Brancacci Chapel’s Secrets Discover the Early Renaissance

Discover one of Florence’s most important Renaissance treasures with a visit to the Brancacci Chapel inside the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine. Often described as the birthplace of Renaissance painting, the chapel is renowned for its fresco cycle by Masaccio and Masolino da Panicale, later completed by Filippino Lippi. Admire masterpieces such as Masaccio’s Expulsion of Adam and Eve and discover the innovative use of perspective, light, and human expression that influenced artists, including Michelangelo. Your experience also includes the Sala della Colonna, home to rare sinopias and early Renaissance fresco fragments that reveal the techniques used to create these masterpieces. Depending on the option selected, explore the Brancacci Chapel with a guide in a small group or enjoy the visit independently with an audio guide. A must-see Florence art experience for anyone interested in Renaissance history, Italian art, and the masterpieces that changed Western painting forever.

1. 1

   Stop 1

   20 min

   In the early 1400s, a young genius named Masaccio dared to break the rules of medieval art by introducing depth, movement, and human emotion never seen before, thus helping to create a new era in art and placing this revolutionary work at the pinnacle of great Italian art. His bold use of perspective and the interplay of light and shadow (chiaroscuro) would continue to inspire history’s greatest artists: even Michelangelo studied these frescoes, drawing lessons that would shape the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and later Caravaggio found inspiration in them, elevating the dramatic use of light to its highest expression.

2. 2

   Cappella Brancacci

   20 min

   On this guided small-group tour or audio guided tour, you will step into the world of Masaccio, Masolino, and Filippino Lippi—the artist who later completed the work in the chapel—as hidden meanings, surprising details, and the intrigue behind every depicted scene are revealed. You will marvel at the poignant expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise and the dramatic narration of Saint Peter’s life, moving you as you watch the masterful interplay of light and shadow on frescoes that seem to “sculpt” the scenes.

3. 3

   Cappella Brancacci

   10 min

   Your experience also includes access to the evocative Sala della Colonna, located within the Carmine complex. This remarkable space preserves detached frescoes and original sinopias from the chapel, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at Renaissance artistic techniques

• Wheelchair accessible
• Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
• All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.