This Roman Catholic Church is the burial place for the great and good in Florence. Famous people such as Michelangelo, Rossini, Machiavelli and the Pisan (born Galileo Galilei) are buried in Santa Croce. Although his sarcophagus is empty, there is also a memorial to Dante. This impressive building dates back to 1294 but the church exterior is covered with a polychrome marble facade which was only added in 1863, whom English benefactor, Sir Francis Sloane, paid for. The basilica overlooks onto the Piazza Santa Croce, which is the site of the annual soccer game played in medieval costume!
The Church of Santa Maria Novella & Museum
The Church of Santa Maria Novella is one of the most important Gothic churches in Tuscany in terms of architecture. It most definitely should be on your list of things to see in Florence! The beautiful and breath-taking exterior is the work of Fra Jacopo Talenti and Leon Battista Alberti whilst the interior holds amazing works of art from several different people. Some of these include: Masaccio’s Trinità , Ghirlandaio’s fresco cycle in the Tornabuoni Chapel and Giotto’s Crucifix. The exquisite art work and notable architecture is not to be missed!
The Medici Villa della Petraia in Florence
The Medici Villa of Petraia is a beautifully artistic country residence in the outskirts of Florence. Accompanied with beautiful views of its rich and scenic Italian gardens, from its position you can also see the valley where the famous Renaissance city is located. The families which have occupied this residence have ranged from the Brunelleschi family, Palla Strozzi and the Salutati family.