Information about Florence

Santo Spirito is one of the most characteristic areas of Florence. It has an open market every day, artisan shops filled with handmade crafts, furniture restorers and many antique shops where you can admire works of quality craftsmanship.
Via Maggio, the continuation of via Tornabuoni beyond the Arno, meets via della Chiesa. It is one of the most beautiful streets in Florence, where you can find over fifty antique shops and artisan workshops.

The church, just steps from the apartments, is considered to be one of the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance. During the 13th century, many religious orders began to situate themselves within Florentine city walls. The Chiesa di Santo Spirito was the first location of the Agostinian monks, who, in 1250, founded a new church dedicated to Santa Maria and Santo Spirito on the site of a preexisting oratory. The Agostinians were a religious order founded by Agostino d’Ippona, a monk from Tunisia.

Many Florentine families began to populate the area and construct their homes in this zone, termed “di là d’Arano” or “Oltrarno” – “on the other side of the Arno” – referring to its position in relationship to the Duomo. The responsibility of creating the new project of Santo Spirito was entrusted to Filippo Brunelleschi.
Work began in 1444, funded by the church and by the wealthy Florentine families who, in exchange, earned the right to have their tombs inside the chapels of the church.Brunelleschi was inspired by the ancient Romanic basilicas and also by the old Florentine church of Santissimi Apostoli, proposing a grand hall shaped like a Latin cross with three naves divided by stone columns and arches.

Inside, you can find works by Filippino Lippi, Maso di Banco, Alessandro Allori and many other important artists from the Florentine school. The elegant and sober façade was initially decorated with pillars and painted frames. Today, after a long restoration, it has been returned to its original state, thus showing all of its elegance and linearity.

Markets and Food Vendors
Gargani Giuliano Via Romana 160, Tortoli Borgo S. Frediano 115, Pirgher Via Dei Serragli 39.

Restaurants and Pizzerie
La Mangiatoia Piazza San Felice 8/10r Tel 055 224060, Bebi Piazza Santo Spirito Trattoria Al Tranvai Piazza Tasso 14 Tel 055 225197, Trattoria Boboli Via Romana 45 Tel 055 2336401, Cinghiale Bianco Osteria Borgo San Jacopo 43 Tel 055 215706, Ristorante Il Barone Di Porta Romana Via Romana 123 Tel 055 220585.

The history behind the apartments
The two apartments, “Santo Spirito” and “San Frediano”, are located in a historic building constructed around 1300, originally under ecclesiastic ownership.

The nuns of Annunziatina occupied the space, demonstrated by the coat of arms with two crossed keys that you will find on the façade of the building. In fact, the name of the street (which means Church Street) was named after its important location between the historic churches of Santo Spirito and San Felice.

The two apartments, restored in 2003 with respect to their original floor plans, are completely independent. Above the internal stairway you will find the crest of Casato Soldi, belonging to the most recent owners of the building. Now, the two apartments are available to provide you the opportunity to enter the Florentine history.