EJ · Santa Croce Basilica & Technical Visit to the Leather School

Santa Croce Basilica is a 13th century Franciscan gothic church just southeast of the Duomo, which, according to legend, St. Francis himself founded. The Basilica is the final resting place as some of Italy’s most historic figures including Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli. You will be amazed at the beauty of the 16 separate chapels housed within the church, many featuring frescoes by Giotto. The neighborhood around the Basilica has been known for leather making for hundreds of years, and you will still find streets named for the traders who once purveyed their wares in the shops along them, such as Via dei Conciatori (Tanner’s Street). Located in the former monastery of the church is the Scuola del Cuoio, the Florence Leather School. Created after World War II, the school was founded to teach war orphans a practical trade to support themselves. It is still a working school and one of the most unique places to find authentic leather goods crafted by true artisans.