Florence - Basilica di San Miniato al Monte

Florentina was established in Roman times as a settlement for veteran soldiers. The name had changed already, when young Charlemagne conquered the town in 774. It became part of the Duchy of Tuscany, with Lucca as capital. Around 1000 Margrave Hugo chose Florence as residency instead of Lucca. After the death of Matilda of Tuscany (1115), the Florentines formed a republic was ruled by a council. The town prospered, despite a constant fight between the different factions and noble families.

In the 15th century, Florence was among the largest and wealthiest cities in Europe. This was, when the Medici family entered the political scene. As a dynasty of art loving, power hungry bankers, they made Florence the birthplace of the Renaissance.

There are is legend about St. Miniato. He was an Armenian prince, who either came to Florence serving in the Roman Army or had come to Italy on a pilgrimage and lived as a hermit here...

Anyway Emperor Decius, persecuting Christians, sentenced him to death. Wondrously he survived furnace and lapidation and even a lion in the amphitheater refused to devour him. Finally he was beheaded near the Arno river.

Being a kephalophor (like Saint Denis, Saint Sever, Saint Gohard, Saint Élophe..) Miniato picked up his head and carried it away. He crossed the Arno and walked uphill to die finally in his hermitage.

A small convent developed on the spot later. In 783 Charlemagne endowed property to the convent. Emperor Otto II confirmed "privileges" in 971, but times got tough.

Already in 1013 Bishop Alibrando (aka "Hildebrand") replaced the "ruined church", endowed by the Emperor Henry II (aka "Saint Henry") and his wife Cunigunde (aka "Saint Cunigunde"). 5 years later Alibrando consecrated the "Basilica di San Miniato al Monte".

Most of today´s church got remodeled and altered in the 11th and 12th century.

The nave ends at a freestanding chapel ("Cappella del Crocefisso"). The arches open to a very large (and dark) crypt. The choir above the crypt is raised.

Here is the floor of the nave, that looks like a carpet runs down to the chapel. It is dated to ~ 1210. This is a fantastic mosaic in a decorative, geometric style called "cosmatesque". This style actually goes back to the Roman family Cosmati, the leading family workshop of marble craftsmen for generations. It is said, that Laurenzo Cosmati (~ 1150) was apprentice of Greek / Byzantine Masters. His sons continued the work. Most works of the Cosmati family are in and around Rome, some are even signed. Upto about 1300 the comatesque style spread all over Europe.

A detail of the nave´s floor. Lions, birds, griffins - all pairwise in a geometric pattern. Looks like lace from a certain distance.