Rucellai Chapel

Anyone who arrives in Florence should not miss a visit to one of Leon Battista Alberti's masterpieces, the tomb of the Holy Sepulcher, built (1457 - 1467) for the Rucellai family, rich merchants of Florentine fabrics. To safeguard the Rucellai chapel, a wall was erected that closed the Albertian passage. For 200 years it was only accessible from an exterior door at one side of the building. At the center of the chapel you'll find the rare sacellum, it's external walls are decorated with thirty geometric marble inlay motifs in white, green and red. Among these panels, four represent heraldic coats of arms. There are the  three entwined rings of Lorenzo the Magnificent (east apse), the mazzocchio 'headband with three feathers' of Cosimo the Elder (north wall) and the diamond ring with two feathers of Piero de'Medici (west wall - entrance). The coat of arms of Giovanni Rucellai is found on the south wall and represents a sail swollen by the wind, with loose shrouds.