Church of Saints Miche and Gaetano

The church of San Gaetano, also known as Santi Michele e Gaetano, is one of the most fascinating examples of Baroque architecture in Florence. Located in Piazza Antinori, this church stands on the site of an ancient Romanesque church dedicated to San Michele Arcangelo, known as San Michele Bertelde, dating back to the 11th century. The original church was a modest single-nave structure, completely demolished in 1640 when the new nave had already been completed. The construction of the new church began in 1604, thanks to the patronage of the Theatine order and the financial support of noble Florentine families, including the Medici. The initial project was entrusted to Bernardo Buontalenti, but over the years various architects contributed to the realization of the work, making significant changes. Among these, the most relevant were Matteo Nigetti and Gherardo Silvani. Silvani, with the assistance of his son Pierfrancesco, completed the facade between 1648 and 1693, introducing a typically Roman style that differed from traditional Florentine religious architecture. The facade of the church, in pietraforte, is divided into two orders separated by a projecting cornice. In the lower part there are three portals surmounted by triangular pediments, above which are placed the statues of San Gaetano di Thiene and Sant’Andrea Avellino. The central portal is decorated with the Theatine coat of arms and flanked by the statues of Hope and Poverty. In the upper part, a large rose window is surmounted by the Medici coat of arms, supported by two marble cherubs. At the top of the facade, the hut-shaped pediment is flanked by two decorative urns. The interior of the church is a true Baroque gem, richly decorated with polychrome marbles, golden stuccoes, and frescoes. Along the upper cornice there are fourteen statues depicting apostles and evangelists, created by artists such as Antonio Novelli, Giovan Battista Foggini, Giuseppe Piamontini, and Giovan Camillo Cateni. Each statue is accompanied by a bas-relief depicting an episode from the saint’s life. One of the most important chapels is the Franceschi Chapel, located on the left, which contains a painting depicting the Martyrdom of San Lorenzo, a work by Pietro da Cortona. In the right transept is the Nativity Chapel, frescoed by Matteo Rosselli and with a bronze crucifix by Giovanni Francesco Susini. The church also serves as a mausoleum for prominent figures such as Francesco and Marcellino Albergotti, whose funerary monuments are decorated with bas-reliefs commemorating their lives. The main chapel, on the other hand, houses a fresco by Giacinto Fabbroni depicting the Adoration of the Immaculate Conception. In 2008, the church was entrusted to the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, a clerical institute that has contributed to its maintenance and the restoration of some traditional religious functions. In addition to its extraordinary architecture and the artworks it houses, the church of San Gaetano has a fascinating history. Its construction was strongly desired by the Theatines, an order founded by San Gaetano di Thiene, who played a crucial role during the Counter-Reformation, a period of renewal and internal reform of the Catholic Church in response to the Protestant Reformation. The direct involvement of the Medici family, particularly Cardinal Carlo de’ Medici, highlights the political and religious importance of the church in the Florentine context.