San Michele Visdomini, Baroque church in central Florence, Italy
San Michele Visdomini is a baroque church standing at the corner of Via Bufalini and Via dei Servi, with a single nave and lateral altars arranged along the sides. The transept contains three chapels that extend the internal space and create distinct areas for worship and prayer.
Construction began in 1364 to replace an earlier structure, with Bishop Andrea Corsini laying the first stone for the new building. Between 1552 and 1782, major renovations took place under monastic administration, including a shift of the entrance location.
The interior features paintings and altarpieces created by Florence's artists over several centuries, showing how the church became a gallery for local talent. Visitors can see how these works shaped the spiritual and artistic life of the surrounding neighborhood.
The church is positioned at a busy intersection, making it easily accessible on foot from several directions in central Florence. Visitors should be prepared to find internal spaces arranged in different styles due to centuries of renovations and adjustments.
Heavy flooding in 1966 caused significant damage to the building, but restoration work uncovered 14th-century frescoes hidden beneath the transept. These wall paintings had remained concealed under layers of later renovations, offering a rare view into the church's earliest artistic phase.
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