subject: Santa Maria Novella - Firenze [print this page] Santa Maria Novella - Firenze Santa Maria Novella - Firenze
When You book a guided tour in Florence, with us You'll realize how beautiful and magic this town is.
The basilica of Santa Maria Novella is one of the most important churches in Florence and is located on the square with the same name. If Santa Croce was and it is an ancient center of Franciscan culture and the Santo Spirito housed the Augustinian Order, Santa Maria Novella in Florence was the benchmark for another important mendicant order, the Dominicans.The Dominicans arrived in Florence from Bologna, led by Fra 'Giovanni da Salerno in 1219. In 1221, won the small church of Santa Maria delle Vigne, named
for the surrounding agricultural land (then outside the walls). This church was consecrated in 1049 or according to other sources, in 1094, although this second hypothesis is more likely because in the Archive of Florentine cathedral is stored a document which mentions this date. However, of the old church were found some remains in the current vestry, especially the foundations of some Roman pillars. The foundation stone of a new and larger building was laid October 18, 1246, during the feast of St. Luke, with the blessing of Cardinal Latino, changing the orientation of the facade facing south, and was completed
in mid-fourteenth century. The church, although already completed in mid-fourteenth century with the construction of the adjacent convent, was only officially consecrated in 1420 by Pope Martin V who resided in the city.
The project, according to highly controversial documentary sources, was made by two Dominican friars, Fra Sisto da Firenze and Fra Ristoro da Campi, but
also participate in the building Fra' Jacopo Passavanti, while the bell tower and part of the convent are due to the work of Fra' Jacopo Talenti. A major restoration was carried out in 1999 with funds from the Jubilee, after which to access the church was set up a ticket. From April 2006 to March 2008 the facade was restored again.
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