San Lorenzo |
Cosmo hired the same architect who had designed elements of the Duomo. He also commissioned pieces by Donatello for the interior. The availability of unique stone in Tuscany is evident in both the church and the chapel. Columns of pietra serena (soft grey stone) give the church a very harmonious feel, and, at the time it was built was unlike anything seen before.
Chapel from Piazza San Lorenzo |
Anna Maria Luisa di Medici |
There was a special exhibit, "Sacred
Treasures & Grand Ducal Piety," that had more ornate reliquaries and items commissioned by the Medici -- insinuating that the wealthier they got, the more they tried to buy the grace of the church.
It worked...Cosmo I was named Grand Duke of Tuscany by Pope Pius in 1569. His installation was treated like a full coronation.
The reliquaries from his collection were ornate. We found one we really liked...
the reason why
is that it had a dachshund on the front!
Above the crypt was the main chapel, an octagonal room with eight sarcophagi and statues. This was the original resting place for those Medici who were Grand Duke of Tuscany or Pope. The whole chapel is marble, except for the dome, which is painted.
each monument has a sarcophagus with the Grand Duke pillow and crown |
the dome |
Beyond the chapel was the New Sacristy. Sculptures by Michelangelo adorn the sepulchres of Lorenzo the Magnificent (d. 1492), Guliano, brother of Pope Leo X (d. 1516) and Lorenzo, nephew of Leo X (d. 1519). These were among the last works Michelangelo did in Florence before leaving for Rome to do the Sistine.
Tomb of Lorenzo the Magnificent |
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