San Miniato al Monte, Florence

History of San Miniato al Monte

The basilica is dedicated to St Minias, one of Florence's first Christians, whom the city honours as an ancient patron. Building began in 1013 under Bishop Hildebrand on the hill above the city, where tradition says a chapel to the saint had long stood.

Later the richest guild in town, the cloth merchants of the Calimala, took charge of the church, which is why a gilded eagle clutching a bale of cloth, the guild's emblem, perches on top of the façade. Since the 14th century Benedictine monks of the Olivetan order have lived here, and it's still a working monastery.

San Miniato is counted among the finest examples of Florentine Romanesque. Its crisp geometry and green and white marble inspired architects for centuries, including those who clad the Baptistery and the cathedral down in the city.

The façade and interior

The façade is like a carpet of white and dark green marble: five round arches below, squares, circles and a triangular pediment above. In the middle glows a gold mosaic of 1260 showing Christ enthroned between the Virgin and St Minias. From Piazzale Michelangelo and even from the city centre, the front shines in the sun.

Inside, the church has three levels. In the middle is the nave with a marble floor of 1207 inlaid with the signs of the zodiac and fantastic beasts. Below is a dim crypt on a forest of slender columns. Above, on a high platform over the crypt, is the choir with a carved marble pulpit and an apse holding a large 1297 mosaic of Christ.

The wooden nave ceiling is painted in bright patterns and the walls carry fragments of old frescoes. There are few tourists; it's quiet and cool, and easy to sense what Florence's churches were like before the Renaissance.

What to see at San Miniato

• Marble façade — green and white geometry and mosaic.
• The Calimala eagle — on top of the façade.
• Zodiac floor — in the middle of the nave.
• The crypt — a forest of slim columns under the choir.
• Apse mosaic — Christ on a gold ground.
• View of Florence — from the steps in front.

The view from the hill

The basilica stands on the highest point of the south bank, 10 minutes above Piazzale Michelangelo. From the wide stone stairway in front you get almost the same view of the city, the cathedral dome, the Palazzo Vecchio, the Arno and the hills, with a fraction of the crowd.

Many people come up for sunset and then walk down to Piazzale Michelangelo and on into town. The monastery has a small shop where the monks sell honey, herbal liqueurs and other products they make themselves.

Tips for your visit

The basilica is a working church and may close for lunch, so check the hours before you climb. Cover shoulders and knees. Photos without flash are usually fine except during services.

It's easiest to combine with Piazzale Michelangelo: come up towards evening, see the church, listen to the monks, then watch the sunset from the square or from the steps outside. Walk back into town down the Poggi ramps and through San Niccolò.

Florence's churches: compare and choose

Churches and basilicas in Florence rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.

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Santa Croce

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Museo Galileo

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Uffizi Gallery

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How to do it right

• Free entry.
• Vespers with the monks' chant.
• A quieter view than Piazzale Michelangelo.
• Cover shoulders and knees.

Questions