Brunelleschi's Florence

The Ospedale degli Innocenti is recognizable by its long, open-air portico facing the Piazza Santissima Annunziata, where nine semicircular arches rise above slender columns. Between each arch, circular terracotta medallions by Andrea…

The Basilica di San Lorenzo is immediately recognizable by its stark, unadorned exterior of rough masonry, which stands in contrast to the polished marble facades found elsewhere in Florence. This raw appearance persists because the…

Beneath the floor of the massive Florence Cathedral lies the Crypt of Santa Reparata, a subterranean expanse of stone pillars, mosaic fragments, and ancient brickwork. This site represents the remains of the original cathedral of Florence,…

The terracotta-tiled dome rising above the Florence Cathedral is marked by eight prominent white marble ribs that reach toward the sky. It is the largest masonry vault ever built, a feat that baffled engineers for decades after the…

The Palazzo del Capitolo dei Canonici sits on the south side of Piazza del Duomo, recognizable by the central balcony supported by four columns that frame two marble statues. Built between eighteen twenty-six and eighteen thirty by the…

The Palazzo di Parte Guelfa is a complex of connected buildings distinguished by a heavy stone facade and a terracotta relief by Luca della Robbia positioned above the main entrance. This structure served as the headquarters for the Guelph…

The Pazzi Chapel sits within the first cloister of the Basilica di Santa Croce. You can identify it by its elegant portico, which features six Corinthian columns supporting a central arch, and the white plaster walls defined by geometric…

The Basilica di Santo Spirito is defined by a plain, pale-yellow facade that stands in stark contrast to the intricate Renaissance masterpiece inside. Unlike the elaborate marble fronts of other major Florentine churches, this flat,…