The Refectory is part of the Benedictine monastery of Sant’Apollonia, the largest female monastery in Florence, founded in 1339.
After the works promoted in 1440 by Abbess Cecilia Donati, the refectory— a large rectangular hall with a coffered ceiling that served as a dining hall— was frescoed on an entire wall by Andrea del Castagno in 1447.
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Opening days
Monday to Saturday, 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month
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Opening times
8:30 am - 1:50 pm (last admission 1:20 pm)
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Closing
December 25th, and the Mondays following opening Sundays
The Cenacolo will be closed to the public until October 30, 2026, to allow for the start of major restoration work.
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Extra Opening times
August 27 and 28, 2026, from 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM (last admission 4:30 PM)
- Web Cenacolo of Sant’Apollonia
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Feature List
- Info line
- Wheelchair accessible
BRIEF HISTORICAL NOTES
The entire lower part of the wall is occupied by the fresco of the Last Supper: the scene takes place in a richly decorated setting, where every architectural element is rendered with meticulous detail. The perspective layout is rigorous, emphasized by the geometric effect of the lines of the floor and ceiling. Above it are depicted the Resurrection, the Crucifixion, and the Deposition in the Sepulchre. In 1953, this upper section was detached for conservation reasons, and the sinopie (preparatory drawings) were discovered; these are now displayed on the opposite wall of the hall.
The Refectory also preserves the few surviving fragments of frescoes and sinopie from the Stories of the Virgin, once located in the church of Sant’Egidio. This pictorial cycle, though largely lost, was a cornerstone of early Florentine Renaissance painting, created by Domenico Veneziano with the assistance of Alesso Baldovinetti, Piero della Francesca, and Andrea del Castagno himself.
Other works by Andrea del Castagno, painted around the mid-15th century, are also exhibited: a frescoed lunette (and its sinopia) depicting the Man of Sorrows with Angels, a Crucifixion, and the sinopia of the Vision of Saint Jerome between Saints Paula and Eustochium. On the south wall of the hall there is a Crucifix attributed to Baccio da Montelupo.
Additional 15th-century works from the former monastery are displayed in the anterefectory: a detached fresco of the Crucifixion by Paolo Schiavo, and two panels by Neri di Bicci depicting the Coronation of the Virgin and the Madonna and Child with Saints. In the latter panel, beside the Madonna appears Saint Apollonia, shown in her traditional iconography holding a pair of pincers gripping a tooth, a reference to the tortures she suffered during her martyrdom.
Additional Info
The Cenacolo di Sant’Apollonia will reopen on October 31 with a reduced ticket price of €3 and a restricted visitor route, due to the scaffolding installed for the upcoming restoration of Andrea del Castagno's Last Supper fresco.
Currently on display are the preparatory drawings for the great fresco on the room's opposite wall, alongside other mid-15th-century works by Andrea del Castagno. These include a frescoed lunette (and its sinopia) depicting the Man of Sorrows with Angels, a Crucifixion, and the sinopia of the Vision of St. Jerome between Saints Paula and Eustochium.
Visitors can also view fragments of the Stories of the Virgin—remains of frescoes and sinopie originally painted by Andrea del Castagno together with Domenico Veneziano, Piero della Francesca, and Alesso Baldovinetti for the Church of Sant'Egidio. The collection is completed by a Crucifix attributed to Raffaello da Montelupo (son of Baccio, a sculptor and architect active in Orvieto, Florence, and Rome, who also worked under Michelangelo's direction), as well as panel paintings, detached frescoes, and other works by 15th-century Florentine masters such as Paolo Schiavo and Neri di Bicci, all originating from the interior spaces of the vast Benedictine monastery.
Where
via XXVII Aprile, 1 - 50129 Firenze (FI)
