Niccolò "Nicola" Matas (6 December 1798 – 11 March 1872)^[1] was an Italian architect and professor. He is best known for being the architect of the 19th century Gothic Revival façade of the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence, Italy.^[2][3] Matas was a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, Florence (Italian: Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze).^[1] He is one of the important architects in the history of the city of Florence.^[1][4]

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Quick Facts Born, Died ...

Niccolò Matas
Painting by Pietro Benvenuti portraying Nicolò Matas, architect from Ancona (1798–1872), creator of the façade of the Cathedral of Santa Croce in Florence
Born	6 December 1798 Ancona, Papal States (now Italy)
Died	11 March 1872 Florence, Italy
Other names	Nicola Matas
Education	Academy of Fine Arts, Rome, Academy of Fine Arts, Venice, Accademia di Belle Arti di Vicenza
Occupations	Architect professor

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Niccolò "Nicola" Matas was born on December 6, 1798, in Ancona, in Marche, Papal States (now present-day Italy).^[1] His family was Jewish and of Spanish descent.^[1] He studied at Academy of Fine Arts, Rome (Italian: Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma); followed by study at the Academy of Fine Arts, Venice (Italian: Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia) and the Academy of Fine Arts, Vicenza (Italian: Accademia di Belle Arti di Vicenza).

In 1825, Matas moved to Florence, where he was an academic professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, Florence (Italian: Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze), primarily teaching architecture.^[1] His architect contemporaries in Tuscany included Gaetano Baccani, Mariano Falcini, Emilio De Fabris, and Giuseppe Poggi.^[4] Matas worked closely with sculptor Giovanni Dupré of Gipsoteca Dupré.^[4] He had a working relationship with Anatoly Demidov, 1st Prince of San Donato.^[1]

From 1857 to 1863, he worked on the design of the façade of Basilica of Santa Croce, where he worked in a prominent Star of David into the top of the building.^[5][6] The design of the building was said to be influenced by a now-lost drawing by Simone del Pollaiolo, named "il Cronaca".^[5] He is also thought to have been inspired by the Siena Cathedral (Italian: Duomo di Siena) and Orvieto Cathedral (Italian: Duomo di Orvieto).^[7]

Matas died in Florence on 11 March 1872.^[1] His body was moved in 1886, and Matas is buried under the porch at the Basilica of Santa Croce.^[1][5]

There is a street named "Via Matas" in Ancona.

• Basilica of Santa Croce
• Santa Croce, Florence, prior to the design by Matas before 1857
• Santa Croce, Florence, after the design by Matas after 1857