About This Location
This stop is all about the Medici at San Lorenzo - where Florence’s most famous ruling family chose to be remembered. The Medici Chapels were built as an extension of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, turning part of the church into a family monument and burial site. One of the key spaces here is the Sagrestia Nuova, designed by Michelangelo in the early 1500s. It holds tombs for Medici dukes, and the famous sculpted figures are easy to spot once the eyes adjust: Night and Day on one tomb, and Dawn and Dusk on the other. They are often described as “allegories of time”, a quiet reminder that status does not stop time from moving on. Not far away is the Cappella dei Principi, built later on a much bigger scale. From outside, its large dome helps define the San Lorenzo skyline. Inside, it was designed to feel like a grand statement of Medici power and wealth, with rich stonework and decoration linked to the grand ducal hardstone tradition. The mood changes again at the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana. This library was created to protect the Medici book and manuscript collection, and the entrance is famous for its architecture. In the vestibule, Michelangelo’s staircase is the main event - a dramatic central run of steps that seems to spill forward, with side flights that guide the flow upward toward the reading room. Standing around these entrances, the setting feels very “San Lorenzo”: tight streets, simple stone walls, and sudden glimpses of big domes and church roofs above. It is a mix of quiet corners and busy foot traffic, because the market area is close and the routes here connect quickly to the city center. To move to the next stop, step out toward the open square in front of the basilica - Piazza di San Lorenzo is just a short walk from here.