22 Churches to Explore in Tuscany

Checkout places to visit in Tuscany

Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its influence on high culture. It is regarded as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and has been home to many figures influential in the history of art and science, and contains well-known museums such as the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace. Tuscany is also known for its wines.

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Churches to Explore in Tuscany

Abbazia di San Miniato al Monte

The abbey basilica of San Miniato is located in one of the highest places in the city of Florence and is one of the best examples of Florentine Romanesque. It has the dignity of a minor basilica. There are five abbeys in Florence and its surroundings: Badia Fiesolana to the north, Badia a Settimo to the west, San Miniato abbey to the south, Badia a Ripoli to the east, and Badia Fiorentina in the center. It has been described as one of the finest Romanesque structures in Tuscany.

Abbey of San Galgano

San Galgano Abbey was built in the early 13th century and is a Cistercian abbey that lies in the municipality of Chiusdino. The place is rich in history and is reminiscent of the medieval times during which it was built. It was a Romanesque church that was a jewel in its time but now lies in ruins. With its architecture and design, it can easily be deduced that it used to be magnificent during its Gothic times. Nearby are the chapel or Eremo or Rotonda di Montesiepi, the tomb of Saint Galgano, a

Abbey of Sant'Antimo

The abbey of Sant'Antimo is a formerly Benedictine monastic complex, located at Castelnuovo dell'Abate, within the municipality of Montalcino, in the province of Siena. It is one of the most important architectures of the Tuscan Romanesque. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in an ancient Roman style, which also has elements of the French and Lombardy styles.

Basilica Cateriniana San Domenico

The basilica of Santo Domingo is a religious building in Siena, in the region of Tuscany in Italy. The church was begun in 1226–1265, but was enlarged in the 14th century resulting in the Gothic appearance it has now. However, aspects of the Gothic structure were subsequently destroyed by fires in 1443, 1456, and 1531, and further damage later resulted from military occupation it houses the relics of St. Catherine and the original portrait of her painted by her contemporary and friend, Andrea Va

Basilica di San Lorenzo

The basilica of San Lorenzo is one of the main Catholic places of worship in Florence, located in the homonymous square in the historic center of the city. It is one of the churches that compete for the title of oldest in the city and has the dignity of minor basilica. The tourist market of San Lorenzo is held near the church. For three hundred years it was the city's cathedral before the official seat of the bishop was transferred to Santa Reparata.

Basilica di Santo Spirito

The church of Santo Spirito is one of the main basilicas of the city of Florence. It is located in the Oltrarno district, the southern part of the historic center, and with its simple facade dominates the square of the same name. It was built on the remains of the thirteenth-century Augustinian convent destroyed by a fire in 1371. This church is nestled in a quiet little corner of Florence and it is very possible that you will pass in front of it several times before even really noticing its per

Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence

The basilica of Santa Croce in the homonymous square in Florence is one of the largest Franciscan churches and one of the greatest achievements of the Gothic in Italy and has the rank of minor basilica. Santa Croce is a prestigious symbol of Florence, the meeting place of the greatest artists, theologians, religious, writers, humanists, and politicians, who determined, in good times and bad, the identity of the late medieval and Renaissance city. It was also a place of reception for popes such

Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

The basilica of Santa Maria Novella is one of the most important churches in Florence and stands on the homonymous square. If Santa Croce was and is an ancient center of Franciscan culture and Santo Spirito hosted the Augustinian order, Santa Maria Novella was for Florence the reference point for another important mendicant order, the Dominicans. The church, the adjoining cloister, and the chapter house contain a multiplicity of art treasures and funerary monuments.

Cappella Brancacci

The Brancacci Chapel, located inside the church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence, represents one of the highest examples of Renaissance painting. It is the result of the collaboration of two of the greatest artists of the time, Masaccio and Masolino da Panicale, to which the hand of Filippino Lippi must be added, called to complete the work about fifty years later. The church and the chapel are treated as separate places to visit and as such have different opening times.

Cappelle Medicee

The Medici chapels, built as the burial place of the Medici family, are now a state museum in Florence, obtained from some areas of the basilica of San Lorenzo. The rooms are now known collectively as "Medici chapels" were built between the 16th and 17th centuries as an extension of the Brunelleschi basilica in order to celebrate the Medici family. The Medici chapels are now a museum, which can be accessed from the back of the basilica, in Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini.

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is situated in Florence in Italy is an architectural masterpiece and the pride of the Florentine skyline. The Cathedral is known for its rich history and architectural marvels. Built-in over 150 years, between 1296 and 1436, the building is a blend of different architectural styles that were prevalent in the different eras making it more intriguing than ever.

Cattedrale di Pisa

The cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, in the center of the Piazza del Duomo, also known as Piazza dei Miracoli, is the medieval cathedral of Pisa as well as the primatial church. A masterpiece of the Romanesque, in particular of the Pisan Romanesque, it represents the tangible testimony of the prestige and wealth achieved by the maritime republic of Pisa at the moment of its apogee. The church was erected outside Pisa's early medieval walls, to show that Pisa had no fear of being attacked.

Chiesa di San Michele in Foro

The Chiesa di San Michele in Foro is one of the most beautiful and enchanting historical structures of the city of Lucca. It is a Roman Catholic Church that was built over the remains of the ancient Roman forum. Until 1370, the church was the seat of the Consiglio Maggiore, which was considered as the most important assembly of the commune’s. The most significant feature of this church is that it was originally designed to be dedicated to the Archangel Michael.

Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina

The Church of Santa Maria Della Spina, located on Arno riverbank in Pisa like a little gem, is an extraordinary example of Pisan Gothic and was originally an oratory built-in 1230. The name of Della Spina derives from the presence of a thorn, putatively part of the crown of thorns placed on Christ during his Passion and Crucifixion. The church no longer houses the “thorn”. The “thorn” is now in the Chiesa di Santa Chiara, which is on show inside and can be found on Via Roma.

Church and Museum of Orsanmichele

This tall structure halfway down Via dei Calzaiuoli looks more like a Gothic warehouse than a church—which is exactly what it was, built as a granary/grain market in 1337. On the ground floor of the square building are the 13th-century arches that originally formed the loggia of the grain market. The second floor was devoted to offices, while the third housed one of the city's municipal grain storehouses, maintained to withstand famine or siege.

The metropolitan cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is the main place of Catholic worship in Siena, in Tuscany, the episcopal seat of the metropolitan archdiocese of Siena-Colle di Val d'Elsa-Montalcino; the building is located in the homonymous square, in the Terzo di Città. Built-in the Italian Romanesque-Gothic style, it is one of the most significant churches built in this style in Italy.

La Verna - Franciscan Sanctuary

The Sanctuary is located on Mount Penna above Chiusi Della Verna in the province of Arezzo. This place is famous because it is St. Francis who lived here. It is today one of the places where St. Francis is venerated and even on a short visit, you can get a sense of its artistic cultural, historical, and religious interest. Built-in the southern part of Mount Penna at 1,128 meters and it is home to numerous chapels and places of prayer and meditation.

San Frediano Basilica

The basilica of San Frediano is one of the oldest Catholic places of worship in Lucca, in Romanesque style, and is located in the square of the same name. The procession to the Holy Crosswinds from this basilica on the evening of 13 September. In November 1957 Pope Pius XII elevated it to the dignity of a minor basilica. A religious building dedicated to the three Levite saints Vincenzo, Stefano, and Lorenzo existed in this place since the 6th century.

Map of Churches to Explore in Tuscany