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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence

The façade of Santa Maria Novella, completed b...Image via WikipediaIf you have been to Rome and Venice, but not Florence, you have not really seen Italy. Florence is a city of stunning beauty, its name translates as the "blossoming". It is believed to be one of the oldest centers and cities in Europe. Florence has many wonderful attractions and monuments. One of them is the Church of Santa Maria Novella.
Church of Santa Maria Novella
Many historians argue that the city of Florence (Italy) was founded in 59 BC by Julius Caesar. However, science provides no firm confirmation of this fact. It is known that the city of Florence gave birth to the Renaissance, so today the city features many ancient churches, cathedrals, palaces and museums designed in the style of the Renaissance epoch.
The Church of Santa Maria Novella was conceived and built by Dominican monks Sisto da Firenze and Ristoro da Campi. The construction started in 1246, at the site where once sat the 10th century Dominican Chapel of Santa Maria delle Vinet. In 1279 aisles were completed, and in the second half of the fourteenth century Jacopo Talenti was able to finish the construction of Towers and the Sacristy. As a result of alterations made by Leon Battista Alberti in the mid-fifteenth century, the beautiful facade of the church emerged. A talented architect, he completed a wonderful portal and the upper part of the church with a clear rhythm of squares, which are inlaid with marble.


The interior of the church through the pylons is divided into three naves, and the pylons are provided with ligament columns supporting the huge arches covered with lancet arches. The interior was renovated in the sixteenth century. This church houses a great number of art works dating back to fourteenth to sixteenth centuries by famous masters (Vasari, Brunelleschi, Rossellini, Ghirlandaio, Giuliano da Sangallo, Ghiberti, etc.)



Through a gate in the form of a lattice you can enter the monastery courtyard designed in the Romanesque style of the fourteenth century, then to the large monastery, surrounded by arched walls that are painted by Florentine artists.



The Chapter Hall of the Monastery in the Spanish chapel is a work of the genius Jacopo Talenti (mid-fourteenth century). This chapel was intended for church services in the presence of Eleanor of Toledo, the wife of Cosimo I, accompanied by her entourage. The chapel is decorated with frescoes of the fourteenth century by Andrea di Buonayuto.



Hours:

Closed on Friday and Sunday

Open on other days from 09.00 to 17.00

Planning a trip to Florence? Don't miss the list of Florence hotels with descriptions, rates, photos and offerings from most popular hotel booking systems.



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