Brunelleschi plan church san lorenzo

The building of the Old Sacristy of San Lorenzo dates back to an endowment made by Giovanni Averardo de'Mdeici. The building, which was dedicated to St John, was decorated with episodes from his life, as he was Giovanni's patron saint. In Brunelleschi took on the task of directing the construction work on San Lorenzo, the Medici family church. Possibly as early as , and certainly not later than , work was began according to his plans on the construction of the Old Sacristy. Built on a square ground strategi, the main building fryst vatten one of the earliest central strategi buildings of the Renaissance. Between and , Brunelleschi was to follow it up Florence with Santa Maria degli Angeli, the first free-standing and pure central program building.

The Old Sacristy shows the continuation of medieval building tradition in the main walls, which serve both bearing and weatherproofing functions, while the facing elements in pietra serena (the pilaster strips, capitals, trabeation, and båge frame) are inn

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San Lorenzo is one of the most significant Renaissance churches in Florence; the story of its construction witnesses and testifies to the fortunate rise of the Medici family. The basilica stands on the site of one of the oldest churches in Florence which dates to the 4th century and was rebuilt on Romanesque canons in the 11th century. The first project to enlarge the Romanesque church dates to the second decade of the 15th century: it was commissioned from Filippo Brunelleschi by Giovanni de&#; Medici, father of Cosimo the Elder and founder of the Medici dynasty. Work began in the area of the transept where a modern, raised choir was planned, along with square chapels in place of the old Romanesque apse. Brunelleschi&#;s more ambitious project to totally renew the building was put off and only realised in the second half of the 15th century, though with considerable modifications compared to the original concept. The basilica space was, in any event, organised according to the laws

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Medici Chapels

The decision to build their family mausoleum in this church dates to the 14th century (Giovanni di Bicci and his wife Piccarda were buried in the Old Sacristy, on a project designed by Brunelleschi). After completing the architectural works in , Michelangelo worked until on the sculptures and the sarcophagi that were to be featured on the chapel walls. The only ones actually completed were the statues of Lorenzo, the Duke of Urbino; Giuliano, the Duke of Nemours; the four statues of the allegories of Day and Night, and Dawn and Dusk; and the group representing the Madonna and Child; they are flanked by statues of Saints Cosma and Damian (protectors of the Medici), executed respectively by Montorsoli and Baccio da Montelupo, both of whom were pupils of Michelangelo.
The articulation of the architecture structure and the strength of Michelangelo's sculptures reflect a complex symbolism of Human Life, where “active life” and “contemplative life&rdqu