The Santa Croce is one of the most iconic landmarks in the city of Florence. The church was built in the year 1295 in the same place that the first Franciscan friars in Florence had an oratory. The gothic style building is absolutely massive and incredibly stunning and keeping it in pristine condition is not an easy task.
Upon entering the church, your breath will be taken away by the enormous open concept interior. The walls are lined with paintings and sculptures, some that date back to before the conception of the church.
The church is the final resting place for great minds like Michelangelo and Galileo Galilei, so it is vital that the building is preserved to the fullest extent.
Michelangelo died in Rome in 1564 but was brought back to Florence to be buried. His tomb is decorated with sculptures and paintings that were designed by Giorgio Vasari. The tomb was commissioned by Duke Cosimo I de’Medici after the famous artist’s death.
Michelangelo’s tomb is currently being refurbished to keep it in mint condition. The altarpiece to the left of his tomb which stretches from the floor over the top of the tomb has been removed from the wall by staffers to restore. The painting was completed in 1572 by Vasari and is represents Christ meeting Veronica on the Way to Calvary. Beneath this painting, sixty members of the Buonarotti family are buried.
The restoration of this monument is expected to be completed by October 2018 and was financed by over 100 donors, about 80 percent of which are citizens of the United States. Members of staff are highly trained and use special tools and paints to avoid damaging the painting. Restoration includes cleaning and diagnostics of the tomb itself as well as the altarpieces.
Tourists who enter the church can see the restoration happening right in front of them and can literally watch history being saved. One of the restorers, Paola, says she hopes that allowing visitors to watch the restoration will excite them and keep them from getting upset about not being able to see the tomb in its entirety. When the painting is removed from the wall, you can see the damage to the painting that was caused by the Florence flood of 1966.
The flood was the most devastating natural disaster to ever hit Florence. The city is the heart of the Renaissance and is the home of famous works of art, many of which were destroyed by the flood. The Santa Croce is believed to have taken the worst beating by the rising waters of the Arno river. The building was filled with nearly nine feet of water, and many of the paintings and artifacts that were displayed close to the ground were destroyed or badly damaged. The damaged artworks included the Crucifix by Cimabue and John the Baptist and St. Francis by Domenico Veneziano. Altarpieces, like the ones on Michelangelo’s tomb, were also badly damaged. The water in the church damaged its foundation because of the enormous amount of water in the basements.
Jacqueline Kennedy chaired the Committee to Rescue Italian Art and most of those funds went to restoring the frescoes in the Santa Croce that were badly damaged during the flood.
This was not the first flood that the Santa Croce has seen, and markers around the church allow tourists to see firsthand just how high the water rose during those devastating times.
Restorers are also currently working on repairing frescoes that line the stain glassed windows at the front of the church. Light coming in through the windows damages the delicate frescoes and staff have to continually work to keep them looking beautiful.
The facade of the church was originally made of stone and did not look nearly as intricate as it does today. It remained this way for centuries until 1857 when Niccolò Matas gave the church the exterior that we see today. It now has a neo-Gothic style and is made of white, green and pink marble, much like the Duomo that also towers over the city of Florence. This is the most dramatic restoration that the church has undergone.
Even though the façade is relatively new, it is still important that staff keep a close eye on it. They must regularly check that the structure is architecturally sound to avoid any accidents, like the one that happened in October of 2017 that left a tourist dead.
A 52-year-old tourist from Spain was struck by a falling stone fragment that fell from over 65 feet as he stood in front of the church with his wife.
Events like this fatal accident are why constant restorations of historic monuments like the Santa Croce must be done.
As you make your way through the church, you’ll notice obvious wear and tear throughout. Many of the frescoes that line the walls have chips and cracks, and in some cases, even whole chunks of the paintings missing.
One of the pieces that is damaged tremendously in this way is a painting that was originally painted on the right-hand wall of the Santa Croce. The fresco depicts the Triumph of Death, the Last Judgement and Hell. It was damaged during renovations of the church that began in 1566. Only six fragments of the original remain and were discovered in 1911 and 1942. In 1958, they were removed from their original location and moved to a separate chapel in the church.
When planning your trip to Florence, the Santa Croce is a must see. Some of the pieces may be under restoration, but that shouldn’t stop you from getting a chance to see the interior of this incredible church.
A portion of the money generated by ticket sales goes towards the renovations of the church, so you’re saving history when you purchase your ticket.
A full price ticket will cost you eight euros 6 euros for children 11 to 17 years old. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office on the left side of the church and remember to have your knees and shoulders covered when you make your trip. You can also purchase your tickets online in advance here.