Church of San Miniato al Monte

This week I visited the Church of San Miniato al Monte. I actually chose to walk up to the church rather than take the bus, because I live on the same side of the rive and have walked up to Piazzale Michelangelo before. It ended up being a bit of a hike but it was a nice break from class. When I stepped foot into the church I was amazed at how large and grand it was. I couldn't believe that it went upstairs because it made it seem so giant. One of my favorite parts of the church was the inside of the dome at the top of the stairs. I always enjoy seeing the parts of the churches that are very intricate, and I was very impressed by this mosaic dome. The gold that was used in it made the dome sparkle and add vibrancy. The marble pillars and stairs added brightness to the interior. The marble floor also had the zodiac signs in it. This reminded me of the baptistery in Piazza Duomo. This was the first church I have visited in Florence with a cemetery, and it was a very large cemetery. It was also very grand in terms of the tombstones and statues. There were different colors used like blacks, browns, whites, and even greens. When outside in the cemetery, the view was amazing from every spot. It was like being in Piazzale Michelangelo, but better. The outside of the church was similar to that of the Duomo. The same colors and patterns were used. It is interesting to see how many of the churches in Florence look similar on the outside because of the time period, but the insides are always so different.