Basilica di Santo Spirito
Brunelleschi’s plain-fronted 1400s church with a lavish art-filled interior and baroque altar
About Basilica di Santo Spirito
Florence
The Basilica di Santo Spirito sits quietly in the Oltrarno district, just across the Arno from the bustling heart of Florence. Designed by Brunelleschi in the 15th century, it’s one of the purest expressions of Renaissance architecture—elegant, harmonious, and human in scale. From the outside, it’s surprisingly plain, with a soft, pale-yellow façade that hides the richness within. Once you step inside, the space opens up with perfect symmetry and rhythm: soaring columns, rounded arches, and a luminous nave that feels peaceful and meditative. The church houses over 30 side chapels filled with Renaissance art, and in one of them, you’ll find a small wooden crucifix said to have been carved by a teenage Michelangelo. According to tradition, he created it as a gift to the church’s prior, who allowed him to study anatomy by observing dissections at the convent’s hospital. The square outside, Piazza Santo Spirito, is one of the most vibrant in Florence, full of cafes, artisan shops and locals going about their day.
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