ST JACOPO
This Survey examines the loggia of San Jacopo Sopr’Arno through measured drawings in plan and elevation. Although the church is documented from 1135, its architectural proportions reflect the use of the late-medieval Florentine braccio, here applied in its three-quarter variant (≈ 58 cm). The survey reveals how the loggia’s geometry aligns with this historical measurement system, offering insight into the construction logic and material culture of medieval Florence.
Architectural Survey of the Loggia of San Jacopo Sopr’Arno, Florence
The origins of the Church of San Jacopo Sopr’Arno remain partly uncertain. Early religious orders associated with the site attributed its foundation to the Carolingian period, based on inscriptions preserved through the centuries. Documentary evidence, however, confirms the existence of the church only from 1135, while the surrounding settlement is first recorded by name in 1182.
During the late medieval period, Florence widely adopted the Florentine braccio and its variations as units of measurement. In this case, the architectural proportions of the loggia correspond to three-quarters of a braccio, approximately 58 cm, a system that significantly influenced local building practices.
The study presented here—developed in both plan and elevation—demonstrates how the geometry of the loggia aligns with this proportional system, confirming its adherence to late medieval Florentine metric conventions. This analysis contributes to a broader understanding of the construction techniques and dimensional logic characteristic of the architectural heritage of Florence. Survey team: Costanza Angeloni and Clemente de Biasi
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