HOUSES OF THE HOLY: BASILICA DI SANTA CROCE

One could probably spend a week in Florence just visiting churches and come to find that they've only scratched the surface how many there are to see once that week is up. So with a limited time in the city, we had to be selective about just how many churches we could make time to visit. Constructed in the 13th Century, the Basilica di Santa Croce (or Church of the Holy Cross) is notable for several reasons including its neo-Gothic facade (added in 19th Century).

The Church is also known as Pantheon of the Italian Glories because it is the final resting spot for many famous Italians, most notably Michelangelo.

Photos were allowed in the Church, but flash was not so that explains the poor quality of some of these pics (sorry about that).

Others illustrious names buried here include Galileo, Machiavelli, and Rossini (I forget whose tomb this one is though).

Many of the tombs are located right on the floor of the Church (which was ravaged by floods in 1966 causing much damage to the buildings and artwork).

The Church also home to a museum to showcase its fantastic art collection and the building's beautiful interiors. This is another must see Florence Attraction (in this man's opinion)!