Chiesa di Santo Stefano

The church of Santo Stefano is a typical conventual church without a façade, composed of a long side with two entrances. It was the seat of a congregation of Augustinian friars until 1808.

It started to be built in 1367 and its current architectural structure was finished in a quite short time. This was possible also thanks to the scrupulous direction of the prior Michele da Empoli, who managed the convent until 1432. On the contrary, the convent of the Augustinians was realized in a longer time, to the extent that it still was under construction by the XVI century. The church was equipped and decorated with the collaboration of some city families, who had obtained the patronage of the chapels, and of the Compagnia della Croce and the Compagnia della SS. Annunziata.
The convent of the Augustinians, rising near the church, originated from a previous settlement dating to 1291 that was inside an oratory out of the Empoli's walls.
Later on, the monks moved inside the city to shelter from the incursions by the Pisans while they were fighting against the inhabitants of Empoli.
The work of construction of the conventual complex was slow and lasted until the beginning of the XVIII century, at least. At the end of that century, the convent was finished in its current structure, thanks to the contribution of the painter Alessandro Masini. He embellished the room of the Cenacle with a fresco depicting the Last Supper on the wall at the back and with decorations on the vault and on the side walls.
In 1808, the order of the Augustinians disappeared and the friars abandoned the convent, which was destined to laic functions. In effect, it was given to the city of Empoli and some state schools were instituted inside it. The church became a property of the State but it kept its original function. During the Second World War the bombardments over Empoli affected the convent, too, to the extent that only in the 70's it was possible to see it in its whole structure after long and detailed restoration works. The frescoes by the Masolino, the "Annunciazione" by Bernardo Rossellino and numerous paintings of the XVII century are still visible inside it.