Florence was a city known to the Knights Templar as one of the great centres of civilisation in medieval Italy. They may even have developed their primitive banking operation by watching the activities of Florentine merchants who were very commercially sophisticated by the standards of the time.
We know for sure that the Knights Templar established a foothold in Florence, from the mid-13th century, at the Church of San Jacopo in Campo Corbolini. It originally belonged to the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre but then passed to the Templars. When they were crushed after 1307, it was passed on to the Knights Hospitaller – something that happened to a lot of Templar property.
A Templar Museum, which is dedicated to the Knights Templar, can be visited in Monteriggioni, a town near Florence. Most of the city of Florence we see today would have been unknown to the Templars, being built or renovated after the fall of the order in 1307. But there is one church I think the knights would have known and loved as much as I do!
DISCOVER: The Templar connection to Florence, Dan Brown, and his novel Inferno
San Miniato – treasure of medieval Florence
This church – and I adore it – captures the early medieval period in Italy. Covered on the outside with Byzantine-style mosaics and in the inside, a beautiful and simple Romanesque structure. San Miniato is a historical site in Florence were my spine tingles as I enter.
Built by Bishop Hildebrand in the early 11th century, there was already a pre-existing Roman era chapel on the site. The raised presbytery and pulpit reference Roman christian architecture heavily. It was originally a Benedictine monastery and an interesting feature is the signs of the Zodiac traced out in mosaic on the floor.
Here are some photos I took on a visit.
If you would like to know more about the Knights Templar, then get your hands on a copy of my book: The Knights Templar – History & Mystery. Published by Pen & Sword and available on Amazon, Waterstones, Barnes & Noble, and WHSmith. Don’t miss out on your copy!
