The Franciscan church of Santa Cross (the Holy Cross) is an excellent example of Italian Gothic architecture and one of Florence's grandest churches. If you have time to visit only one church, this is the one to see.
We usually visit Santa Croce on our tours, and I do an evening Art Talk about this wonderful church. I love to point out its treasures. If you go on your own, I suggest you pick up a small guide to the church (available on site) so you can fully appreciate what you will see.
Many large volumes have been written about Santa Croce, but I'd like to share a few tidbits of information here that you may not easily find elsewhere.
Although legend has it that St. Francis himself founded Santa Croce, the record shows that it was begun in 1294, over 65 years after his death.
But in keeping with the Franciscans' central tenets of humility and poverty, the original small, plain church was built in a very poor and rather odorous district of tanneries and dye-works along the marshy banks of the Arno.
Over the centuries these humble beginnings have been overshadowed by grandeur and magnificence, and the structure you see today bears no resemblance to that first church. Important families, including the Medicis, endowed Santa Croce with gifts and legacies, and it eventually grew to cover many acres of buildings, and gardens.
The church is laid out in an Egyptian (Tau) cross, a symbol of St. Francis, with a nave and two aisles. It contains 16 chapels decorated with frescoes by a panoply of famous artists including Giottto, Taddeo Gaddi, and Domenico Veneziano.
Like all early Franciscan churches, these frescoes depict the life of St. Francis, as well as the life of Christ and other saints in a clear narrative style that could be understood by the poor and illiterate. This makes it easier for us to understand the stories today, too.
Santa Croce is sometimes referred to as the Temple of Italian Glories because so many famous people have their tombs or monuments here--Dante, Machiavelli, Galileo, Michelangelo (his tomb is pictured on the left), and even Marconi, Fermi, and Florence Nightingale.
The church's magnificent facade was added in the 1850's by the Niccolo Matas. He honored his own religion, Judaism, by working a prominent Star of David into the design. Matas loved Santa Croce and wished to be buried there, but this was not allowed.
Today, there is a fine museum on the church grounds with much to see, including the Cimabue crucifix that was so badly damaged in the 1966 floods.
There's also a famous Leather School connected to the church where you can see displays of fine leather work, tools, and of course, purchase leather coats, bags, wallets, and other goods.
The lively Piazza Santa Croce in front the the church is often filled with vendors selling watercolors and souvenirs. There are many cafes and restaurants on the square too.
