Guided Tour of Santa Maria Novella Basilica and its neighborhood

In Florence in the early 13th century, a group of Dominican friars set up just outside the city fortifications. They were devoted to combating heresy and defending faith through preaching, as well as helping the poor living outside the city walls.

Their presence correlated with major socioeconomic shifts that occurred in Florence during the 13th and early 14th centuries. Meanwhile, Florence’s most influential banking families began contributing to the construction and decoration of the chapels for a new course in Italian and European painting.

Prepare for an exclusive, unveiled tour of the Dominican Basilica of Santa Maria Novella and its neighborhood, a magnificent representation of Florence's rich cultural heritage.

The Dominican Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

On the West side of the city, around 1270, two Dominican Friars started construction on this gothic style Church. The place soon became an important reference for the entire local community and beyond.

Completed in the 15th century by humanist and architect Leon Battista Alberti, on commission of the wealthy merchant-banker Giovanni Rucellai, it remains the only church in Florence with a Renaissance façade, adorned with intricate polychrome marble work, including geometric patterns. This use of geometry is a characteristic feature of Renaissance architecture, reflecting a renewed interest in mathematical proportion and harmony. It stands as a testament to the ideals of the Renaissance, where architects sought inspiration from classical antiquity to create works of enduring beauty and elegance.

The interior of Santa Maria Novella is richly decorated and houses extraordinary works of art. Located along the nave of the church is ‘The Trinity’ by Italian Renaissance painter Masaccio, which holds immense importance for its groundbreaking use of linear perspective.

In dialogue with Masaccio’s Trinity is Brunelleschi’s wooden crucifix within the Gondi chapel, reflecting the artistic style of the early Renaissance with emphasis on naturalism, anatomical accuracy, and a sense of classical proportion. The main Tornabuoni altar contains an exquisite cycle of frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio depicting scenes of the life of the Virgin Mary and of St. John the Baptist. Celebrated for their beauty, narrative richness, and historical significance, they remain an integral part of the artistic heritage within Santa Maria Novella, contributing to the church's reputation as a treasure trove of Renaissance art.

It is in its cloisters, each with its unique charm and historical significance, that the friars were dedicated to cultivating remedial plants for their adjacent apothecary dating back to 1221, which then flourished by engaging in more complex activities to produce fragrant substances. Finally, in 1533, they were able to create a bergamot-based perfume for Catherine'de'Medici, giving birth to the century-old Officina Profumo Santa Maria Novella, today one of the world’s oldest perfumeries.

Around Santa Maria Novella

The great square, once a scene of crowded religious sermons by the Dominicans was in the Renaissance used by the Medici to celebrate events, games and traditional rides. The most important amongst these rides is the one called ‘Palio dei Cocchi’ , a race with chariots like the Roman ones. The Palio dei Cocchi was an event widely followed until the middle of the nineteenth century, when the square was known as ‘Mecca’ attracting visitors from all over Europe.

Continuing our stroll through the neighborhood, opening up about half way down Via della Vigna Nuova is Palazzo Rucellai, a key architectural work of the Renaissance designed by Leon Battista Alberti. The principles established by Alberti in this palazzo became foundational for Renaissance architectural theory.

About the tour

Get ready to explore the monumental church of Santa Maria Novella that boast renowned masterpieces and a culturally rich past.

Head on to one of the world’s oldest perfumeries at Officina Profumo Santa Maria Novella.

Enjoy a slow stroll through the neighborhood, stopping by its wine windows, its remarkable palaces and learn about ‘Berta’s Bell’ and how a priest turned Berta into stone…