San Miniato al Monte

San Miniato al Monte sits on the hill above Piazzale Michelangelo and is one of the finest Romanesque churches in Italy. A shrine to St Minias, said to have been Florence's first martyr, existed here by the 8th century, and the present church was begun in 1013 under Bishop Alibrando. The monastery next door has been run by Olivetan Benedictine monks since 1373, and they still live and work here.

The geometric green and white marble facade, crowned by the eagle of the cloth merchants' guild that paid for its upkeep, is visible from much of the city. Inside, the raised choir sits above a crypt, which is the oldest part of the building. Look for the marble pulpit and screen and the patterned inlaid floor, both dated 1207, the apse mosaic of Christ between the Virgin and St Minias from 1297, and Michelozzo's free-standing chapel of 1448 with terracotta decoration by Luca della Robbia. Off the nave, the Chapel of the Cardinal of Portugal, built in 1473, is one of the most complete Renaissance chapels in Florence, with contributions from Antonio Rossellino, the Pollaiuolo brothers, Baldovinetti and Luca della Robbia. The sacristy has a fresco cycle on the life of St Benedict by Spinello Aretino.

The monks sing Gregorian chant at the evening service, which visitors can attend quietly; check the times posted by the church or on its website, as they vary. Entry to the church is free, and as a place of worship it asks for modest dress and silence. The monastery shop beside the church sells liqueurs, honey and herbal teas made by the monks.

The monumental Porte Sante cemetery surrounds the church, laid out in 1854; Carlo Collodi, author of Pinocchio, and the film director Franco Zeffirelli are buried here. From the terrace in front of the church the view over Florence is wide and usually far calmer than at Piazzale Michelangelo below.

Walk up from Piazzale Michelangelo via the monumental staircase in about five minutes, or climb the whole way from Porta San Niccolò in around half an hour. Allow an hour for the church, cemetery and view. The steps make access difficult for wheelchairs, though taxis can reach the road beside the complex.