Chiesa e Museo di Orsanmichele (Church and Museum of Orsanmichele), Florence
Once a modest 8th-century oratory, this structure has gone through quite a few changes over the centuries. By 1290, it had been repurposed into an open-air loggia where locals came to buy and sell grain. After a fire swept through just a decade later, the building was rebuilt as a covered loggia-market. Then in the late 14th century, its open arches were replaced with windows. Although those openings are now bricked up, you can still make out the elegant Gothic tracery that hints at the structure鈥檚 medieval past.
Inside, the space is divided into two parallel naves, creating a layout that feels both intimate and grand. On the right side stands a remarkable 14th-century Gothic altar鈥攁 work of true artistry, featuring cherubs, carved reliefs, and richly colored marble and glass. At its center is Bernardo Daddi鈥檚 鈥淰irgin and Child鈥�, framed by delicately sculpted angels that seem to watch over the room.
Walk around the outside, and you鈥檒l see a series of niches along the outer walls鈥攅ach one housing a statue of a patron saint representing Florence鈥檚 powerful trade guilds. Among the fourteen figures featured are Saint Mark, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas, Saint James, Saint Peter, John the Baptist, and Madonna of the Rose, each reflecting the pride and spiritual devotion of their respective guild.
One sculpture that truly stands out is 鈥淒oubting Thomas鈥�, created around 1470. In a brilliant touch, the figure of Christ remains fully contained within the niche, while Saint Thomas steps forward鈥攈is right foot breaking the frame. That small gesture, subtle as it is, gives a surprising sense of movement and realism to the entire piece. To see the original sculptures, visitors can stop by the adjacent museum, which is open on Mondays.
Inside, the space is divided into two parallel naves, creating a layout that feels both intimate and grand. On the right side stands a remarkable 14th-century Gothic altar鈥攁 work of true artistry, featuring cherubs, carved reliefs, and richly colored marble and glass. At its center is Bernardo Daddi鈥檚 鈥淰irgin and Child鈥�, framed by delicately sculpted angels that seem to watch over the room.
Walk around the outside, and you鈥檒l see a series of niches along the outer walls鈥攅ach one housing a statue of a patron saint representing Florence鈥檚 powerful trade guilds. Among the fourteen figures featured are Saint Mark, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas, Saint James, Saint Peter, John the Baptist, and Madonna of the Rose, each reflecting the pride and spiritual devotion of their respective guild.
One sculpture that truly stands out is 鈥淒oubting Thomas鈥�, created around 1470. In a brilliant touch, the figure of Christ remains fully contained within the niche, while Saint Thomas steps forward鈥攈is right foot breaking the frame. That small gesture, subtle as it is, gives a surprising sense of movement and realism to the entire piece. To see the original sculptures, visitors can stop by the adjacent museum, which is open on Mondays.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Florence. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The 911爆料网 App
Chiesa e Museo di Orsanmichele (Church and Museum of Orsanmichele) on Map
Sight Name: Chiesa e Museo di Orsanmichele (Church and Museum of Orsanmichele)
Sight Location: Florence, Italy (See walking tours in Florence)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Florence, Italy (See walking tours in Florence)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Florence, Italy
Create Your Own Walk in Florence
Creating your own self-guided walk in Florence is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Florence Food Tour
Food is one of the great Florentine passions, and the great thing about having a delicious authentic Tuscan meal, a snack, delicatessen, or a quality gelato here 鈥� besides the abundant variety 鈥� is not having to spend a lot of money for it.
In general, the 鈥渙sterias鈥� and the eateries nestled in Sant鈥橝mbrogio Market will offer cheaper and more casual food with an emphasis on home... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
In general, the 鈥渙sterias鈥� and the eateries nestled in Sant鈥橝mbrogio Market will offer cheaper and more casual food with an emphasis on home... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Medici Landmarks Walking Tour
The Medici family helped to establish Florence as the single most important art capital of Renaissance Europe. In order to prove wealth and power, they built numerous palaces, libraries, churches, chapels and personal residences. The Medicis were big lovers of art and they acquired huge, expensive collections, as well as supporting many sculptors and painters of the time.
Designed by... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Designed by... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
In Galileo's Footsteps
Galileo Galilei鈥攂orn in Pisa in 1564鈥攕pent much of his life in and around Florence, where some of the most defining moments of his revolutionary career unfolded. A genius of many talents鈥攑hysicist, mathematician, astronomer, inventor鈥攈e helped usher in the scientific revolution and reshape humanity鈥檚 understanding of the universe. Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, became a... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 8.0 Km or 5 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 8.0 Km or 5 Miles
Duomo Walking Tour
Right in the heart of historic Florence lies the Duomo district鈥攖he city's religious and civic core, and one of the most remarkable places in all of Italy. Between the Duomo and Signoria squares, Florence unfolds in layers of art, history, and architectural brilliance, offering a never-ending stream of things to see, do, and admire.
At the center of it all stands the Florence Cathedral,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
At the center of it all stands the Florence Cathedral,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Arno South Bank Walking Tour
The area south of the Arno River鈥攌nown as Oltrarno, or 鈥淏eyond the Arno鈥濃�攐ffers a quieter, more intimate side of Florence, but one that鈥檚 no less captivating. It鈥檚 here that you鈥檒l find the grand Pitti Palace, home to a painting collection rivaled only by the Uffizi Gallery, and the expansive Boboli Gardens, once the private domain of the Medici and later, the royal family. As one of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Dante's Florence Walking Tour
Dante Alighieri was arguably the greatest 鈥� albeit also most controversial 鈥� of Italy's poets. After having served as one of the six priors governing Florence, his political activities 鈥� including the banishing of several rivals 鈥� led to his own banishment, upon which he wrote his masterpiece, 鈥淭he Divine Comedy鈥�, as a wanderer, seeking protection for his family in one town after... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
Florence's Tasty Coffee Shop Guide
The caffe scene throughout Italy is an important factor of everyday life. People will pop in to their favorite bar on their way to work for a quick espresso breakfast with a pastry, they鈥檒l grab a slice of pizza for lunch or drop by for an aperitivo before dining out and take a peaceful digestivo...
Top 14 Pubs in Florence
Florence, the city of art and beauty has no problem in mastering the art of the nightlife as well. Local pubs are very popular and appreciated among the Florentines and the tourists. Locals and native English speakers that study or live in the city cannot wait to welcome tourists in their cozy...
Souvenir Shopping Guide: 15 Unique Products to Buy in Florence
Compared to other Italian "grands" like Rome, Venice, or Milan, Florence is relatively less-known to an outsider for any local products, save, perhaps, Florentine mosaics and Fiorentina FC. Fortunately, there are tonnes of locally-originated things that this Italian city is rightfully...