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Orsanmichele

The church of Orsanmichele (or Or San Michele), located on the Via Calzaiuoli in Florence, was originally built as a grain market in 1337. Between 1380 and 1404 it was converted into a church. On the ground floor of the square building are the 13th century arches that originally formed the loggia of the grain market.

Along the outer walls of Orsanmichele are a niches and tabernacles containing statues of the patron saints of the guilds. These statues include: Nanni di Banco's Quattro Santi Coronati (Four Saints) (1408), Donatello's St. George, Lorenzo Ghiberti's St. John the Baptist (1414-16) and Andrea del Verrocchio's St. Thomas (1464-83). Inside the church is Andrea Orcagna's Gothic Tabernacle (1355-59).