"The Westminster of Florence."

The Church of Santa Croce is called the "Westminster of Florence," also the "Pantheon," from the number of noted men interred within its walls. It was built by the Franciscan order of monks; and, from the popularity of that order, it became the favorite spot for the assemblage of all civic festivities, and also the church of many noted families in Florence, who gave their alms to these friars.

Arnolf was the architect (1295). It is Basilica in form, and was originally very plain; but it grew in importance from the fact that many of the noble Florentine families added chapels as their mausoleums. The interior is venerable and imposing, dimly lighted by long, narrow Gothic windows, and shrouded in gloom, as seems appropriate to a church whose chief interest is in tombs and monuments.

Here repose the remains of Michael Angelo (died 1564), Ghiberti (died 1455), Machiavelli (died 1527), Galileo (died 1642), and many others of note in science and in literature.

"Ungrateful Florence, Dante sleeps afar."

The people of Ravenna refused to surrender the remains of this illustrious Florentine poet, whom they had sheltered during his long years of exile; so Florence could give him here only the honor of a cenotaph.

None of the monuments of this church are of the highest style of art. Over them all the genius of allegory presides. Painting, sculpture and architecture appear as mourners around the urn of Michael Angelo. Italy weeps over Alfieri. History crowns the monument of Machiavelli, while poetry deplores the death of Dante. Many noted foreigners are buried here. The Bonaparte family own a chapel, and some of the exiled House of Stuart lie here. The walls of the church are covered with interesting frescoes. Some by Giotto have lately been discovered, concealed for centuries beneath coats of whitewash, and among them his picture of Dante. The floor is brick except where numerous monumental slabs are placed.

One of the most beautiful objects in Santa Croce is the pulpit of white Seravezza marble. A wealthy Florentine gave the order for it to Benedetto in 1493. His work is much praised by Vasari. The reliefs, surrounded by a framework of marble, are especially beautiful. The scenes represented in the five compartments are taken from the life of St. Francis. The small figures seated in niches of red marble represent Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude and Justice.

The facade of Santa Croce was only completed in 1803, the principal contributor towards the expense being an Englishman, who gave $100,000. It is a beautiful specimen of ornamental architecture, composed of white and red marble and green serpentine. Over the doors are three bas-reliefs relating to the history of the Cross (Santa Croce, Holy Cross). In the center is a remarkable work by Lupi, of Florence, representing the exaltation of the Cross--on the left the discovery of the true Cross, on the right the apparition of the Cross to Constantine.

The arms of Florence, and of the Guelphs and Ghibellines, are in colored marbles above these. Over the front door, in the interior, is one of the original tablets of St. Bernardino, placed on the front of this church by him in 1437, bearing the sacred initials "I. H. S."