Santa Lucia or Santa Lucia dei Magnoli is a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

church located on via de'Bardi in Oltrarno district of

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

, region of

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...

, Italy.

History

The church had been founded in 1078 by Cavalier Uguccione Della Pressa. At his death, it was patronized by his sons, Magnolo and his descendants, the Magnoli. A lazzaretto or leper colony, was located nearby, visited by St Francis of Assisi in his 1211 visit to Florence. This church was one of the 36 parishes within the last walls of Florence constructed by 1284–1345. The church has had varied leadership over the centuries, including the

Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

monastery of

San Miniato al Monte San Miniato al Monte (St. Minias on the Mountain) 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 ...

until 1246, and the Bishop of Florence after 1373. In 1421,

Niccolò da Uzzano Niccolò is an Italian male given name, derived from the Greek Nikolaos meaning "Victor of people" or "People's champion". There are several male variations of the name: Nicolò, Niccolò, Nicolas, and Nicola. The female equivalent is Nicole. The ...

patronized the restoration of the church and decoration of the chapel of

Lorenzo di Bicci Lorenzo di Bicci ( 1350 – 1427) was an Italian painter of the Florentine School considered to be one of the most important painters in Florence during the second half of the 14th century. He is believed to have learned his trade from his fathe ...

, with scenes from the ''Life of Santa Lucia''. Another major reconstruction took place in 1584 under Cardinal Alessandro dè Medici, later

Pope Leo XI Pope Leo XI (; 2 June 153527 April 1605), born Alessandro di Ottaviano de' Medici, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1 April 1605 to his death, on 27 April 1605. His pontificate is one of the briefest in history, ...

.Santa Lucia dei Magnoli
official site. On the block stone facade, above the portal is a terracotta depiction of ''Santa Lucia between two angels'' by

Benedetto Buglioni Benedetto Buglioni (1459/1460–1521) was an important Italian Renaissance sculptor specialised in Glazed architectural terra-cotta, glazed terracotta. Life and career He was born in Florence around 1461 as a son of another sculptor, ...

. The church has 14th-century altarpieces depicting a ''Santa Lucia'' by

Pietro Lorenzetti Pietro Lorenzetti (; – 1348) or Pietro Laurati was an Italian painter, active between and 1345. Together with his younger brother Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Ambrogio, he introduced Realism (arts), naturalism into Sienese School, Sienese art. In the ...

and two canvases depicting the ''Annunciation'' by Jacopo del Sellaio. The main altarpiece is attributed to Agnolo di Donnino; it replaces a ''

Sacra Conversazione In art, a (; plural: ''sacre conversazioni''), meaning "holy (or sacred) conversation", is a genre developed in Italian Renaissance painting, with a depiction of the Virgin and Child (the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus) amidst a group of sain ...

'', the Santa Lucia de' Magnoli Altarpiece by

Domenico Veneziano Domenico Veneziano (c. 1410 – May 15, 1461) was an Italian painter of the early Renaissance, active mostly in Perugia and Tuscany. Little is known of his birth, though he is thought to have been born in Venice, hence his last name. He then move ...

, now in the

Uffizi Gallery The Uffizi Gallery ( ; , ) is a prominent art museum adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria in the Historic Centre of Florence in the region of Tuscany, Italy. One of the most important Italian museums and the most visited, it is also one of ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lucia de Magnoli Florence Roman Catholic churches in Florence Renaissance architecture in Florence 11th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Buildings and structures completed in 1078 Churches completed in the 1070s 16th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Roman Catholic churches completed in 1584