The royal history of the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence

-

The Basilica San Lorenzo in Florence is situated in the heart of the city, near the
main market. It is surrounded by excellent restaurants with the nicest food
and beverages.

However the Basilica San Lorenzo was the parish church of the de' Medici family.
So, let's take a look at the very interesting royal history of this amazing royal
destination.






Royal History

The Basilica of San Lorenzo is one of the oldest churches in Florence,
originally consecrated in 393 AD. Over centuries, it underwent multiple
reconstructions, with the most significant transformation beginning in 1419,
under the direction of Filippo Brunelleschi, a pioneer of Renaissance
architecture. 

Commissioned by Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici, the rebuilding of
San Lorenzo marked the start of a centuries-long relationship between
the church and the Medici family.

The Medici family, renowned patrons of art and politics, played a pivotal
role in the evolution of the Basilica. Giovanni di Bicci’s contributions
laid the foundation, but it was Cosimo de' Medici ("Cosimo the Elder")
who solidified San Lorenzo as the family’s church. 

Cosimo funded much of the interior decoration and ensured the
church would house the family’s crypt. His influence turned San Lorenzo
into not just a place of worship but also a symbol of Medici power
and cultural patronage.









Michelangelo


Source picture: Wikipedia


In 1527 the citizens of Florence rebelled against the Medicis; Michelangelo
supported them. After the Medicis recaptured the city in 1530,
Pope Clement VII, a Medici, sentenced Michelangelo to death. It is thought
that Michelangelo hid for two months in a small chamber under the Medici
chapels in the Basilica of San Lorenzo with light from just a tiny window,
making many charcoal and chalk drawings which remained hidden until
the room was rediscovered in 1975, and opened to small numbers of visitors
in 2023. Michelangelo was eventually pardoned by the Medicis and the death
sentence lifted, so that he could complete work on the Sistine Chapel and
the Medici family tomb. He left Florence for Rome in 1534.



A visit


We visited the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence in two parts. On Sunday we took
a look at the wonderful Capella Medici and on Monday we visited the inside of the
Basilica of San Lorenzo. Both were really fantastic!



Capella de Medici



As said before, the Basilica of San Lorenzo is located near some lovely restaurants,
where you can try the nicest food of Florence. The city is known for its meat and 
the stews. 😋





We took the pictures of the Basilica San Lorenzo in Florence in June 2024.
The portrait of Michelangelo is from Wikipedia.






de' Medici Chapel at the San Lorenzo Basilica
Location: Florence, Metropolitan City of Florence, Italy

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Who is who? de Liedekerke family!

-
Image
Only a few noble families are intertwined with the history of  a country.  The de Liedekerke family has it all: a long and interesting history and close ties to the rules of their country.  Let's take a closer look!  History It was in 1301 that the history of the family de Liedekerke started.  Then Knight Raas of Herzele signed an official document in Beveren. His son was Raas of Herzele of (de) Liedekerke. His descendants called themselves de Liedekerke.  But there were many interesting people in the family de Liedekerke. connections with the Duke of Burgundy Raas of Liedekerke, lord of Nieuwerkerken (+/- 1421 - 1494/1495) was married to a certain Johanna. Due to his marriage he became Lord of Heestert and Zulte. In 1476 he went on a military campaign with Charles the Bold. Duke of Burgundy. In 1477, Mary of Burgundy, appointed him as bailiff of Aalst and Geraardsbergen.  Charles the Bold Mary of Burgundy Connections with the House of Habsburg Steven ...
Read more

House of Wittelsbach - Between crazyness and excellence

-
Image
Plate with the coat of arms of Bavaria, Germany own picture taken in Munich With this blog post about the House of Wittelsbach I take you on a trip to Bavaria (Bayern) in Germany. Since 1996, the royal family's head is: Franz, Duke of Bavaria. So far is the situation nowadays but this royal familie has a very nice history. Own picture taken of the Coat of Arms of Bavaria The House of Wittelsbach: the origin Otto II, Count of Scheyern (who died on 31 October 1120) could acquire the castle of Wittelsbach near Aichach. Later the Counts of Scheyern left the castle in 1119 for Wittelsbach Castle and the former was given to monks to establish Scheyern Abbey. From 1180 till 1918 the Wittelsbach dynasty ruled several German territories in Bavaria and the Electorate of the Palatinate (till 1805). In 1329 under the Treaty of Pavia, the House of Wittelsbach split in two branches. Emperor Louis IV granted the Palatinate including the Bavarian Upper Palatinate t...
Read more

Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark

-
Image
The eldest daughter of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg, Margarita was born at the Royal Palace in Athens on 18 April 1905.  Family Through her mother, Margarita was the eldest great-great grandchild of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom . Contrary to the custom of the time, her father attended her birth because her grandmother, Queen Olga, believed that "it is only justice that men see the suffering they cause to their wives, and from which they completely escape". She also was a great-great grandchild of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia , trough her father. With their mother, Margarita and her sisters communicated in English, but they also used French, German, and Greek in the presence of their relatives and governesses. The princesses were formally educated in English and Greek. Balkan War Between 1912 and 1913, Greece engaged in the Balkan Wars, which put the country in opposition to the Ottoman Empire and to Bulgaria. Called to join the arm...
Read more