The small building immediately revealed itself to be too small to hold the Florentine population who attended the Dominican sermons, and soon it became necessary to enlarge the piazza in front of the old entrance, which faced present day's piazza dell'Unità. From 1246 on, indulgences were offered for those who financed the enlargement of the church, but the first stone for the new church, with the facade facing south, was not placed until 1279.
The construction of the church, its cloisters and the other monastery areas moved forward together and continued until 1420, the year in which the church was officially consecrated by Pope Eugene IV, a guest of the Santa Maria Novella monastery. It seems, however, that already by 1360, the building of the church had been completed, including the bell tower by Frà Jacopo Talenti.
The church is in latin cross form, divided into 3 naves by rows of pillars in many styles, with arches and gothic vaults. The two side aisles and the transept contain numerous funerary monuments and chapels.
Among the most famous chapels, we note the della Pura Chapel, the Rucellai Chapel, the Bardi Chapel, the Filippo Strozzi Chapel, the Main Chapel, the Gondi Chapel, the Gaddi Chapel e la Cappella Strozzi.
Where:
Piazza di Santa Maria Novella - Firenze
Tickets:
Entry: 2,50 euros
Reduced: 1,50 euros (older than 13 and younger than 18 years old, and groups of students)
Free entrance: younger than 12 years old and inhabitants of Florence
Opening hours:
Weekdays: 9:30-17:00
Holidays and Friday: 13:00-17:00
For further informations:
Tel: +39 055215918
Source:
http://giubileo.comune.fi.it/
