The Basilica San Lorenzo (also known as The Dom or the cathedral), at the heart of Florence – no it is not at the heart, I’d say it is the heart – is an astounding piece of art.

It is not only is achingly beautiful and awesomely executed, it is totally organic, growing directly out of its time and place. The moment in time in which it was created, the ideas, the hopes, the fears, the social and religious attitudes – all are right there.

But there still are questions whose answers I haven’t yet found in any books.

In the plaza, at the side of the main building, directly in front of the front door, is the Medici’s private chapel. Why is it separate and not within the Dom itself? What’s inside it? I’ll come back to that further down below a few pix inside the Dom itself.