Florence, Day 4: Medici Chapels (Cappelle Medicee)

In early 1400s, there was the first Medici chapel called the Old Sacristy (Sagrestia Vecchia). It was designed by Brunelleschi.

In 1520, the Medici Pope Leo X commissioned Michelangelo to design a funeral chapel, the New Sacristy (Sagrestia Nuova) for some of his more esteemed family members. The New Sacristy is on the opposite side of the transept to balance the Old Sacristy. In the 17th century, Chapel of the Princes (Cappella dei Principi) was built by Matteo Nigetti. 

The octagonal dome of the Chapel of the Princes (Cappella dei Principi) features scenes from Old and New Testaments.

Tomb of Giulian Duke of Nemours with the statues Day and Night. The sculptures are obviously Michelangelo’s works.

The Day twists his torso and sits uncomfortably.

Behind the altar in New Sacristy, Michelangelo’s Madonna with Child stands between St. Cosmas and St. Damian (protectors of the Medici).

Take a closer look at the altar in New Sacristy.

Tomb of Lorenzo Duke of Urbino with the statues Dawn and Dusk. Again, the sculptures were done by Michelangelo.

The Dawn.

The ceiling of the New Sacristy.

In this small room, you can find Michelangelo’s sketches. There is also a crowning of the lantern of the New Sacristy designed by Michelangelo. According to the description, the polyhedron is made of sixty triangular segments and set on the edges of a dodecahedron. It forms a solid with twelve pentagonal based pyramids. The form was intended to enhance the variations in light while alluding to the Medicean device of the diamond.

When I was in Medici Chapels, the battery of my micro 3/4 camera was drained. I had to resort to taking pictures with a point and shoot. Therefore, the pictures are a little grainy and soft in focus. But you get the idea.