Certosa del Galluzzo

"The monastery [...] stands majestic in the highest part of the hill, by the side of Florence and a high belt of semicircular walls which are based on the isolated houses of monks, to the east appears the ancient palace and brown already intended to Use of the College [...], from noon is the prospectus of the church and from the west is a high building where the guest, the district Priorale, etc.. "These words give you Carocci now the idea of the vastness and the imposing of this monastery where the visitor is confronted after having climbed a steep road between the Florentine hills, dotted with olive trees.

After visiting the various environments in the Charterhouse was formed, it will switch from liquor where the monks sell liquor based on herbs, flowers and roots, obtained using ancient methods by steam distillation with a wood fire, for infusion and pressing. Another activity undertaken by these Carthusians is the restoration of books.

Palazzo Acciaioli
Also known as "Palace of the Stud," this is the first building you see coming to the Certosa. As its name indicates, was built for the will of Nicholas Acciaioli, eager to spend the their old age, in total serenity, away from the city and the political intrigue.
His appearance and materials used make this property like a fortress, which was much more pronounced among the Trecento and Quattrocento through his isolation from other buildings, which was to make clear the strangeness of this construction lay in relation to religion. It is the only place to have preserved the original form related to Gothic building technique.

Upstairs is home to the art gallery where they are exposed to different works of art belonging predominantly to the artistic heritage of the Certosa. These include frescoes by Pontormo in 1523-25, when the great artist was hosted by the Carthusian monks, fleeing from Florence, where the plague was rife. Originally intended to adorn the cloister of the monks, were placed here to avoid the degradation caused by their exposure to weather and humidity. During the shooting of the film Pontormo a love-heretic The frescoes were reproduced and distributed in the cloister where they were turned some scenes.

Square of the church
Leaving the gallery, there is a vast square that faces the church.
Begun in 1545, the construction of the court and its entrance was designed to meet the criteria of monumentality, based on the aesthetic of the time.

Church
Built in the fourteenth century on top of the hill, the church of this period the portion reserved for monks and priests. Result of interventions are the sixteenth-century fa?ade and choir of converts.
Masterpiece of inlaid wood is the wood of the choir monks, is notable for high quality dell'intaglio, both for the strong decorative imagination.

Colloquio
In this rectangular room, the Colloquium of the monks, the Carthusians were used to gather for prayers and then weekly for recreation.

This applies to report depicting Christ portacroce terracotta by Andrea della Robbia and the eight windows in grisaille.

Chapter
On the northern side of the cloister of the interview there is this place where monks gathered to listen to a chapter of the rule and to take important decisions or problems concerning the life of the community.

Cloister of the monks
The cloister of the monks is called cloister cell because around three sides are placed on the 18 cells of the monks. Their structure is recognizable from the outside and from the rooftops that emerge above the galleries of the cloister. Each door is marked with a letter and surmounted by lunettes painted by Piero di Matteo in 1520, except for that above the door of the cell A dating back to 1717 and the hand of Thomas Redi.
On the fourth side facing the wall of the church, the relics of capppella, the sacristy, chapter, refectory and handouts.

Refectory
The environment, located along the corridor that links the cloister of the monks with that of converts, preserves the structure trecentesca only a stone rosette strong as it was radically restructured in the late fifteenth century, when the run was beautiful pulpit, today the main decorative element of the refectory. Moreover, this environment was used only by the monks during the holidays, since the meals were mostly consumed in the cell.

Cloister of converts
The cloister is said of the brothers converts, because in the upper arcade were arranged their rooms. Probably exists since the fourteenth century, this small cloister was the subject of a complete renovation in the fifteenth century when it became a Renaissance courtyard with the construction of porch to two orders.

Opening Hours
Summer Hours
Tuesday to Saturday: 9.15-11.15 and 15-17, Sunday 10-11 and 15-17

Winter hours
Tuesday to Saturday: 9.15-11.15 and 15-16.15, Sunday: 10-11 and 15-16.15

Website: www.cistercensi.info / certosadifirenze
E-mail: @ certosa.cultura cistercensi.info

Information
Phone 050 2049226
Fax 050 2048617

Getting there

• By train
  The station is recommended Firenze Santa Maria Novella. From here you should take a bus.
• By plane
  The nearest airport is in Florence.
• By bus
  From Florence can reach the Certosa del Galluzzo with the media line ATAF