Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

The Basilica di Santa Maria Novella is a Gothic church in Florence.

It is located in the northwest of the old town, in Piazza Santa Maria Novella, almost immediately adjacent to the main railway station named after her.

History

The basilica was built in the place of prayer houses of the Dominicans of Santa Maria delle Vigne from the 10th century. Construction began in the mid-13th century and lasted until the mid 14th century. The title of minor basilica received the church in 1919 by Pope Benedict XV.

It was designed by two Dominican friars, Fra Sisto da Firenze and Fra Ristoro da Campi. On behalf of the Rucellai family Leon Battista Alberti designed the dark green and white marble facade of the church ( 1456-1470 ). Giorgio Vasari was the architect of the first reconstruction of the church in which the original rood screen and the gallery have been removed. The second reconstruction was planned and executed by Enrico Romoli 1858-1860.

When Alberti facade typical of the Renaissance using strict geometrical shapes can be seen in a strong emphasis on the flat wall. Rectangles, squares, circles and circular arcs determine the design as with the Brunelleschi's Pazzi Chapel 25 years ago ( motif of tetrastyle, high Attica, on both sides of the volutes as geometric forms of jewelry, incrustation of different kinds of marble ).

Alberti toppled the problem of balance between the horizontal and the vertical, and he chanced a harmonious connection between the different floors of the facade by adding two volutes which, although derived from the old Gothic buttresses, but strict with this and yet decorative geometry a new form introduced in the architecture of the Renaissance.

Interior is to realize that it is actually a Gothic building, but in the typical Italian version. In the nave there is indeed pointed arches and ribbed vaults, but the aisles are separated by round arches from the nave, which are so high and wide back that largely gives the impression of a unit space. A special feature of the Tuscan and Umbrian architecture is the ornamentation of arches and walls throughout with alternating layers of color. Here, only the arches and ribs are highlighted in this manner, in Siena and Orvieto there are entire walls.

The interior is built as a Latin cross in three ships. The nave is 100 meters long. In the left aisle, the fresco is located about 50 meters The Holy Trinity by Tommaso Masaccio. The fresco shows at an early stage in the history of painting perspective.

Among the chapels are the " Capella della Pura ", the Rucellai chapel, the Bardi Chapel, the Filippo Strozzi Chapel and the Gondi Chapel.

The Spanish Chapel

Santa Maria Novella is a monastery and has besides the church over two cloisters and various monastic buildings. One of the most beautiful rooms of the plant is the chapter house. He is called the " Spanish Chapel ", which is between the church and the outer cloister. It was built in the mid 14th century. The frescoes of the large room come from the otherwise little-known painter Andrea da Firenze from the period around 1365 and have as a general theme, the " Allegory of the Church."

There is an extensive program that was laid down in the frescoes. There are propaganda images here have the unique purpose of bringing a population less educated with simple and easy dechiffrierbaren scenes the St. Thomas Aquinas closer.

On the right wall of the road to heaven is illustrated. In the lower zone there is left a gathering of sacred and secular dignitaries, members of religious orders and representatives of other items - in the center of the Pope, on his right, a Dominican cardinal, on his left the Emperor. This large fresco gives an impressive picture of the dogmatic religious imagination of the 14th century.

The church building shown is similar to the Florence Cathedral. But it is neither the construction, as it Arnolfo di Cambio was planning yet actually executed. It may be a premonitory vision of the painter, showing the completion of the cathedral. The painter was a member of several Dombaukommissionen and so familiar with the subject.

Cappella Tornabuoni

The frescoes in this main chancel created 1485-1490 Domenico Ghirlandaio. They cover an area of ​​400 m² and depict scenes from the life of Mary and John the Baptist. In the 60s of the 20th century restorers coated it with a synthetic resin varnish, with the intention to save them from ruin. But the colors were a sulfuric compounds, the uppermost layer of the painting broke away from the wall. Experts of the state restoration studios " Le pietre dure " in Florence had initially consolidate the Kalkfarbfilm before they could remove the varnish. After six years, the rescue was in 1991 succeeded.

On construction artists involved

• Baccio D' Agnolo - Carvings
• Agnolo Bronzino - the miracle of Jesus
• Giotto di Bondone - The Crucifix (ca. 1280 )
• Tino di Camaino - Bust of St. Antoninus ( terracotta ); the grave of the Bishop of Fiesole
• Nardo di Cione - frescoes of the Last Judgment
• Duccio - Rucellai Madonna
• Lorenzo Ghiberti - grave stone for Leonardo Dati ( 1423 )
• Domenico Ghirlandaio - frescoes (late 15th century )
• Filippino Lippi - Frescoes in the Strozzi Chapel (1487-1502)
• Benedetto da Maiano - the grave of Filippo Strozzi ( 1491 )
• Masaccio ( " Masaccio ") - The Trinity ( 1426-27 )
• Nino Pisano - Madonna and Child
• Bernardo Rosselino - Tomb of the Beata Villana ( 1451 )
• Paolo Uccello - frescoes in the monastery
• Giorgio Vasari - Madonna in the Rose Garden (1568)

Organ

The organ dates back to an instrument dating back to 1532, which extended over time, was reorganized. It is located in a housing of the organ from the 15th century. The organ has 19 stops on two manuals and pedal.