Santa Maria Novella

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Piazza Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy 50123+39 055215918

Description: Of all of the major churches in Florence, Santa Maria Novella is one of the first to be built. As part of the Dominican order, this church is home to many important structures, not only the main basilica. Just recently the facade and piazza were cleaned and redone, so it's ready for your viewing pleasure - and a pleasure it will be.

Located just across from Florence's main train station by the same name, the Santa Maria Church boasts a grassy piazza that is very open and beautiful with shops and parking areas in the periphery. Designed by Dominican friars, the church was built between 1246 and 1360 in a mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles and some inspiration from the Classical Greek. One of the defining features (which happens to be my favorite) are the striped archways outlining the side of the church that you pass from the train station to the entrance of the basilica. These stripes carry into the interior arches along the ceiling as well.

The interior is like many basilicas of the time with the crossed layout, high arched ceilings, and pillars throughout. Some of highlighted art pieces of the interior are the stained glass windows of Madonna and Child by Lippi, the pulpit by Brunelleschi (where the first attacks against scientist Galileo were stated), paintings by Masaccio, large Crucifix by Giotto, and frescos by young Michelangelo.

Don't miss the cloisters, or the refectory which houses many liturgical robes and other pieces of original tools and clothing. Just down the street is the public entrance to the herbal pharmacy of Santa Maria Novella which is connected to the gardens to the church out back. Here is where the friars would study medicinal herbs, flowers, and roots for healing properties. Definitely one of the best smelling places in the city!

• http://giubileo.comune.fi.it/musei/smnovella/welcome.html
• Piazza Santa Maria Novella
• Church Open 9am - 5pm (Mon - Thurs), 1pm - 5pm (Fri, Sun); Museum Open 9am - 2pm (Mon-Thurs, Sat), 8am - 1pm (Sun)
• Church Admission 2.50euros; Museum Admission 1.40euros
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Santa Maria Novella Photo - Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy

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Florence's Dominican Basilica

by airynfaerie

St. Augustine, Florida

October 19, 2009

Best of IgoUgo Of all of the major churches in Florence, Santa Maria Novella is one of the first to be built. As part of the Dominican order, this church is home to many important structures, not only the main basilica. Just recently the facade and piazza were ...Read more Of all of the major churches in Florence, Santa Maria Novella is one of the first to be built. As part of the Dominican order, this church is home to many important structures, not only the main basilica. Just recently the facade and piazza were cleaned and redone, so it's ready for your viewing pleasure - and a pleasure it will be.

Located just across from Florence's main train station by the same name, the Santa Maria Church boasts a grassy piazza that is very open and beautiful with shops and parking areas in the periphery. Designed by Dominican friars, the church was built between 1246 and 1360 in a mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles and some inspiration from the Classical Greek. One of the defining features (which happens to be my favorite) are the striped archways outlining the side of the church that you pass from the train station to the entrance of the basilica. These stripes carry into the interior arches along the ceiling as well.

The interior is like many basilicas of the time with the crossed layout, high arched ceilings, and pillars throughout. Some of highlighted art pieces of the interior are the stained glass windows of Madonna and Child by Lippi, the pulpit by Brunelleschi (where the first attacks against scientist Galileo were stated), paintings by Masaccio, large Crucifix by Giotto, and frescos by young Michelangelo.

Don't miss the cloisters, or the refectory which houses many liturgical robes and other pieces of original tools and clothing. Just down the street is the public entrance to the herbal pharmacy of Santa Maria Novella which is connected to the gardens to the church out back. Here is where the friars would study medicinal herbs, flowers, and roots for healing properties. Definitely one of the best smelling places in the city!

• http://giubileo.comune.fi.it/musei/smnovella/welcome.html
• Piazza Santa Maria Novella
• Church Open 9am - 5pm (Mon - Thurs), 1pm - 5pm (Fri, Sun); Museum Open 9am - 2pm (Mon-Thurs, Sat), 8am - 1pm (Sun)
• Church Admission 2.50euros; Museum Admission 1.40euros
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From journal Churches in Florence - The Major Players

Santa Maria Novella Train Station

by artslover

Calgary, Alberta

May 28, 2007

Best of IgoUgo The train station is not a tourist site exactly, but it may definitely be on your list of places to go because you want to get to and from Florence. Knowing some details about the station can be a key to a better vacation. Florence has a number of ...Read more The train station is not a tourist site exactly, but it may definitely be on your list of places to go because you want to get to and from Florence. Knowing some details about the station can be a key to a better vacation.

Florence has a number of train stations that link the main areas of the city, but the principle train station for national and international trains is Santa Maria Novella, (or Firenze SMN according to Trenitalia codes) located right in the city centre, in Piazza Stazione, across a busy intersection from the Santa Maria Novella Church.

In general, train travel in Italy is relatively inexpensive and rapid. High-speed, long-distance trains connect Florence Santa Maria Novella with other Italian and European cities via the the main north south line running from Milan to Rome. Connections from Florence to Rome and Milan are excellent, and Rome is roughly 1 hour 40 minutes away, and Milan is 3 hours away on the high speed trains.

The bus station for many regional and international buses can be seen nearby across the busy intersection outside the front entrance.

The station itself has many bars and cafes, where you will be able to find the most expensive bottles of soft drinks in Florence. Important to note for day trippers or those stopping in Florence en route to elsewhere, the station has a baggage deposit office where you can store your bags while you explore Florence. You pay by the length of time you store your baggage. A sign says there is a 22 kg limit for weight but when we went, they did not seem to be enforcing the weight limit and took my very heavy bag.

There is also a busy information center and shops where you can find that toothpaste you forgot to pack. Train tickets can be bought at the ticket office, but there are also self serve stations, some of which take credit cards. Many of the smaller train stations in Italy accept only cash.

Connected to the station is an underground shopping gallery which has a good selection of budget clothes and shoe shops, Internet cafes, music and book shops, and even a hairdresser. The underground complex lets you avoid crossing the busy intersection if you want to go to Santa Maria Novella church or the bus station.

The station and the underground shopping area have public toilets, something of a rarity in Italy, but you have to pay €0.80 to use them. When we were there, I was desperate, so willing to pay the fee. But you can avoid the payment by using the washrooms in the small restaurants at the station, especially at the McDonald's no one seems to mind if you go in just to use the washroom.

One amusing thing we saw were the police at the train station riding segways rather than walking. Florence police have uniforms designed by Armani. Talk about designer cops. Close

From journal Arte Firenze

Santa Maria Novella

by Ed Hahn

Hong Kong, China

August 30, 2005

Best of IgoUgo After lunch, we visit the Santa Maria Novella church, built by the Dominicans and completed in the 14th century. Its imposing white-and-green marble facade, one of the few authentic Gothic facades in Florence, was completed in the 15th century. It ...Read more After lunch, we visit the Santa Maria Novella church, built by the Dominicans and completed in the 14th century. Its imposing white-and-green marble facade, one of the few authentic Gothic facades in Florence, was completed in the 15th century. It provides an interesting contrast with the Franciscan Santa Croce. Santa Maria Novella has a number of rules: no shorts, no picture-taking, no loud talking, many no-go zones, no smiling (just kidding). It takes itself very seriously.

When we first enter, we meet an angry German fellow with a church-supplied shawl around his waist to cover up his legs. Frankly, he looked a lot more fey and irreligious in the "skirt" than he would have without it. Later, I get busted for taking pictures, even though our guidebook says it's permissible and there are no signs forbidding photography. One of the attendants is incensed that I would even try to take photos and stares at me the rest of the time we’re there.

All that being said, it is nevertheless worth visiting. The church itself houses numerous beautiful works: the "Crucifix" by Brunelleschi, one by Giotto, Vasari's "Madonna of the Rosary," Masaccio's "Trinity," the "Miracle of Jesus" by Bronzino, and frescoes by Ghirlandaio. You can see photos of some of these on my photo website. There is also a cloister next door that holds a number of notable paintings and frescoes. It costs extra to visit the cloister. Today, it is unexplainably closed.

The interior is somewhat like the Duomo, somber and dignified. We walk down the left hand side after entering. Halfway down is the "Trinity." We spend time in the rear taking in the whole scene, especially Giotto’s "Crucifix" hanging in the nave’s center. We continue up the right side to the main altar and its two side chapels with their frescoes and stained-glass windows done by Filippino Lippi. The sanctuary behind main altar and the side walls were frescoed by Ghirlandaio and are incredibly well preserved. Hanging in the left altar is Brunelleschi’s "Crucifix," which he carved after seeing Donatello’s version in Santa Croce—the "ideal," God-like version versus the "real," peasant-like version. It helps that we have a guidebook to identify what we are seeing.

I postulate to Tom that the different ambiance of each church is a function of their founding orders—Dominicans, intellectual and forbidding like St. Dominic, Franciscans, emotional and accessible like their founder, St Francis of Assisi. Tom comments that I sound like a Dominican.

Closed Tuesdays. The entry fee is about 3€, extra for the cloister. Picture-taking is possible if you are sneaky.

From journal Fabulous, Fantastic Florence

Santa Maria Novella

by Defiant1

Mississauga, Ontario

January 30, 2002

Best of IgoUgo A truly stunning church in a city full of stunning churches. Located just south of the main train station, SM Novella is a marvel in green and white striped marble. The church itself is light and airy, the embodiment of Italian Renaissance ...Read more

From journal Four days in Florence and Siena

Santa Maria Novella

by millsy99

Knoxville, Tennessee

July 1, 2001

This church is located very close to the train station, in the northern part of the Centro. It was completed in 1357, having been built by Dominican monks. ~~~~ Inside the church, there are some great examples of art, including the Trinita (on ...Read more

From journal FLORENCE

Santa Maria Novelle

by dawn

Chicago, Illinois

March 2, 2001

Best of IgoUgo This church and the cloister were built by the whip-bearing Dominican's in the 13th century, who had to enlarge the square out front to accomadate all those who wanted to strip and flog each other during the inquisition. One of the most vocal of the ...Read more

From journal Indepth Florence--the Final words ??

Santa Maria Novella

by kylebarber

Seattle, Washington

November 12, 2000

This beautiful church often does not receive the attention it deserves, living in the shadow of its more popular sister Santa Croce. But the beautiful facade leads into a cavernous Gothic interior that offers a nice respite from the buzz of the ...Read more

From journal Italy: Living in Firenze

Santa Maria Novella

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