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Medici Chapels

Medici Chapels

The Medici Chapels are two chapels built between the 16th and 17th centuries as an extension to the Basilica of San Lorenzo, in the Italian city of Florence. They are the Sagrestia Nuova, designed by Michelangelo, and the larger Cappella dei Principi, a collaboration between the Medici family and architects. The purpose of the chapels was to celebrate the Medici family, patrons of the church and Grand Dukes of Tuscany.

Medici Chapels

The Medici Chapels form the mausoleum of the Medici family, attached to the Basilica of San Lorenzo but entered separately from behind the church. Two spaces make up the visit: the Sagrestia Nuova, designed by Michelangelo, with his sculpted tomb figures for Medici family members, and the Cappella dei Principi, a much larger, ornately decorated octagonal hall built to glorify the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. The contrast between Michelangelo's restrained marble work and the opulent inlaid stone of the princes' chapel is the main reason to visit both.

Getting there

The chapels sit in the historic centre, an easy walk from Piazza del Duomo or Piazza della Signoria, roughly 10-15 minutes on foot. From Santa Maria Novella train station it's about a 5-10 minute walk. This is a central location, so a taxi or bus is rarely necessary.

How much time to allow

Plan for around 45 minutes to an hour, a bit longer if you want to study Michelangelo's tomb sculptures closely.

When to go

Mornings, right when it's possible to enter, tend to be quieter than midday. Because the entrance is separate from the basilica and the space is limited, it can feel crowded once tour groups arrive later in the day.

Combine with

  • Basilica of San Lorenzo (0.1km) – the church the chapels were built to extend, right next door.
  • Florence Baptistery and Gates of Paradise (both 0.3km) – a short walk toward the Duomo.
  • Tomb of Antipope John XXIII (0.3km) – inside the Baptistery, easy to see on the same stop.

Sources: open data from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap · Updated August 5, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors

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Tickets & tours

Admission prices and opening hours change often, so we don't list them here. Check what's on sale and at what price below — booking ahead can cut the queue at some places.

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Stays near Medici Chapels

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Medici Chapels Nearby stays

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Good to visit alongside

Basilica of San Lorenzo

Museums & galleries

Basilica of San Lorenzo

The Basilica di San Lorenzo is one of the largest churches of Florence, Italy, situated at the centre of the main market district of the city, and it is the burial place of all the principal members of the Medici family from Cosimo il Vecchio to Cosimo III. It is one of several churches that claim to be the oldest in Florence, having been consecrated in 393 AD, at which time it stood outside the city walls. For three hundred years it was the city's cathedral, before the official seat of the bishop was transferred to Santa Reparata.

0.1 km away
Tomb of Antipope John XXIII

Heritage & monuments

Tomb of Antipope John XXIII

The marble-and-bronze tomb monument of Antipope John XXIII was created by Donatello and Michelozzo for the Florence Baptistry adjacent to the Duomo. It was commissioned by the executors of Cossa's will after his death on 22 December 1419, and completed during the 1420s, establishing it as one of the early landmarks of Renaissance Florence. According to Ferdinand Gregorovius, the tomb is "at once the sepulchre of the Great Schism in the church and the last papal tomb which is outside Rome itself".

0.3 km away
Florence Baptistery

Temples & religious sites

Florence Baptistery

The Florence Baptistery, also known as the Baptistery of Saint John, is a religious building in Florence, Italy. Dedicated to the patron saint of the city, John the Baptist, it has been a focus of religious, civic, and artistic life since its completion. The octagonal baptistery stands in both the Piazza del Duomo and the Piazza San Giovanni, between Florence Cathedral and the Archbishop's Palace.

0.3 km away
Gates of Paradise

Temples & religious sites

Gates of Paradise

0.3 km away
Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

Museums & galleries

Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

Santa Maria Novella is a Dominican church in Florence. It is considered the most important Romano-Gothic church in Tuscany and is a World Heritage Site. Its construction started in 1290 and it took almost 200 years to be completed. It was consecrated in 1420.

0.3 km away
Giotto's Campanile

Views & landmarks

Giotto's Campanile

Giotto's Campanile is a free-standing campanile that is part of the complex of buildings that make up Florence Cathedral on the Piazza del Duomo in Florence, Italy.

0.3 km away