San Lorenzo in Florence. The Basilica, the museums, the Library. A comprehensive guide

by Monica Bietti

The Basilica of San Lorenzo is nestled within a greater complex consisting of the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, the world’s first public library, and the Cappelle Medicee, comprised of the Chapel of the Princes, an ornate chamber of hardstone inlay that stands as a testament to Medicean grandeur, and the New Sacristy by Michelangelo, a funerary chapel that houses the majority of Buonarroti’s sculptures.

Since the Unification of Italy, the complex has been divided into three properties, and the current appearance of the basilica is the result of the restorations and subdivisions that took place when Florence became the capital of Italy. San Lorenzo has for centuries borne witness to the sacred and political history of the city and its rulers, making it one of the most important churches in Florence. A declaration of art and faith, it became a symbol of government, having been rebuilt with the contribution of the Municipality and having taken on the role of a place dedicated to the sacred representation of power during the Medicean and later Lorraine periods, and eventually under the House of Savoy.

This guide takes into account the latest updates and most recent changes in the basilica and the museum, without making a distinction between the properties, unless required by the needs of the visitor. The tour is comprehensive and offers two modes of engagement: a quicker one to be followed on-site, and a more in-depth version that presents a selection of themes and masterpieces aimed at more curious readers, which may also be explored after the visit. Each place described includes its history and a tour that highlights both what is currently visible and its most significant features.

TAG facciata, tribuna, presbiterio, altare, transetto, sagrestia, navata, chiostri, sotterranei, compagnia delle stimmate, vestibolo, lettura, soffitto, vetrate, pavimento, tribuna d’Elci, soffitto, Cripta, Cappella dei Principi, Il Tesoro di San Lorenzo, Michelangelo, stanza segreta, lorenese, lanterna lucifera, Bronzino, Lippi, Rosso Fiorentino, Ghirlandaio, Annigoni, Verrocchio, Pollaiolo, Donatello, Chimenti, Empoli