Basilica of Santa Croce

Among the most important squares in the historic center of Florence, Piazza Santa Croce takes its name from the beautiful basilica that overlooks its eastern side.

Santa Croce is the largest Franciscan church in Italy. Many important Florentines are buried in the huge, richly decorated basilica. The best known is certainly Galileo Galilei, whose bones were initially hidden in the church because of the conflict with the Roman church, before he found his official resting place here 30 years after his death. But also Machiavelli, Rossini and Michelangelo are buried here.

This important church in Florence, which is dedicated to the "Holy Cross" (Italian/Latin "Santa Croce"), relates its patronage to the cross on which Jesus Christ died. The veneration of the Holy Cross goes back in large part to Saint Helena, who was the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great (who, after his victory at the "Milvian Bridge" outside Rome, recognized Christianity as a religion and in 312 the long time of persecution ended with the Milan “Tolerance Edict”). In the early fourth century she undertook a pilgrimage to the Holy Land (Israel / Palestine) and brought numerous relics from there to Europe, including the "True Cross" on which Jesus Christ was crucified. Helena is therefore often depicted with a cross as an attribute.
The feast of the discovery, public presentation and veneration of the Holy Cross - called "Exaltation of the Cross" - is celebrated by the Church on September 14th.