Basilica Of Santa Maria Novella, Florence

Located in Italy, the Santa Maria Novella Church is one of the most renowned Gothic Churches in Florence and is a must-see on every tourist’s travel itinerary. A rare mix of architecture and religion, the monument is one of the most notable Gothic churches in Tuscany. Its exteriors feature the work of Fra Jacopo Talenti and Leon Battista Alberti. Also, the interiors feature an array of works by artistic geniuses like Masaccio’s Trinity Ghirlandaio’s fresco cycle in the Tornabuoni Chapel and Giotto’s Crucifix.

The church also holds the rare distinction of being first among great basilicas in Florence and is also the main Dominican Church in the city. While it is located right across a railway station by the same name, the Florentine church has also found mentioned in the hugely popular Dan Brown novel named ‘Inferno’.

The church gets its name Novella (New) from a 9th-century chapel of the same name, dedicated to Santa Maria Delle Vigne. The church was first conceived and constructed after the entire area was taken up by the Preachers Dominican order in 1221. It was designed by two Dominican friars named Fra Sista Florentino and Fra Ristoro da Campi between 1246 and 1260 and was completed with a Romanesque-Gothic bell tower and sacristy. 

• Admire its frescoes, which were painted by some of the most important artists of the 14th and 15th centuries, including Giotto, Masaccio, Ghirlandaio, and Filippino Lippi.
• Explore the impressive facade, with its alternating stripes of green and white marble, soars upwards to meet the sky.
• The interior is no less impressive, with a vast nave flanked by beautiful side chapels. The whole effect is one of light and space, making it feel surprisingly peaceful inside despite the throngs of tourists.
• Admire Basilica of Santa Maria Novella which is one of the most important examples of Florentine Gothic architecture.
• Make sure you take the time to explore the Cappella Strozzi, located in the right transept. This chapel is decorated with stunning frescoes by Filippino Lippi, depicting scenes from the life of Saint Philip Neri.
• Marvel at Giotto’s Crucifix in the centre of the central nave, with minute details such as waves in the hair of Christ, the blood spilling out his body and the details of the background tapestry.

The Santa Maria Novella Church is located 5.3 km from its nearest airport which is the Florence Peretola Airport. There are various ways to reach the church from here:

Road/Taxi- Tourists can take a taxi to the church which usually takes 20 minutes.

Bus- The Volainbus Airport Shuttle connects Florence Airport to downtown Florence. While the tickets can be purchased on board, they cost roughly around five euros.

Train- Tourists can also use the Florence tramway network and take a train to Alamanni - Stazione (Santa Maria Novella). 

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Summer: The best time to visit the Santa Maria Novella Church is anywhere between April to June as it is warm and gets enough sunshine. Summer months between June to August see warm temperatures, with August being a slow tourist season. The hottest months are June, July, August, while the warmest is late July where temperature shoots up to 35°C, but nights are pleasant with temperatures rarely dropping below 20.6°C.

Spring: Spring season starts from March through May and sees a high tourist footfall when temperatures range between 28.7°C to 12°C, with rain.

Fall & Winter: From mid-August to the second week of November is also a good time as temperatures go from warm to between mid 30’to upper 50’s to icy cold in November. The temperature is cold for half the year and pleasant otherwise. Fall season which is between September to November sees highs of 31.4°C to 11.4°C with 3 to 8 days of rain or snow. Meanwhile, tourism is the lowest during these months. The winter months see the region get average highs of 16.1°C to 8.9°C and some snow.

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History of Santa Maria Novella

The church was planned and conceived by two Dominican brothers namely Sisto and Ristoro in 1246, but it took many years and the monument was completed only in 1350 by Leon Battista Alberti. Made in a ‘Proto-Renaissance style’ this is one of the oldest churches in Florence.

Its upper part was completed 100 years after its conception in the year 1470 by Leon Battista Alberti. Interestingly, the building still retains its original planned façade, even as other churches across Florence kept getting new designs. This makes it a must-visit for visitors traveling in Florence.

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The Architecture of Santa Maria Novella

The Santa Maria Novella Church has a unique Renaissance church façade, while the building plan resembles that of a Latin cross with square chapels. The church is adjoined by cloisters and a chapter house holding an array of art treasures.

Thanks to the patronage of rich Florentine families, the church has famous frescoes and masterpieces done by masters of the Gothic and early Renaissance era. A green and white marble façade lines the church, while the complex consists of cloisters and a frescoed chapel. The basilica is lined with artistic masterpieces and frescoes, while the lower section of its façade is a nod to both the Romanesque and Gothic styles of architecture.

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Tips for Visiting Santa Maria Novella Church

• While the idea of the church began in the 10th century, travelers should not miss the active cloisters located in the church complex.
• The church also houses one of the oldest perfumeries in Florence. The interiors of the perfumery are also lined with outstanding pieces of artwork and frescoes.
• Travelers are advised to check their tickets carefully as many intercity trains do not stop here. They instead stop at Rifredi station in the north of the city or Campo di Marte Station in the east. However, there are local commuter trains that leave every 10 minutes between Rifredi/ Campo di Marte stations and Santa Maria Novella. Tickets can be purchased from a machine and the travel time is just a few minutes. Also, tourists must ensure during the departure that the train actually leaves Santa Maria Novella station.
• There are intercity coaches that travelers can avail which will offer pick-up facilities around the Santa Maria Novella train station.

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