Santa Maria Novella

Santa Maria Novella is a church in Florence. It was built on the site of the 10th-century Dominican oratory of Santa Maria delle Vigne. Building began in the mid-13th century, and was finished in the mid-14th century.

It was designed by two Dominican friars, Fra Sisto da Firenze and Fra Ristoro da Campi. On a commission from the Rucellai family Leone Battista Alberti designed the black and white marble facade of the church (1456-1470). Giorgio Vasari was the architect for the first remodelling of the church, which included removing its original rood-screen and loft. The second remodelling was designed by Enrico Romoli, and was carried out between 1858 and 1860.

The interior is designed as a Latin cross and is divided up into three naves. The centre nave is 100 metres long. The chapels include the della Pura Chapel, the Rucellai Chapel, the Bardi Chapel, the Filippo Strozzi Chapel, and the Gondi Chapel.

Artists who produced items for the church include:

• Baccio D'Agnolo - wood carvings
• Bronzino[?] - the Miracle of Jesus
• Filippo Brunelleschi - The Crucifix (between 1410 and 1425)
• Tino da Camaino[?] - Bust of St. Antoninus (in terra cotta); the Tomb of the Bishop of Fiesole
• Nardo di Cione[?] - frescoes of the Divine Judgment
• Duccio - Rucellai Madonna
• Lorenzo Ghiberti - tombstone of Leonardo Dati (1423)
• Domenico Ghirlandaio - frescoes (late 15th century)
• Filippino Lippi - frescoes in the Strozzi Chapel
• Benedetto da Maiano[?] - the Tomb of Filippo Strozzi (1491)
• Masaccio - The Trinity
• Nino Pisano[?] - Madonna with Child
• Rossellino[?] - Monument to the Beata Villana (1451)
• Paolo Uccello - frescoes in the cloisters
• Giorgio Vasari - Madonna of the Rosary (1568)

External Sites

• Santa Maria Novella Museum and Cloisters (http://giubileo.comune.fi.it/musei/smnovella/lingue/eng/welcome)