The Cappella dei Principi took nearly 200 years to complete, with work spanning from 1604 to 1962, largely due to the complexity of the pietra dura inlay.
Cosimo I de' Medici intended the chapel to be a grand monument to his family's status, commissioning the use of rare porphyry, granite, and lapis lazuli.
The floor of the Cappella dei Principi features sixteen coats of arms representing Tuscan cities under Medici rule.
Michelangelo's designs for the Medici tombs in the Sagrestia Nuova were never fully finished according to his original plans.
The remains of the Medici family were famously exhumed in the mid-20th century to study their health and diet, providing modern data on the dynasty.
The Cappelle Medicee serves as the primary burial site for the Medici family, consisting of the 16th-century Sagrestia Nuova and the 17th-century Cappella dei Principi. Michelangelo designed the Sagrestia Nuova, integrating architecture and sculpture to create a unified funerary space. The Cappella dei Principi is octagonal and dominated by a massive dome, featuring walls encrusted with semi-precious stones, marble, and mother-of-pearl. The crypt houses the remains of numerous Medici Grand Dukes and their relatives. Several statues by Michelangelo, including figures representing Day, Night, Dawn, and Dusk, reside within the New Sacristy. The complex is part of the Bargello Museums group. The inlaid stone work in the chapel floor follows designs that were meant to symbolize the Medici heraldry and power. It remains one of the most significant examples of Florentine Mannerist architecture.
The center of the Cappella dei Principi provides the best perspective for capturing the scale of the marble inlay and the dome above.
Purchase the combined ticket for the museum complex if you plan to visit other sites under the Bargello Museums management.
Look up at the dome of the Cappella dei Principi to see the frescoes by Pietro Benvenuti, added in the 19th century.
Visit the Sagrestia Nuova first to better appreciate the architectural evolution before entering the more ornate Principi chapel.
Do not mistake the San Lorenzo church entrance for the museum entrance; the Medici Chapels have a separate dedicated entrance on the side of the complex.
Closed on the second and fourth Monday of every month; also closed on select public holidays.
Maintain a quiet, respectful volume as the site is a place of burial and historic importance; modest dress covering shoulders and knees is recommended.
