Have you heard of the gorgeous Medici Chapels in Florence?

Home to the famous Princes Chapel, striking artwork depicting the old and new testaments, and several Medici tombs, this is a must-see while you’re in town.

If you’re planning to visit the Basilica of San Lorenzo during your trip to Florence, you may as well hop over to the adjacent Medici Chapels.

It’s one of the most stunning mausoleums in Italy, and is nestled right in the heart of Florence as part of the San Lorenzo church complex. I have to say, it’s one of my favorite places to explore.

The de Medici family were the Italian bourgeois family who ruled Florence between 1434 to 1737. They had a stronghold over Florence for over 300 years except for during a couple of break periods between 1494 to 1512 and 1527 to 1530.

They’re best known for setting up the Medici Bank (which was the largest source of their continued wealth) but during their rule, they also hugely enriched the arts and commissioned some gorgeous attractions around the city.

While the Basilica di San Lorenzo is one of the Medici family’s major contributions to Florence’s landscape, they’re also responsible for the Pitti Palace, the Uffizi Gallery (originally offices hence the name) and the Boboli Gardens.

The Basilica di San Lorenzo was initially the family’s parish church.

However, Giovanni di Bicci commissioned the famous architect Filippo Brunelleschi to redesign the building and turn the church into an official burial spot for the Medici family.

Why were the Medici Chapels created?

So, now that I’ve covered some of the history behind the Medici Chapels, let’s uncover when and why they were built.

The intended purpose of the Medici Chapels was for them to function as a dedicated mausoleum for prominent members of the Medici family. It was Pope Leo X (a member of the de Medici family) that first floated the idea with the prized architect and sculptor Michelangelo in 1520.

The famous David sculpture (now in the Accademia) had already stunned society and Michelangelo’s talent was in great demand. Pope Leo X wanted the design to mirror the Old Sacristy designed by Brunelleschi while still being a grand tribute to his late family members.

Michelangelo started work on the project but this was interrupted when Leo X died in 1521. Luckily, Cardinal Giulio de Medici was elected to the papacy in 1523 and became Pope Clement VII, restarting work on the chapels.

Michelangelo worked on the project until 1533, but his move to Rome meant that his pupils finished the job. The New Sacristy was completed first, but the Chapel of the Princes wasn’t finished until much later. When you consider that construction on the chapels finished in 1640, the entire process took a while.

A brief history of the New Sacristy

The New Sacristy (otherwise known as the Sagrestia Nuova) is a grand mausoleum that Pope Leo X asked Michelangelo to design.

One of the first things that you may notice about the New Sacristy are the incredible sculptures. The statue of “Night” is designed to represent dread and fear, while the statue of “Dawn” is a beautiful woman who opposes the impending night.

It’s also worth mentioning that the eyes of the funeral monuments of Lorenzo the Magnificent and Giuliano face Michelangelo’s Madonna and her child.

The Madonna doesn’t look at either brother to create the appearance of harmony and a balance of power among the three statues. In short, the magnificent chapel is at the center of the universe and is a major feat of architectural and artistic design.

Initially, Michelangelo wanted to place tombs for Lorenzo and Giuliano in the center of the space. However, this didn’t appeal to Pope Clement VII, who chose to position the tombs against the walls instead. The tombs face toward each other from two opposing walls and are separated by a statue of the Virgin Mary and her child.

You’ll also see statues of Saints Cosma and Domiano who are intended to protect the Medici family.

Why is the New Sacristy so special?

As you might have guessed from the previous rundown of the sculptures, the New Sacristy is considered to be a Renaissance masterpiece as it contains ingenious artistic designs by Michelangelo.

But it’s also one of the few examples of Michelangelo’s work where he designed the space itself as well as the sculptures. His use of natural light to draw attention to the sculpture work is stunning, with the window placement beautifully casting lightness and shadow over the space.

Is there anything more to see here?

As of November 2023, visitors can head down to Michelangelo’s “Secret Room”. It was first discovered in 1975 by restorer Sabino Giovannoni when he was carrying out cleaning tests. The room was unused and sealed, covered almost entirely by furniture and storage items.

However, after removing layers of plaster, Giovannoni uncovered a huge display of sketches from when the famed artist was forced underground for two months during Medici persecution in 1530. It’s believed that many of the sketches match plans for the New Sacristy, but the content is still subject to debate amongst art scholars.

Just be warned that the room is incredibly small at just ten meters long by three meters wide. So, be sure to get in and out quickly as the maximum time you’ll be allowed to stay is 15 minutes.

Oh, and you need to descend twelve narrow steps, making the room unsuitable for those with mobility issues.

The Chapel of the Princes (Cappella dei Principi) was built between 1604 and 1640 by the prized architect Matteo Nigetti.

The lavish chapel was meant to showcase the vast achievements of the Medici family members while acting as a burial site for the prominent Medici dynasty.

The chapel’s architecture firmly falls into the Renaissance style of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It has a grand dome and interior decorated with semi-precious stones (pietre dure) and smooth marble.

The chapel has an octagonal floor and is dotted throughout with bronze gilded statues made by the brothers Ferdinando, Pietro, and Tacca. Two of the most prized sculptures are of Ferdinando I de Medici and Cosimo II de Medici (Medici Grand Dukes) and both men are holding ornate sceptres.

Surrounding the Cappella dei Principi, you’ll find the coats of arms of Florence’s sixteen main cities. They were intended to represent universal allegiance to the Medici, and are made from lapis lazuli, coral, porphyry, high-quality granite, mother of pearl, marble, and alabaster.

Considering their age, the coats of arms are still surprisingly vibrant with shades of yellow, burgundy, green, and white shining through.

If the coats of arms weren’t impressive enough, you’ll also find striking tile work on the ground along with several priceless paintings. The most famous painting is probably the Supper at Emmaus at the Altar Medici, but you’ll also want to pay particular attention to the Dome.

It hosts a cycle of frescoes that detail the scenes of Jesus’s life from the nativity to the crucifixion, resurrection, and Sacrifice of Noah.

The final fresco details the Last Judgment and gives the entire chapel an air of opulence and spirituality. And honestly, the paintings of the frescoes by Pietro Benvenuti are worth the price of admission on their own.

If you’re visiting the Florentine Basilica of San Lorenzo, it’s important to know that the Medici Chapels are a separate attraction, with technically a different address of Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini.

So, you’ll need to purchase independent tickets for both the church and the chapels if you want to see everything.

In my opinion, it’s always best to buy tickets for the Medici Chapel online in advance. This way, you’ll skip the queues and guarantee yourself entry as this is one of Florence’s most popular sights.

The ticket gives you access to the New Sacristy, the Medici Tombs, and the Chapel of the Princes.

You can add on entrance to Michelangelo’s Secret Rooms but access is severely limited and sells out FAST.

Be prepared to be disappointed if you don’t book these tickets well in advance.

In terms of opening hours, the chapels are open between 8:15AM and 6:50PM every day except Tuesday when they’re closed. They’re also closed on Florence public holidays (like Christmas Day).

It’s worth noting that the Medici Chapels will be busy during the summertime, as this is when most tourists visit. You’ll also need to remember that the last visiting slot is 45 minutes before closing time so plan accordingly.

If you can, visit the chapels outside of the peak tourist season (late spring or early fall) to try and reduce crowd levels. This way, you can take your time getting close to the sculptures and artwork without being overwhelmed.