San Miniato al Monte is a basilica in Florence, central Italy, standing atop one of the highest points in the city. It has been described as one of the finest Romanesque structures in Tuscany and one of the most scenic churches in Italy. There is an adjoining Olivetan monastery, seen to the right of the basilica when ascending the stairs.
San Miniato al Monte and the Bishop's Palace.
Interior of the church.
Zodiac detail, from the opus sectile pavement in San Miniato
The mosaic depicting St. Miniato to the right of Christ holding a crown. The inscription reads: S. MINIATUS REX ERMINIE.
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe that was predominant in the 11th and 12th centuries. The style eventually developed into the Gothic style with the shape of the arches providing a simple distinction: the Romanesque is characterized by semicircular arches, while the Gothic is marked by the pointed arches. The Romanesque emerged nearly simultaneously in multiple countries ; its examples can be found across the continent, making it the first pan-European architectural style since Imperial Roman architecture. Similarly to Gothic, the name of the style was transferred onto the contemporary Romanesque art.
Image: Lessay Abbaye 3
Image: Collegiate Church in Tum
Image: Maria Lach 02
Portal, Church of Santa Maria, Viu de Llevata, Catalonia, Spain
