Florence Private Guide

Florence Private GuideChurch of Santa Maria Novella

The length for this private Tour of the Santa Maria Novella church is 1.5 hours

Discounted tour rates in euro, per group

1-2 people	3 people	4 people	5 people	6 people	7 people
95,00	110,00	125,00	140,00	155,00	170,00

* admission fees not included

The newborn Church

This is the church of one of the mendicants orders that settled in Florence in the first half of 1200, the Dominicans. When the Dominicans arrived in Florence they received a small church called Santa Maria delle Vigne oriented eastward. A few decades later the Dominicans decided to build a bigger church using parts of the building of the old church. The new Basilica was called Santa Maria Novella (the “new” Santa Maria) oriented southward instead of eastward.

The Basilica in the centuries

During the centuries the church has been modified several times, above all in the inside. The most important work that was done on the outside was the marble decoration of the facade that was realized in the 2′ half of 1400 by the famous Renaissance architect Leon Battista Alberti. His facade is a Renaissance masterpiece that blends perfectly with the previous Gothic facade.

The internal architecture is typical Gothic although there are also masterpieces up to 1700.

Here are some of the artists we will meet during our visit :

Giotto (with his Painted Cross)
Masaccio. He is considered to be one of the fathers of the Renaissance. His Trinita is one of the most significant masterpieces of Western art!
Domenico Ghirlandaio. The main chapel was frescoed by him and his workshop. In Ghirlandaio’s workshop the teenager Michelangelo moved the first steps into the art of painting. We will recognize on the very top part of the chapel few very small figures painted “probably” by Michelangelo himself
Filippino Lippi ( apprentice in the workshop of Botticelli)
The Orcagna brothers
Filippo Brunelleschi, he carved one the most beautiful crucifixes that we have in Florence!
Giorgio Vasari, he modified the church according to the dictates of the Council of Trent
Agnolo Gaddi, to see his hidden frescoes we must have a torch 🙂
Giovanni Della Robbia (his family invented the glazed terracotta)

Testimonials

Two members of the Medici and the Rucellai families got married here in the 15′ century, there must have been a reason why !!

FAQ

Do we need to buy a ticket?

Yes, you do.

Do we need to reserve the entrance in advance?

No, you don’t, it is not necessary to reserve the entrance in advance.

Can we arrange this tour shorter than 1.5 hour?

Of course, you can, and the rate will be recalculated. All my tours are tailor-made.

Can we mix this tour with other tours?

Yes, you can.

Do we need to dress appropriately?

Yes, you do, legs up to the knee and shoulders must be covered.

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