The Medici Chapels are the only mausoleum of the Medici family in the world.
Here, among precious marbles and timeless works of art, rests the entire Medici dynasty, from Giovanni de’ Bicci to his most illustrious descendants, including the legendary Lorenzo the Magnificent.
Let yourself be carried away by the magnificence of this space where art, power and spirituality come together in perfect harmony.
Book now the guided tour of the Medici Chapels: I will take you on an unforgettable journey through the beating heart of the Florentine Renaissance.
Guide to the Medici Chapels: tour and duration of the visit
The guided tour of the Medici Chapels lasts 2 hours. During this time you will have the opportunity to discover the secrets and hidden stories of this unique jewel in the world.
The crypt is the first supported room that we will visit surmounted by low cross vaults. On the floor are the tombstones of the Grand Dukes, their consorts and the closest family members of the Medici family. The environment is completed by the reliquaries of the 1600s and 1700s commissioned by the Medici. From here two staircases lead to the first floor in the Chapel of the Princes.
The Chapel of the Princes is an octagonal room of 28m in diameter and is surmounted by the dome of the Church of San Lorenzo with a height of 59m. The Chapel dates back to 1600 at the behest of Ferdinando I of the Medici, according to the project of Cosimo I. It is decorated with splendid marble inlays typical of the art of the Florentine commesso , made by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, a Florentine excellence still active. The environment is embellished with mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli and coral decorations to reproduce the coats of arms of the 16 Tuscan cities allied with the Medici. The grand-ducal tombs present here are those of Cosimo I, Francesco I and Cosimo III.
The New Sacristy is another room that deserves all his attention. It was built by Michelangelo between 1520 and 1534 on commission from Pope Leo X and the future Pope Clement VII. The artist worked on the sculptures of the sarcophagi, although the only ones actually completed are the statues of the Dukes Lorenzo and Giuliano, the allegories of Dawn and Dusk, Night and Day and the group of the Madonna and Child placed above the sarcophagus of the two “magnifici” and flanked by Saints Cosmas and Damian, favorite saints of the Medici family.
Inside the room, Michelangelo’s secret room has recently been opened to the public, a small room in which there are studies and wall drawings made by the artist as models for painting and sculpture.
Main stages
During the Florenceforanyone tour you will visit:
- Crypt
- Chapel of the Princes
- New Sacristy
- Michelangelo’s secret room
