The basilica on a hill above Florence

From its position nestled in the foothills of Mount Fiorentinus behind the Piazzale Michelangelo, the medieval basilica of San Miniato al Monte keeps a protective eye on this Renaissance city. Why not take a walk up the stairs from Piazzale Michelangelo and marvel at this medieval masterpiece?

The basilica was built during the early eleventh century on top of an old Oratory shrine, erected for San Minas. He was the first Florentine Christian martyr (250 AD). The shrine dates back to the Carolingian era (8th century).

I first visited San Miniato al Monte way back in 1999. It was a hot day in May and after an exhaustive climb up the church steps from Piazzale Michelangelo I entered the basilica and felt the immediate cooling effect of the marble. I remember it being incredibly peaceful and without the crowds of other churches in Florence. I have always wanted to revisit this basilica. The façade of San Miniato al Monte is I think the best example of Florentine Romanesque architecture.

Approaching the basilica as I did all those years ago by the two flights of stairs there in front of me was this green and white marbled pre-Renaissance church. At the top of the front façade is the tympanum, a twelfth-century mosaic. The mosaic depicts Christ between the Madonna and San Miniato (Saint Minas). The eagle that sits atop the triangular shaped pediment is the heraldic animal of the cloth merchants, the Arte di Calimala. The cloth merchants financed the building of the church from 1288.

Walking inside is an attack on the senses. The interior is superb and survives virtually in its original state (1018-63). The basilica’s design is divided up into three equal spaces with two parts aisle and a nave. The floor design of the central nave is made up of inlaid marble and details Symbols of the Zodiac. The designs copy patterns of Eastern carpet.

Moving beyond the nave is a raised choir. The choir is above the enormous hall crypt.

Don’t forget to look up as the roof trusses are Gothic with flying buttresses used to divide the church into three equal spaces. The supporting columns are recycled columns from Roman temples in the city. The motifs are a unique mix of design from different eras, including Gothic, Byzantine (in the Choir section) and Renaissance style.

At the centre of the church is a small marble Renaissance chapel built to house a crucifix in honour of Saint Giovanni Gualberto who performed a miracle. Beyond the chapel is the Altar.

Here the altar-piece by Agnolo Gaddi depicts the stories of Saint Miniato, Saint Giovanni Gualberto, and Stories of the Passion.

Up the stairs beyond the chapel is the choir where the crypt and the remains of St Minas are. Two things of interest to note in the crypt. The first is the original 11th-century columns, complete with antique decoration. The second is the later designed Renaissance barrel vaulted marble ciborium, built by Michelozzo for Piero de’Medici in 1448.

In the sacristy, there is a fantastic fresco cycle by Spinello Aretino (1387). The cycle reflects on the Life of St Benedict. The most famous fresco of this cycle being “St Benedict Resurrects, a Fellow Monk Buried Alive.” Downstairs in the vaults is frescoes by Taddeo Gaddi.

Adjacent to San Minato al Monte is the Monumental Cemetery or Porte Sante. The architect Matas designed the cemetery in 1839. On the right side of the church is the Monastery of Monte Oliveto.

Monks make liqueurs, honey, and herbal teas. There is a shop next to the church. On the left side of the church are the remains of the bastions and bell-tower, destroyed during the siege of 1530.

San Miniato al Monte is up behind Piazzale Michelangelo. The piazza is a fantastic viewpoint to get a panorama of Florence. There are a couple of bars, gelaterie and several souvenirs stand. To get to Piazza Michelangelo, I opted to take the ATAF orange No12 bus from outside Santa Maria Novella, the central train station in Florence. Buses are regular. Don’t forget to buy your ticket (euro 1,50 each way) and validate as you board the bus. Buy tickets from Tabacchi shops. Look for the “T.”

I opted to walk back down. It is about a 20-25-minute walk back down to the Ponte Vecchio and the Oltrarno district. Look for the stone staircases known as the Poggi Ramps. Descending the stairs will take you to the door (tower) of  San Miniato in Piazzetta di San Miniato. Continue through the tower and keep going straight ahead.

I opted to take a left turn here, as according to my map, there was another church to visit. The church, San Leonardo in Arcetri, was not too far away and up another hill, but that’s another story…

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