Medici Chapels

The Medici Chapels form one of Florence's most significant Renaissance monuments, occupying a complex attached to the Basilica of San Lorenzo in the city's historic centre. Commissioned by the Medici family, the site comprises the Sagrestia Nuova, designed by Michelangelo, and the Cappella dei Principi, the grand dynastic mausoleum faced in pietra dura stonework. Michelangelo's sculptures here, including the celebrated figures of Dawn, Dusk, Day, and Night, are among the most studied works in Western art, carved for the tombs of Lorenzo de' Medici, Duke of Urbino, and Giuliano de' Medici, Duke of Nemours.

Visitors today can enter with skip-the-line tickets, bypassing the queues that regularly form outside, or join a guided tour that moves through the chapels with expert commentary on the Medici dynasty, Michelangelo's architectural vision, and the extraordinary decorative programme of the Cappella dei Principi. The complex sits within walking distance of Florence Cathedral and the Mercato Centrale, making it a natural stop on any considered exploration of the city.