The funeral monument of Michelangelo Buonarroti

Michelangelo's art is compared to that of a great Classical artist: his tomb is "the ark of the one who raised the new Olympus in Rome to 'Celesti".

Buonarroti, who died very old (at 89 years!) In Rome, would have liked to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore: nevertheless, to boast of his tomb in Florence would have been truly prestigious! So the Grand Duke Cosimo I de 'Medici had him removed from his nephew Lionardo and transported to the city: after a solemn funeral in San Lorenzo, a church that Michelangelo himself had contributed to embellish, creating the new sacristy, the artist was buried in this sepulcher , built under the indications of Giorgio Vasari.

Recall that the tradition of the tombs of the Florentine glories began in Humanism.

Two illustrious humanists are buried in Santa Croce, namely Leonardo Bruni and Carlo Marsuppini.

Just with this monument to Michelangelo the tradition was taken up again.

He, as a child, had lived not far from Santa Croce which, therefore, was his parish.

As was once the case, notables used to bury their loved ones in church in exchange for oboli: the elders, noble or wealthy, in the noble chapels, the rest under the floor.