Page 300 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

298  CENTR AL IT AL Y

i San Lorenzo

San Lorenzo was the parish church of the Cappella dei Principi
The Medici
Medici family, and in 1419 Brunelleschi was mausoleum, behind
commissioned to rebuild it in the Classical style the high altar, was
of the Renaissance. Almost a century later begun in 1604 by
Michelangelo submitted some plans for the Matteo Nigetti, and
forms part of the
façade, and began work on the Medici tombs in Cappelle Medicee.
the Sagrestia Nuova (the Old Sacristy). He also
designed a library, the Biblioteca Mediceo-
Laurenziana, to house the family’s collection
of manuscripts. The lavish family mausoleum,
the Cappella dei Principi, was started in 1604.

Biblioteca Staircase
Michelangelo’s
Mannerist staircase,
one of the artist’s
most innovative
designs, was built by
Ammannati in 1559.

KEY
1 St Joseph and Christ in the
Workshop, a striking work showing
the young Christ with his father, is by
Pietro Annigoni (1910–88), one of
the few modern artists whose work
is seen in Florence.
2 The cloister garden is planted
with box hedges, pomegranate and
orange trees.
3 Michelangelo designed the
desks and ceiling of the Biblioteca,
where exhibitions of Medici
manuscripts are often held.
4 The Old Sacristy was designed
by Brunelleschi and decorated
by Donatello.
5 The huge dome by Buontalenti
echoes that of the Duomo
(see pp284–6).
6 Campanile
7 The Cappelle Medicee complex
comprises the Cappella dei Principi,
its crypt and the New Sacristy (see
opposite).
8 A simple stone slab marks the
unostentatious grave of Cosimo il
Vecchio (1389–1464), founder of
the Medici dynasty.
9 Michelangelo submitted several The Martyrdom of
designs for the façade of San St Lawrence
Lorenzo, but it remains unfinished.
Entrance to church
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp569–73 and pp590–96

298-299_EW_Italy.indd 298 4/4/17 5:35 PM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2)
Date 14th November 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm