an Italian Renaissance humanist and chancellor of the Florentine Republic. Biography Marsuppini was born in Genoa into a family from Arezzo, but grew up and ...

(15th-century chancellor of the Republic of Florence) by

Michelangelo Buonarroti Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspi ...

with sculptures by Valerio Cioli, Iovanni Bandini, and Battista Lorenzi. * Raffaello Morghen (19th-century engraver) *

Giovanni Battista Niccolini Giovanni Battista Niccolini (29 October 1782 – 20 September 1861) was an Italian poet and playwright of the Italian unification movement or Risorgimento. Life In 1782, Niccolini was born in Bagni San Giuliano to a family of limited means. He ...

(poet) *

Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. He gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote man ...

Giuseppe Cassioli Giuseppe Cassioli (26 October 1865 – 5 October 1942)
,

Louise of Stolberg-Gedern Princess Louise Maximiliane Caroline Emanuel of Stolberg-Gedern (20 September 1752 – 29 January 1824) was the wife of Charles Edward Stuart, the Jacobite claimant to the English and Scottish thrones. The unhappy marriage led her to request f ...

(wife of

Charles Edward Stuart Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (31 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, making him the grandson of James VII and II, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, ...

, '

Bonnie Prince Charlie Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (31 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, making him the grandson of James VII and II, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, ...

') *

Guglielmo Marconi Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi, 1st Marquess of Marconi ( ; ; 25 April 1874 – 20 July 1937) was an Italian electrical engineer, inventor, and politician known for his creation of a practical radio wave-based Wireless telegraphy, wireless tel ...

(buried in his birthplace at

Sasso Marconi Sasso Marconi ( Bolognese: ) is a town and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Bologna in northern Italy, south-southwest of Bologna. Known as Sasso Bolognese until 1938, it is named after Guglielmo Marconi, the radio pioneer, who was born in t ...

, near

Bologna Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...

) *

Enrico Fermi Enrico Fermi (; 29 September 1901 – 28 November 1954) was an Italian and naturalized American physicist, renowned for being the creator of the world's first artificial nuclear reactor, the Chicago Pile-1, and a member of the Manhattan Project ...

(nuclear physicist, memorial only - Fermi is buried in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, Illinois)

Cloister monuments

* Giuseppe La Farina *

Bernardo Rossellino, Monumental tomb for Leonardo Bruni, 1445-50, Santa Croce, Florence.jpg, Bernardo Rossellino, Monumental tomb for Leonardo Bruni, 1445–50 Desiderio da Settignano, Memorial Tomb for Carlo Marsuppini, 1453-55, Santa Croce, Florence.jpg, Desiderio da Settignano, Memorial Tomb for Carlo Marsuppini, 1453–55 Basílica de la Santa Cruz, Florencia, Italia, 2022-09-18, DD 111.jpg, Galileo's tomb Basílica de la Santa Cruz, Florencia, Italia, 2022-09-18, DD 110.jpg, Michelangelo's tomb Innocenzo Spinazzi, Monumental tomb of Niccolò Machiavelli, 1787, Santa Croce, Florence.jpg, Innocenzo Spinazzi, Monumental tomb of Niccolò Machiavelli, 1787 Memorial tomb of Vittorio Fossombroni (1754-1844), Santa Croce, Florence.jpg, Memorial tomb of Vittorio Fossombroni (1754–1844), Santa Croce, Florence Cenotaph for Dante, 1829, Santa Croce, Florence.jpg, Cenotaph for Dante, 1829

In literature

* ''

Romola ''Romola'' is a historical novel written between 1862 and 1863 by English author Mary Ann Evans under the pen name of George Eliot set in the fifteenth century. It is "a deep study of life in the city of Florence from an intellectual, artistic, ...

'' (1863),

George Eliot Mary Ann Evans (22 November 1819 – 22 December 1880; alternatively Mary Anne or Marian), known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. She wrot ...

* ''

A Room with a View ''A Room with a View'' is a 1908 novel by English writer E. M. Forster, about a young woman in the restrained culture of Edwardian-era England. Set in Italy and England, the story is both a romance and a humorous critique of English society ...

'' (1908),

E.M. Forster Edward Morgan Forster (1 January 1879 – 7 June 1970) was an English author. He is best known for his novels, particularly '' A Room with a View'' (1908), ''Howards End'' (1910) and '' A Passage to India'' (1924). He also wrote numerous shor ...

, Chapter 2 * ''

Hannibal Hannibal (; ; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Punic people, Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Ancient Carthage, Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War. Hannibal's fat ...

'' (1999),

Thomas Harris William Thomas Harris III (born September 22, 1940) is an American writer. He is the author of a series of suspense novels about Hannibal Lecter. The majority of his works have been adapted into films and television, including '' The Silence o ...

, Chapter 35

References

Footnotes Citations

External links

*
Church and Museum of Santa Croce
on the private website for tourism, Museumsinflorence.com
BBC video about Giotto frescoes in the Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence
{{DEFAULTSORT:Santa Croce, Florence Croce 14th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Buildings and structures completed in 1442 Churches completed in the 1440s Franciscan churches in Italy Gothic architecture in Florence Gothic Revival church buildings in Italy Burial sites of the House of Bonaparte Burial sites of the Capetian House of Anjou