Sunday, November 20, 2016

                                                                                                November 20, 2016

                          San Miniato al Monte Church


San Miniato al Monte Church

Florence, Italy


"San Miniato al Monte (St. Minias on the Mountain) is a basilica in Florence, central Italy, standing atop one of the highest points in the city. It has been described as one of the finest Romanesque structures in Tuscany and one of the most scenic churches in Italy. There is an adjoining Olivetan monastery, seen to the right of the basilica when ascending the stairs..

Sanctuary
"The interior exhibits the early feature of a choir raised on a platform above the large crypt. It has changed little since it was first built. The patterned pavement dates from 1207. The centre of the nave is dominated by the beautiful freestanding Cappella del Crocefisso (Chapel of the Crucifix), designed byMichelozzo in 1448. It originally housed the miraculous crucifix now in Santa Trìnitaand is decorated with panels long thought to be painted by Agnolo Gaddi. Theterracotta decoration of the vault is by Luca della Robbia.
"The mosaic of Christ between the Virgin and St Minias was made in 1260.

Zodiac detail, from the opus sectilepavement in San Miniato (Link 1.)
The crypt is the oldest part of the church and the high altar supposedly contains the bones of St Minias himself (although there is evidence that these were removed to Metzbefore the church was even built). In the vaults are frescoes by Taddeo Gaddi.
"The raised choir and presbytery contain a magnificent Romanesque pulpit and screen made in 1207. The apse is dominated by a great mosaic dating from 1297, which depicts the same subject as that on the façade and is probably by the same unknown artist. The crucifix above the high altar is attributed to Luca della Robbia. The sacristy is decorated with a great fresco cycle on the   Life of St Benedict by Spinello Aretino (1387)." (Link.)
Rear Tower

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Photos: Taken in Florence, Italy on iPhone by RW while  en route to the 2016
                 L'Eroica  Classic Bike Race in Tuscany, Italy.
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Miniato_al_Monte


Prayer
God, be with persecuted Christians throughout the world. Amen (SW.)

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