Shrines of Italy: Santa Maria Novella

The cathedral of Santa Maria Novella is a unique blend of many styles. Chronologically, it was the first great basilica to be built in Florence, and is regarded even today as the city’s primary Dominican church.

It’s construction began in 1279 over the ruins of a 9th Century oratory, the remains of which can still be seen in various places throughout the complex today.  

Upon it’s consecration in 1420, the local Italian artist Leon Battista, began putting the final touches on the church’s Gothic façade, which was finally completed in the year 1470.

If it looks familiar, that’s because Santa Maria Novella is very the much the younger brother of Santa Maria del Fiore, as they were both constructed around the same time, and they have many architectural elements in common. Most notably, the wide-open interior, and relatively plain ceiling are reminiscent of the same Dominican austerity which characterizes Santa Maria del Fiore.

That being said, this church does differentiate itself as it has a lot more going on inside than it’s big brother. Throughout the interior, you’ll find various renaissance era paintings that have been expertly restored in recent years, thus giving the impression that they were painted almost yesterday. Elsewhere, you can find the tombs of various sculptors who dedicated their time and talent to the cathedral, as well as those of some significant benefactors. 

In some areas, particularly behind the main altar, you can also find a series of enormous frescoes painted in a much older style. I haven’t seen frescoes like this since the church of Saint Mark in Pordenone, so I spent quite a bit of time here. Most of them depict scenes from the life of Our Lady, to include the Birth of Mary, Her Presentation, her marriage to Saint Joseph, and her Dormition and Assumption.

These frescoes, combined with an array of stained glass windows behind the main altar, serve to compliment its distinctive Gothic design in a way that can be simply be described as masterful. A quick glance is all it takes to realize that there 3 distinct art styles from different regions coalescing to create this unique monument of faith dedicated to the Mother of God. This fact alone makes it the highlight of Santa Maria for any traveler who may find themselves here.

As I continued my journey through the church, I passed through a small gift shop, which appears to have been a sacristy at one point. There wasn’t much to buy beyond a few rosaries and post cards, so I continued on to the inner courtyard, which had once been associated with an adjacent Dominican monastery. Most of the frescoes out here have been worn away by the elements, although a few can still be clearly seen today.

Architecturally, this area felt very similar to the courtyard of Saint Anthony’s Basilica in Padua, and it was a nice way of transitioning into the tiny museum just down the hall. While it is far less impressive than most other museum’s I’ve seen, it does contain some interesting artwork, some ancient vessels and vestments; and most notably a first-class relic of Saint Sebastian, a Roman solider who was killed during the persecution of Diocletian in the late 3rd century.

At the end of my trip, I found Santa Maria Novella, to be in a word: novel. It doesn’t rely solely on one particular art style. Rather, it takes the best elements from several and combines them into the monument that we see today. In a way, this is reminiscent of the church itself. Like the universal church, the whole of Santa Maria Novella is greater than the sum of it parts.