3. The Medici Chapels form part of a
monumental complex developed over
almost two centuries in close connection
with the adjoining church of S. Lorenzo,
considered the "official" church of the
Medici
4. The decision to build their mausoleum in this church dates back to the
14th century (Giovanni di Bicci and his wife Piccarda were for instance
buried in the Old Sacristy, built on a project of Brunelleschi). The project
of building a proper family mausoleum was conceived in 1520, `when
Michelangelo started working at the New Sacristy upon request ot
Cardinal Giulio de` Medici, the future Pope Clemens VII
5. The
Medici
Chapels
(Cappelle medicee) are two
structures at the Basilica of
San Lorenzo, Florence, Italy,
dating from the 16th and
17th centuries, and built as
extensions to Brunelleschi's
15th-century church, with the
purpose of celebrating the
Medici family, patrons of the
church and Grand Dukes of
Tuscany.
The
Sagrestia
Nuova, ("New Sacristy"), was
designed by Michelangelo.
The larger Cappella dei
Principi, ("Chapel of the
Princes"), though proposed
in the 16th century, was not
begun until the early 17th
century, its design being a
collaboration between the
family and architects.
6. Cappella
dei
Principi
Chapel of the Princes
This Chapel is yet another
grandiose and pompous
mausoleum erected between
1604 and 1640 by the
architect Matteo Nigetti to
the designs of Giovanni de`
Medici, the natural son of
Cosimo I, who practised
architecture in a semiprofessional manner. The
Mausoleum was conceived
to celebrate, with its large
dome and lavish interior
decorated with marbles, the
power of the Medici dynasty,
which had safely been ruling
Florence
for
several
centuries.
The dome of the Cappella
dei Principi dominates the
San Lorenzo architectural
complex.
7.
8. Across from
San Lorenzo
and the
Capelle
entrance was a
building with
remnants of a
beautifully
decorated
exterior
Piazza di
Madonna degli
Aldobrandini
9.
10. The octagonal Cappella dei
Principi surmounted by a
tall dome, 59 m. high, that
is the distinguishing feature
of San Lorenzo when seen
from a distance, stands
centrally sited with respect
to the nave, to which it
provides the equivalent of
an apsidal chapel.
Its entrance is from the
exterior, in Piazza Madonna
degli Aldobrandini, and
through the low vaulted
crypt planned by Bernardo
Buontalenti before plans for
the chapel above were
made.
11. Along with the sculptural and architectural decorations, the museum displays
the Treasure of the San Lorenzo Basilica: reliquaries and liturgical objects,
great examples of Renaissance and Baroque goldsmith's art.
The crypt is the
part where minor
members of the
dynasty were
unceremoniously
laid to rest. In the
19th century it was
tidied up and now
includes numerous
tomb slabs. From
the Crypt, stairs
lead up to the
Chapel of Princes,
a grand
mausoleum for the
Medici grand
dukes.
12. Crypt
the simple and
suggestive Tomb
of Cosimo the
Elder (by
Verrocchio),
inserted into the
central pillar, and
the Tomb of
Donatello, whose
plaque was placed
there during a later
period (18th
century)
Founder of one of
the main lines of
the Medici family,
Cosimo was a
patron of
scholarship and
the arts, including
such figures as
Donatello and
Filippo
Brunelleschi
13. In San Lorenzo
Basilica head over
to the altar and
you will see a
roped off square
on the marble floor
– this is the sign
for the tomb of
Cosimo d’Medici.
He was named
“Father of the City”
and this was
inscribed on his
tomb.
Symbolically,
Cosimo is there
before the altar
helping bring the
peoples’ prayers to
God (as the
prayers come from
the nave up to the
altar, they cross
over Cosimo’s
tomb)
14. The vast Crypt
leads to the
Chapel of the
Princes, which
houses the
grandiose funerary
monuments of the
Medici Grand
Dukes of Tuscany.
It is an octagonal
hall, wholly covered
with semi-precious
stones and rare
marbles inlays,
topped by a wide
frescoed dome.
Works started in
1604 by the
architect Matteo
Nigetti and went
on for over two
centuries.
15. The mausoleum
consists of a huge
octagonal structure with
a diameter of 28
metres, clad in precious
dark marbles and pietra
dura, inspiring wonder
and admiration from the
time of its construction
onwards. The pietra
dura, mother-of-pearl,
lapis lazuli, and coral
inlays at the base
reproduce the coats of
arms of sixteen Tuscan
towns.
16. The six
monumental
sarcophagi
lining the walls
belong to the
grand dukes
Ferdinando II,
Cosimo II,
Ferdinando I,
Cosimo I,
Francis I and
Cosimo III. The
second and
third
sarcophagi are
surmounted by
colossal gilded
bronze statues
made by Pietro
and Ferdinando
Tacca between
1626 and 1642.
17. The rich inlaid decoration was made by the grand ducal workshops, joint
together to form the Opificio delle pietre Dure (Semi-precious Stones
Workshop).
18. The rich inlaid decoration was made by the grand ducal workshops, joint
together to form the Opificio delle pietre Dure (Semi-precious Stones
Workshop).
19. Being one of the famous artistic workshops of the Italian Renaissance,
the Opificio was established in 1588 at the behest of Ferdinando I de'
Medici to provide the elaborate, inlaid precious and semi-precious
stoneworks
20. The technique, which
originated from Byzantine
inlay work, was perfected
by the Opificio masters
and the artworks they
produced became known
as "opere di Commessi
Mediceo" (commesso is
the old name of the
technique,
similar
to
ancient mosaics) and
later as "Commesso in
Pietre
Dure"
(semiprecious stones mosaic).
28. The Chapels continued to undergo
additions and embellishments: the
decoration of the dome by Pietro
Benvenuti with old and new testament
themes dates to 1836.
