Church of All Saints (Chiesa di Ognissanti)

The Baroque facade of the Church of All Saints dominates the square of the same name, located on the right bank of the Arno, 500 meters west of the Duomo.

The construction of the church began in 1251, it was part of the monastery complex of the monks of the order of the Humiliat.

Over time, the power of the order grew, the monastery and the church, thanks to the patronage of noble families living nearby, were enriched with works of art of great importance. Around 1310, the main altar of the church was made by the great artist Giotto (now in the Uffizi Gallery). In the 14th century, a slender bell tower was built near the church.

In the 15th century, Sandro Botticelli (he is buried in the church) and Domenico Ghirlandaio worked in the Church of All Saints. Ghirlandaio’s brush belongs to the fresco “Madonna of the Merciful” (1470 – 1472) in the second altar of the right nave. In 1480, Botticelli and Ghirlandaio created frescoes in the apse, now transferred to the central part of the nave, at the same time Ghirlandaio created a magnificent “Last Supper” in the refectory of the monastery.

In the 16th century, the power of the order of the Humiliats began to fade, in 1571 the monastery was transferred to the Franciscan Observatory.

In the early 17th century there was a radical renovation of the Baroque church, the results of which determine the current appearance and interior of the church.