Florence holiday villas near the Basilica di Santa Croce show you just how Florence art can stack up. Thankfully your Florence apartment rental won't have quite as confusing a history! While the story of the original Franciscan oratory is all but lost in time, the second incarnation of Florence's Basilica di Santa Croce was begun at the end of the 13th century. Florence architects planned for a Gothic structure, but time told a different story as changing Florence patrons shaped this Tuscany landmark.