Santa Croce

Santa Croce

This district features a Gothic basilica with tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo, surrounded by lively workshops, cafés, and rich civic and artistic history.
Santa Croce is both a district and a basilica, though the church remains its defining monument. Built by the Franciscans in a Gothic style, it contains the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo and other celebrated figures, which led to its reputation as the ‘Temple of the Italian Glories’. Around it, the neighbourhood retains a lively character through workshops, cafés and local life. It is an area where Florence’s civic and artistic histories remain closely connected.