Santa Croce.
Sunday, June 17, 2012 at 4:24AM 
Statue of Dante + the facade of Santa Croce.
Yesterday was a day I needed. At this point I've been living in Florence for so long I tend to forget what it is: home to more art & history per square foot then any other city in the world. It doesn't help that they make you pay to go into all of the museums + (almost all of) the churches, but this week I saved my change to go into Basilica di Santa Croce, also known as the Tempio dell'Itale Glorie (Temple of the Italian Glories). Why is it called this? Some of the most brilliant men are buried inside including Michelangelo, Galileo, Gentile, and Machiavelli.
Seeing these tombs slapped me in the face with history and the realization of-well, that the men I've learned about since age 7 that helped shape the world were buried right in front of me and walked the streets I trek everyday. I am constantly amazed by Florence, even after five months of living here. Since they were the people that helped shape our modern world, they were obviously buried in style...
My roommate + Michelangelo Bounarroti's tomb.
Uppermost part of Galileo Galilei's tomb.
All of the tombs were grand and beautiful, carved to perfection! I think I may have stared at Michelangelo's grave for a full ten minutes. One of my favorite figures in Italian history is Dante Alighieri. Dante was born and lived in Florence, he died while exiled in a city called Ravenna, about 120 miles from Florence. Dante was buried there, in Ravenna, but the city of Florence chose to honor him with a Memorial Tomb inside Santa Croce.
Memorial tomb for Dante.
As if that wasn't enough, there is art plastered (literally..heh.) everywhere! Giotto, whom I am partial to, painted frescoes and altarpieces throughout.
Giotto's fresco in the Capella Peruzzi. I am often taken aback by how beautifully and carefully constructed these churches really are. Out of the four or five I've visited personally, I think that Santa Croce is my favorite.
Detail in a door found in Santa Croce.
The divide between the main area and a chapel.Ciao for now,
-m.
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