San Marco Museum: a pathway for the soul
Duration: 2 hours
On foot
Accessible to people with disabilities
Tickets are extra, we will buy them and they are NO REFUNDABLE.
What's included in the tour:
Private tour guide
Priority access to the museum
Headphones for parties of more than 6 people
Customized itinerary
Full assistance during the tour
Interactive experience
Discover the San Marco Museum with Guided Florence Tours
The San Marco Museum is housed within the Dominican monastery of San Marco, redesigned between 1436 and 1446 by Michelozzo at the request of Cosimo the Elder de’ Medici. Its architecture reflects the elegance and harmony of Florentine Renaissance, a place where beauty and proportion come together in perfect balance.
This is not just a museum; it is a journey into a world of spirituality, art and history, where every corner speaks of devotion and artistic genius.
What to expect
The magic of San Marco lies in its monastic spaces, once filled with the daily life of Dominican friars and in the breathtaking artworks that adorn them.
Our expert guides will lead you through this unique setting, beginning with the guest quarters, now home to an exceptional collection of works by Fra Angelico, the master of divine light. We will then step into the Chapter House, where a deeply moving fresco of the Crucifixion envelops the room in an atmosphere of solemn beauty.
But it is on the upper floor that the most intense emotions arise. The Annunciation, one of Fra Angelico’s greatest masterpieces, welcomes visitors at the top of the staircase, radiating peace and
grace. Here, Michelozzo’s architectural genius unfolds in a perfectly balanced open space, where cells are separated yet harmoniously united, creating an interplay of light, silence, and meditation
—simply mesmerizing.
And then, the grand finale: beyond the two refectories (featuring frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio and Sogliani), stands the superb Library, another masterpiece by Michelozzo.
Let our expert guides lead you through this journey of the soul, where Michelozzo’s architecture and Fra Angelico’s paintings merge into a profound spiritual experience.
A place of knowledge and enlightenment: this was the first public library of the modern world.
Why visit San Marco
The San Marco monastery was entirely funded by Cosimo the Elder de’ Medici, who sought a place for prayer and spiritual purification. In return, he was granted two private cells, a privilege usually reserved for the Prior of the convent. This alone makes San Marco one of the most significant places in 15th-century Florence.
It is also a deeply symbolic place for the Medici family, whose patron saints, Cosmas and Damian, are represented in many paintings and frescoes here. And for Florence itself, as these walls once housed Girolamo Savonarola, the fiery Dominican friar who led the Florentine Republic before being burned at the stake in 1498.
The secret to truly experiencing San Marco
The key to fully appreciating this extraordinary place is to do so slowly—taking the time to absorb every detail.
Feel the pure, clear light illuminating the cloister. Notice how that light shifts and transforms inside the monks’ cells, and then warms within the library, inviting quiet study and contemplation.
San Marco is not just a historical site; it is a space beyond time. Deeply human, yet intimately connected to the divine—a pathway for the soul.
Photo testimonials
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