"Convent of Sant’ Apollonia" Top 5 Page for this destination Florence Things to Do Tip by brendareed

This former Benedictine convent that was founded in the 1300s is a small little treasure that many people are not aware of. That means that it is rarely crowded.

The showpiece of the convent is in the refectory (the dining hall where the nuns would eat) – the frescoes of Andrea del Castagno, especially his Last Supper from 1447 which can be said is del Castagno at his best. You see the moments before Christ makes his declaration that someone in the room will betray Him; the colors of the fresco are dark and cold – giving a foreboding feeling about the upcoming death of Christ portrayed in the cycle of frescoes. The walls and ceiling of the fresco create the feeling that the room is being extended.

Heavily influenced by Giotto and Masaccio (see Brancacci Chapel and Santa Maria Novella for more of their works), it is wondered if del Castagno in turn influenced Leonardo da Vinci prior to his Last Supper.

As you look around the refectory, you will see other frescoes by del Castagno, including a Crucifiction above the Last Supper and a smaller fresco of Christ with two angels on the side wall. On the wall opposite the Last Supper are the under drawings from his Crucifiction fresco. This gives you an idea of what the artistic process would be when painting frescoes.

Sant’ Apollonia is open to visitors on weekdays from 8:15 am to 1:50 pm (that’s what the sign says!) and is closed on the 2nd and 4th Monday, 3rd and 5th Sunday, and on January 1, May 1, and December 25.

A short walk from the Convent of Sant’ Apollonia is one of the busiest squares in Florence for bus traffic, making the Piazza San Marco an ideal location to catch a bus if you want to avoid the train station.

Address: Via XXVII Aprile 1, 50129 Florence, Italy
Phone: +39 055 238 8607