The road on Calvary and the Crucify Him Shrine

The Road to Calvary chapel is one of the most architecturally elegant buildings on the site, due to its harmonious proportions and the classical motif of capitals and entablature that frames its front façade. Inside, visitors are greeted by a grandiose scene, partly attributed to Agnolo di Polo, who worked alongside Giovanni della Robbia at the time. The artwork depicts a large procession of Jews who accompany Jesus to Calvary. Joseph of Arimathea, Simon of Cyrene and the Thieves can all be recognised in the crowd of people, while the dark-skinned soldier behind Jesus, also present in other chapels, is perhaps the symbolic representation of the Devil. The two side doors invite visitors to join the crowd and accompany Jesus to Calvary, by entering from the right and exiting to the left.

The Crucify Him Shrine attached to the right side of the chapel is located directly across from the Ecce Homo Shrine connected to the House of Pilate. This creates a powerful dialogue between the two scenes across the open space, which is full of pathos, with clear, theatrical characteristics. Among the figures depicted in the scene, we can see the high priests Annas and Caiaphas inciting the crowd to condemn Jesus, as well as the Virgin in tears with John, Mary Magdalene and the Pious Women. The narrow space of the shrine is visually expanded by the expressive harmony and movement of the sculptural group, attributable to Benedetto Buglioni, and by the depth of perspective created by the fresco, which is speculated to be the work of Sodoma, an artist who was active in Tuscany in the early sixteenth century.