Santi Simone e Giuda, Florence

[1] The church began its life in 1192 as a small oratory situated outside the city walls in vineyards owned by the monks of the Badia Fiorentina.

Serious renovation of the church did not begin until the first quarter of the 17th century when the archbishop of Florence, Alessandro Marzi Medici, elevated its status to a priory and named Giovanni Niccolai as its first prior in 1608, a post he held until his death in 1642.

By 1619 a new high altar made of Carrara marble was added and the choir stalls and presbytery were completely renovated under the patronage of Bartolomeo Galilei, a relative of Galileo.

Also called Bartoleomeo Galilei, he was a Knight of Malta and steward to Leopoldo de' Medici.

Notable Florentines buried in the church include Media related to Santi Simone e Giuda (Florence) at Wikimedia Commons