| Museo del Tesoro di San lorenzo |
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Beneath the basilica, a new museum The church of San Lorenzo, "parish church" of the Medici family, is now enhanced with a new museum. Right beneath the Sagrestia Vecchia, a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture and the work of Filippo Brunelleschi, the ample cellars little used until now have become the environment which houses the Treasure of the Basilica, hitherto kept in inaccessible cupboards.
San Lorenzo, the church chosen by the Medici for their own personal spiritual life, as well as for the family mausoleum, in the course of time became enriched with liturgical objects, sacred vestments and reliquaries of great value. Part of this Treasure was formerly displayed in the Cappelle dei Principi, but in such a waay as to be of little use to the public at large. With the creation of the new Museum particular prominence has been given to a number of recently restored objects of exceptional workmanship.  Most important of all is the Michelozzo’s Christ, made in 1444 of silver and silver gilt, and part of a crucifix "ordered" from the artist by Cosimo il Vecchio dei Medici.The Reliquary bust of St Peter, in painted and gilded wood, dating from 1522, is also a work of high artistic worth. The pieces on display, ranging in date from he 14th to the 19th century, bear witness to the life of this church in the course of its long and glorious history and of a Treasure which has alternated moments of great splendour with others of great difficulty, when there was a tendency to turn the worked silver and gold treasures into ready money. Museo del Tesoro di San Lorenzo Piazza San Lorenzo, 9 Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 10.00 - 17.30 (ticket office closes 17.00); from November to February: closed on Sundays; from March to October: 13.30 - 17.30 (ticket office closes 17.00) Entrance fee: € 3,50 (includes visit to the Basilica) |
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