E. Santi Apostoli

Popular tradition, and the apocryphal inscription outside (above), say that this little Romanesque church was founded by Charlemagne. The text reads:

“VIII. V. Die VI Aprilis in resurrectione Domini Karolus Francorum rex a Roma revertens, ingressus Florentiam cum magno gaudio et tripudio susceptus, civium copiam torqueis aureis decoravit et in Pentecostem fundavit ecclesiam Sanctorum Apostolorum. In altari inclusa est lamina plumbea, in qua descripta apparet prefata fundatio et consecratio facta per Archiepiscopum Turpinum testibus Rolando et Uliverio.”

“On April 6, 805 in the year of the Lord’s resurrection, as King Charlemagne of the Franks was returning from Rome, he arrived in Florence, where he was greeted with great happiness and dancing. He laid golden chains upon the necks of many citizens and on Pentecost he founded this church of the Holy Apostles. Enclosed within the altar is a leaden marker, upon which was written the prophetic description of the church’s foundation and consecration by Archbishop Turpin, with Roland and Oliver as his witnesses.”

Obviously, this is a fake, but it surprisingly went uncontested for quite some time. Vasari mentions having seen this marker high on a wall near the main altar but says nothing about its accuracy or the fact that Oliver is a fictional character in the Charlemagne cycle. At any rate, it is a nice story.

The plaque over the doorway on the right is a reminder of Ugolotto degli Altoviti who spent the last twenty years of his life as the priest here and died in 1333, the year of the great flood, which devastated this neighborhood.

The Altoviti family came to Florence between 1150 and 1170 and established houses in this neighborhood, so it was logical that this church would be their patronage. Although early generations of the Altoviti were decidedly Ghibelline, later members of the family became Guelphs and, indeed, Palmieri Altoviti was sent into exile alongside Dante.

The piazza in front of the church is known as Piazza del Limbo because there used to be a cemetery for unbaptized children here. It’s too bad the name didn’t come from another osteria. 

Coat of arms of the Altoviti family

Forward to the next site, a Buondelmonti tower