Santa Maria Novella: An Italian Gothic Church with Renaissance Masterpieces Inside
Written: Dec 17 '06 (Updated Dec 17 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great unique architecture, truly spectacular frescos
Cons: A bit out of the way, not the best area of Florence
The Bottom Line: Great sight - if you spend more than two or three days in Florence this is a must on your list. But be sure to see the bigger sights first!
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| jsindygirl's Full Review: Santa Maria Novella |
History and Architecture of Church
Santa Maria Novella is a large church located in the northeast corner of the central historic district of Florence across from the main train station. The church was built by the order of Dominicans between 1279 and 1357. The church’s facade is a work that took place over one hundred years, with famed artist Leone Battista Alberti completing the upper portion in the mid 1400s. The facade was commissioned by Giovanni di Paolo Rucellai. Two important factors stand out about the history of the facade of Santa Maria Novella. First, it was one of few building projects in this era of Florence history not commissioned by the Medici family. Second, it represents the only church facade completed in fifteenth century Florence. Another interesting artistic fact about the facade is that was designed in the classical style. The interior of Santa Maria Novella is one of the few Gothic style churches you will find in Italy.
The interior of Santa Maria Novella is designed in the Tuscan Gothic style. It boats pointed arches highlighted by black and white stripped stone work and small round windows at the peak of each arch. The church has a large central nave and then an aisle on each side of the nave. The aisles boast family chapels decorated with various commissioned artwork. The altar area is a frescoed masterpiece and the floor of the church is a patterned marble.
Artistic Works Inside Santa Maria Novella
Santa Maria Novella is home to several great works of Italian art. These works include:
The Strozzi Chapel – the chapel has two famous frescos painted by Andrea di Cione (Orcagna) and Nardo di Cione. The frescos on the wall represent the Last Judgment, Paradise, and Hell and were inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy.
The Strozzi Alterpiece – also done by Andrea di Cione. The alterpiece portrays God seated in the center and flanked by the Virgin Mother and St. Thomas Aquinas on his right and St. Peter and St. John the Baptist on his left. The outermost compartments of the alterpiece contain images of a variety of saints watching as the Virgin presents St. Thomas to God and St. Peter waits for the keys of his papal office.
Trinity – by Masaccio, the church’s most famous work. Masaccio’s Trinity is famous for its single point perspective. The fresco painting which is found on the left wall of the church highlights the three persons of the Trinity. Jesus is seen crucified on his cross. God the father is seen standing above and behind the cross and the Holy Spirit is represented by the white dove that hovers over Jesus’s head. The painting sets this scene inside a chapel and it is the design of the painted chapel that demonstrates Masaccio’s masterful use of perspective.
My Experience
I visited Santa Maria Novella in May before the peak tourist season began in Florence. The church was almost empty when we toured it in late afternoon and we were asked to pay a small entrance fee before viewing the interior of the church. On the day I visited Santa Maria Novella, it was the last sight I visited in a long train of sights including: Santa Croce, the Galleria del Academia, the Laurentian Library, San Lorenzo, and Cappelle Medicee. If you have any familiarity with a map of Florence, you will understand just how much we walked that day! As a result I was a bit tired when I arrived and did not pay as much attention to the magnificent interior artwork as I should have. I highly recommend taking your time at this church and appreciating all it has to over. Unlike some of Florence’s other marvels, this church is a bit off the main sight seeing path and as such you don’t have to fight crowds to view some truly spectacular pieces of art. One more small note, when I visited they were not allowing interior photography and were strictly enforcing this policy.
Overall Impression
I really liked Santa Maria Novella. If you have several days in Florence you should definitely take the time to visit this wonderful church. However, if you only have a day or two in Florence, this church should not make your top five list. Before visiting Santa Maria Novella visit: The Duomo, the Uffizi, the Bargello, Piazza della Signoria, and Santa Croce. If you still have time after visiting the major sights, then this church is well worth a look.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
jsindygirl
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Member: Krista
Location: South Bend, IN
Reviews written: 100
Trusted by: 26 members
About Me:
Recovering from the bar exam and moving into my new house!
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