Built in 1294 by Arnolfo di Cambio, Santa Croce is the principal Franciscan church in Florence.
It is the largest Franciscan church in the world, and it is famous for the artwork and monuments in
the nave and its 16 chapels, decorated with frescoes by Giotto, Taddeo Gaddi, and several other
prominent pre-Renaissance and Renaissance artists. The church was completed in 1442, but the
facade was not completed until 1857-1863, when it was designed and built by Nicolo Matas, a
Jewish architect, who managed to work in an enormous
Star of David into the 19th century Neo-Gothic design.