Ark and Laura in Florence 2005 (33 of 172)

Seen from our hotel window above the building across the street, we see the cupola of the Princes' Chapel. The origins of this church are very ancient. It was begun and consecrated by St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, in 393. It was rebuilt around 1000, and restored pretty much as it is today by Filippo Brunelleschi under a commission by Giovanni Bicci de Medici. The work was completed by his pupil Antonio Manetti in 1460. Michelangelo designed the internal facade. We did not have time in our whirlwind vist to go inside, but we will be going back to spend more time in Firenze.