The Medici Chapels are the family’s mausoleum behind the Basilica of San Lorenzo. Start in the crypt where the grand dukes are buried, look up into the marble-and-hardstone Chapel of the Princes, then spend time in Michelangelo’s New Sacristy with Night, Day, Dawn and Dusk. Afterwards, add one nearby stop: San Lorenzo, Mercato Centrale or Palazzo Medici Riccardi.
The route runs in a natural order: the crypt on the ground floor, then a lift or stairs up to the Chapel of the Princes, and a corridor to the New Sacristy. Allow 60–90 minutes and save your slowest looking for Michelangelo.
The low, vaulted crypt beneath the Chapel of the Princes holds the tombs of the Medici grand dukes and their families, from Cosimo I to Gian Gastone, the last Medici grand duke. Part of the Treasure of San Lorenzo is also displayed here.
Begun in 1604 under Grand Duke Ferdinando I, this octagonal mausoleum is covered in coloured marble and pietre dure (hardstone inlay). The work took so long that the dome frescoes by Pietro Benvenuti were only painted in 1828–1837.
Only two of the planned statues of grand dukes were made: Pietro Tacca’s gilded bronzes of Ferdinando I and Cosimo II (1626–1642). They show how the Medici wanted to be remembered as rulers.
In the New Sacristy, the reclining figures of Night and Day lie below Giuliano de’ Medici, Duke of Nemours (d. 1516). Night, with her owl and mask, is one of Michelangelo’s most famous sculptures.
Opposite, Dawn and Dusk (also called Twilight) lie below Lorenzo de’ Medici, Duke of Urbino (d. 1519), shown deep in thought. The two tombs are designed as a matching pair: action and contemplation.
Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child stands above the simple tomb of Lorenzo the Magnificent and his brother Giuliano. Saints Cosmas and Damian, the Medici patron saints, flank her; they were carved by his assistants Montorsoli and Raffaello da Montelupo.
Commissioned in 1519 by Pope Leo X and Cardinal Giulio de’ Medici (later Pope Clement VII), it was Michelangelo’s first architectural project. He left it unfinished when he moved to Rome in 1534; the statues were installed in 1545.
Under the New Sacristy is a small room with charcoal wall drawings attributed to Michelangelo, rediscovered in 1975. It is thought he hid there in 1530 after the fall of the Florentine Republic. Visits last up to 15 minutes, for a maximum of four people with museum staff.
The Medici Chapels entrance is at Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini 6, at the back of San Lorenzo. The Basilica of San Lorenzo, the Medici Chapels and the Laurentian Library are separate visits with separate tickets.
The chapels grew in stages, from Brunelleschi’s church to Michelangelo’s sacristy and the grand-ducal mausoleum. Knowing the sequence helps you read the rooms.
The Medici Chapels are run by the Musei del Bargello. Figures are those published for 2026; always check the official site before visiting.
| What | Details | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance | Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini 6 | At the back of San Lorenzo, not the main façade |
| Opening hours | Tue–Sun 8:15–18:50 | Closed Mondays; the ticket office closes 40 min earlier |
| Full ticket | €11 | Plus €3 if booked online via B-ticket |
| Reduced ticket | €2 | EU citizens aged 18–24 |
| Free entry | EU citizens under 18 | Also free on the first Sunday of the month |
| Secret Room | €32 full · €7 reduced | Combined with chapel entry; reservation only |
| 72-hour pass | €32 (€38 from 15 Dec 2026) | Accademia plus the Bargello museums, including the Medici Chapels |
| Accessibility | Step-free entry and lift | A mobile ramp in the New Sacristy is operated by staff |
| Contact | +39 055 0649430 | Bookings: +39 055 294883 |
Walk-up tickets are often available, but queues build from mid-morning between April and October. A reserved time slot is worth the €3 fee in high season. Arrive at 8:15 for the quietest New Sacristy.
Everything below is within a five-minute walk. Choose based on your time, energy and interests after the chapels.
Brunelleschi’s church holds his Old Sacristy, Donatello’s bronze pulpits and the tomb of Cosimo the Elder, plus the Treasury museum in the crypt. A €9 ticket covers the church and museum; it is open Monday–Saturday, 10:00–17:30.
Next to the basilica cloister, Michelangelo designed the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, with its famous sculptural staircase in the vestibule. It completes a Michelangelo-in-San-Lorenzo visit.
The family palace commissioned by Cosimo the Elder in 1444 shifts the story from burial to power. Don’t miss Benozzo Gozzoli’s Chapel of the Magi (1459), with Medici family members in the procession.
Giuseppe Mengoni’s iron-and-glass market hall opened in 1874. The ground floor is a working food market; the first floor is a food hall with stalls and restaurants open from morning to late evening.
The square in front of the basilica’s unfinished façade has Baccio Bandinelli’s monument to Giovanni delle Bande Nere and the start of the San Lorenzo leather market streets.
The Galleria dell’Accademia, home of the David, is about 10 minutes’ walk. It is a major second museum, not a quick extra, so leave plenty of time between bookings.
See the New Sacristy first, then make the Accademia your one major addition for a focused Michelangelo day.
Have lunch or coffee before more sightseeing. It adds food and people-watching, not another demanding interior.
Pair the family mausoleum with the family palace for a clearer view of Medici power in Florence.
Book a guide for context, or enter independently with a reserved slot if you prefer your own pace.
The crypt, the Chapel of the Princes and the New Sacristy, with the most time for the last.
Add one, not three: the Basilica, the palace, the market or the Accademia.
The ticket name matters less than whether you want a set entry time, a guide inside, Medici stories across Florence or a private visit.
A reserved-entry ticket gives you a chosen time slot. It does not include a live guide, so read the room labels or use this page as your guide.
A guided visit suits people who want Michelangelo and Medici context inside the museum. Route details vary by option.
A Medici-themed walking tour adds context across Florence. It may not be the best fit if chapel entry is your only goal.
A private format suits families and groups who want their own pace. It is not the cheapest choice but can be shaped around specific interests.
Compare them by what each one solves: independent entry, guided explanation, a wider Medici route, skip-the-line access or a private format.
Most reviewed
A strong choice if you mainly need a set entry time and want to explore independently.
Wider Medici route
Choose this if Medici history across Florence matters more than an independent chapel-only visit.
Medici stories
A fit for visitors who want guided family history alongside a chapels-focused visit.
Guided chapel visit
Choose this if your priority is a guide inside the Medici Chapels rather than a wider city route.
Skip-the-line entry
Useful if you want guided context and priority entry in a single booking.
Private guide
A private choice for visitors who want their own guide and a visit shaped around their group.
Medici Chapel Tickets is an independent visitor guide and is not the official Medici Chapel website. Some links are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. *Ratings, review counts and starting prices come from the booking platform and can change; check the live booking page for your date and option. The official full ticket is €11 plus a €3 booking fee.
San Lorenzo is one of Florence’s best areas to eat well and quickly. Plan food around your entry slot, not squeezed between timed attractions.
Have a quick coffee in San Lorenzo, then leave enough time to reach Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini for your slot.
The first-floor food hall is two minutes away and good for groups: pasta, pizza, lampredotto and Tuscan wine under one roof.
Pause in Piazza San Lorenzo before walking toward the Duomo (about 5 minutes), Palazzo Medici Riccardi or your next booking.
The difference between a good day and an exhausting one is often how many separate visits are placed around one timed museum entry.
Set Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini 6 as your destination. The Basilica façade is not the Medici Chapels entrance.
The museum is closed on Mondays. Check the official calendar for holiday closures and special openings.
Allow 60–90 minutes for the museum. Do not book another timed attraction immediately afterwards.
The Basilica, Chapels and Laurentian Library are separate visits. Read your option rather than assuming combined access.
It needs a reservation and a combined ticket. Visits last 15 minutes and take a maximum of four people.
Bring only a small bag. Large backpacks and luggage are not suited to the museum; check the latest bag rules before you go.
This is a burial chapel attached to a church. Covered shoulders are a sensible choice, especially if you are also visiting the Basilica.
Use Piazza San Lorenzo or Mercato Centrale between interiors. One major extra is usually enough for a first visit.
Short answers to the questions visitors ask most often.
The official full ticket is €11, plus €3 for online booking. EU citizens aged 18–24 pay €2, and EU citizens under 18 enter free.
Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15–18:50, closed on Mondays. The ticket office closes 40 minutes before the museum.
About 60–90 minutes for the crypt, the Chapel of the Princes and the New Sacristy. Add 20–30 minutes for the Secret Room.
No. The Basilica (€9, closed Sundays) and the Laurentian Library are separate visits with their own tickets.
The New Sacristy: its architecture, the tombs of Giuliano and Lorenzo with Night, Day, Dawn and Dusk, and the Medici Madonna.
Yes, by reservation only, with a combined ticket (€32 full). Visits last up to 15 minutes, for a maximum of four people, and are not open to children under 10.
For most first-time visitors: book reserved entry or a guided chapel tour, focus on the crypt, the Chapel of the Princes and the New Sacristy, then add one nearby stop such as Mercato Centrale or Palazzo Medici Riccardi.
Images via Wikimedia Commons: Chapel of the Princes and crypt by Francesco Bini (CC BY-SA 4.0); tomb of Giuliano de’ Medici by Rabe! (CC BY-SA 4.0); Chapel of the Magi (public domain); Mercato Centrale by Sailko (CC BY 3.0). Tour images via GetYourGuide.
