Church of Santa Maria Novella

The Church of Santa Maria Novella, founded by two Dominican monks Sisto da Firenze and Ristoro da Campi, was built on the site of an ancient Dominican chapel of the X century. The construction of the new temple lasted from 1246 to 1279.

In the second half of the XIV century. the area of the church expanded due to the construction of a bell tower and sacristia. The magnificent facade of the church that has survived to this day was created as a result of reconstruction in 1456-70. The temple reconstruction project was designed by the famous Italian architect Leon Battista Alberti. This is Alberti's second most important work in Florence (the first place is occupied by the palazzo Rucellai), in addition, it is associated with the name of one of the richest people in the city, Giovanni Rucellai. He wanted to make the facade of the church of Santa Maria Novella entirely of marble at his own expense and commissioned this project to Alberti. It was planned that Alberti would complete the work begun in the XIV century by Gothic masters.

In the church you can see works of art of the XIV-XVI centuries, among which there are frescoes with stories on the theme of repentance.