Among The Historic Buildings In Florence Is A Hidden Church Museum Filled With Renaissance Art

While there are plenty of museums to visit in Italy, if you're looking for truly phenomenal art, you should definitely look inside the many churches across the country. One city that happens to have its fair share of both art and religious sites is Florence. The so-called most walkable city in the world is no stranger to fantastic art — after all, it's been an Italian cultural center for hundreds of years. And while you can see many Renaissance artworks all over the city, one of the best — and least known — places is the Orsanmichele Church.

The Orsanmichele Church and Museum is located just a few blocks away from the Arno River, practically down the street from the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge. The site dates back all the way to the eighth century, but the old church that stood there during that time was destroyed in the 13th century. Over the years, Orsanmichele went through many changes and renovations.

It was initially used as a public grain storage before becoming a church. However, since the site was associated with some miraculous events (including a mysterious image of the Madonna on the wall), the place was eventually consecrated in the Middle Ages, converted into a church, and had carvings and sculptures added on. Today, both the church and the adjoining Orsanmichele museum cost only a few euros to enter and can be combined with entry to other museums since it is part of a collective with the Bargello Museums nearby, such as the Medici Chapels and the Palazzo Davanzati.

The church alone is an excellent place to see works created by renowned Italian artists of the period. Several tabernacles depicting Catholic saints can be found around the external walls of the church, three of which (Saints Peter, Mark, and George) were sculpted by Donatello. The former mysterious image of the Madonna, which was destroyed in a fire in the 13th century, was commemorated with the painted fresco, "Madonna delle Grazie" ("Madonna of the Graces"), by Bernardo Daddi. You can find even more impressive religious sculptures, beautiful stained glass, and ornate stone carvings throughout the building. The museum is located above the church on the upper floors, where visitors can also see different works by artists from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Since the Orsanmichele Church and Museum is in such a centralized location, it's close to several other Florentine attractions. In addition to being within walking distance of the other Bargello Museums, the church is also less than five minutes away from the Uffizi Gallery, one of the best art museums in Italy, and only a 25-minute walk to the Giardino delle Rose, Italy's most enchanting garden with sweeping views of Florence. If you walk a few blocks closer to the river, you'll also come across the Fontana del Porcellino, a famous bronze fountain of a wild boar (a local delicacy and emblem of Tuscany). The fountain is a popular tourist attraction since it is said to bring good luck to people who toss a coin into the fountain or touch the boar's snout.