Church of Santa Croce Florence

Your discount hotel near to the Church of Santa Croce in Florence, places you at a magnificent Gothic Basilica. It was started by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1294 but did not get finished until 1442, and was consecrated the same year. It is the largest Franciscan church in the world, and features sixteen chapels which were "owned" by wealthy families such as the Bardi and Peruzzi. Some were decorated with frescos by famous artist such as Giotto and his pupil Taddeo Gaddi. The neo-gothic bell tower was not added until 1842. The building uses the austere design approach of the Franciscans, with a Tau cross floor-plan, which is the symbol of St Francis. The Basilica became popular with Florentines as a place of worship and patronage, and it became customary for greatly honored Florentines to be buried or commemorated there. As time progressed, space was also granted to notable Italians from elsewhere. For 500 years monuments were erected in the church. It contains tombs and cenotaphs of many important people, including Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli.