Basilica di Santo Spirito

This church on the Oltrarno side of the Arno was designed in the mid-15th century by Filippo Brunelleschi, and its interior is regarded as one of the purest expressions of early Renaissance architecture. Rows of grey stone columns march down the nave with mathematical clarity, framing a ring of semicircular chapels around the perimeter. A wooden crucifix attributed to the young Michelangelo is shown in the sacristy. The plain facade overlooks a lively square that fills with market stalls by day and gathers residents by night.