Church of San Gaetano

Church of San Gaetano

The Church of San Gaetano, also known as the "Church of Saints Michael and Gaetano," was built on the site of a former Romanesque church dedicated to St. Michael. Located in Florence, Italy, it is the most significant example of Baroque architecture in a city renowned for its Renaissance buildings.

The Church of San Gaetano is a church of the Theatine Order, funded by noble families from Florence, including the Medici family. Construction began in 1604 and was completed in 1648. It was dedicated to Gaetano, one of the founders of the Theatine Order, but the church was not officially named after him until 1671, when he was canonized as Saint Gaetano. The façade of the Church of San Gaetano is richly decorated with carvings and is a very typical example of Florentine church design, favoring geometric patterns for wall ornamentation. Inside, there are several chapels. The second chapel on the left is the Franceschi Chapel, belonging to the Franceschi family, a noble family of bankers and merchants. The chapel houses Pietro da Cortona’s work “The Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence.” In the Nativity Chapel of Matteo Rosselli on the right, there is a bronze crucifix by Giovanni Francesco Susini, considered one of his finest sculptural works.

San Gaetano, Florence

Reason to visit: The most important example of Baroque architecture in Florence

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: Italy[Italy]

Province/State: Tuscany Region [Toscana Region]

City: Florence [Florence]