Context brings the brightest minds to your living room with perspective-shifting online lectures.

Churches of Florence: San Miniato with Dr. Alessandra Becucci

Churches of Florence: San Miniato with Dr. Alessandra Becucci


No events are scheduled at this time. Want to be notified when it’s back? Click the blue button to the right and we’ll notify you.

Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

Visit one of Florence’s oldest churches and experience its fascinating medieval atmosphere the most stunning view of Florence.
Sitting on the top hill on the south bank of the Arno river in Florence, the church of San Miniato is the first thing you see when looking south from the city center. As one of the few surviving examples of Florentine Romanesque architecture, San Miniato conserves its original character. The legend of the church’s foundation dates back to the third century CE, while the current structure was completed in 1063 with Emperor Henry III’s financial support. Protected by Michelangelo during the siege of 1529 and spared from the requalification of the hill in the 1800s, San Miniato features a crypt, a raised presbytery, unique in Florence, and original mosaics from the thirteen century. The sacristy, decorated in the 1380s by Spinello Aretino, is the oldest cycle of Stories of Saint Benedict in Tuscany. Join us in the admiration of these gems and other Renaissance artistic treasures by Michelozzo, Luca della Robbia and Piero del Pollaiolo. Enjoy the most beautiful view of Florence from the hill elected as the resting place of illustrious modern Tuscans, such as the writer Carlo Collodi, author of Pinocchio, and the renowned director Franco Zeffirelli.
Led by Florentine art historian Alessandra Becucci, this conversation will introduce you to one of the most important basilicas in Florence and a testimony of the city’s authentic spirit.
This conversation is part of a series on the churches of Florence with Alessandra Becucci. Each session is designed as a stand-alone seminar as well as part of the series.

Born and raised in Florence, Alessandra has a degree in art history from the University of Florence with a specialization in seventeenth-century painting. She obtained an MRes from the European University Institute in Florence, where she defended her Ph.D in history, focusing on the patronage of Tuscan nobility in Europe during the seventeenth century. She has been teaching art history and Italian for several years in various schools and institutions in Florence.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 5 reviews
100%
(5)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
S
Susan McG (Brooklyn, US)
Churches of Florence - San Miniato Edition

A delightful visit to a church I"ve heard so much about! This church has a very interesting history and the surrounding cemetery has some interesting folks buried in it. As always Dr Becucci is thorough and engaging and makes me want to get on a plane to Florence right now!

A
Anonymous (Wyckoff, US)
Churches of Florence San Miniato

Detailed and very interesting.

C
Christine C Burch (Lexington, US)
Looking forward to returning to Florence

We have been to Florence many times...but when we return we definitely want to tour some of the churches with Dr. Becucci.

K
Karen Bondi (Westbury, US)

It was very informative. Alessandra made me excited to get back to Florence.

k
kareen (Chicago, US)

I just love San Miniato, and Dr. Becucci gave such a great explanation of its exterior and interior and the meaning of everything.

Customer Reviews

Based on 5 reviews
100%
(5)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
S
Susan McG (Brooklyn, US)
Churches of Florence - San Miniato Edition

A delightful visit to a church I"ve heard so much about! This church has a very interesting history and the surrounding cemetery has some interesting folks buried in it. As always Dr Becucci is thorough and engaging and makes me want to get on a plane to Florence right now!

A
Anonymous (Wyckoff, US)
Churches of Florence San Miniato

Detailed and very interesting.

C
Christine C Burch (Lexington, US)
Looking forward to returning to Florence

We have been to Florence many times...but when we return we definitely want to tour some of the churches with Dr. Becucci.

K
Karen Bondi (Westbury, US)

It was very informative. Alessandra made me excited to get back to Florence.

k
kareen (Chicago, US)

I just love San Miniato, and Dr. Becucci gave such a great explanation of its exterior and interior and the meaning of everything.