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The famous monumental complex of San Lorenzo is situated in the old town centre of Florence. It includes the monastery, with the Biblioteca Laurenziana by Michelangelo Buonarroti; the basilica designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, with its two splendid sacristies – one the Sacrestia Vecchia by Brunelleschi himself, the other the Sacrestia Nuova by Michelangelo; and the 17th century Cappella dei Principi which was added at the top of the chevet.
The Basilica of San Lorenzo was rebuilt by the Medici family, starting in 1423. It was one of the greatest achievements of Flippo Brunelleschi, and of the Italian Renaissance as a whole. Indeed, it can be said that with this work, the great Florentine architect invented the Renaissance: he used the syntactic and grammatical language of classical architecture and inserted it into a new concept of space, based on the discovery of the rules of perspective.
Unlike medieval buildings, which are complex palimpsests of architecture, sculpture and painting, in the Basilica of San Lorenzo the construction of the inner space is dictated purely by the architecture. The grey stone used for the framework defines a rigorous structure of perspective which contrasts against the whiteness of the stucco walls, creating an evocative effect of peace and serenity in worshippers and visitors.