Santa Maria Novella

Although the Santa Maria Novella Church is an excellent example of the gothic style, and boasts the oldest facade in Florence, it regretfully isn’t usually considered one of the principal attractions of the city. Not only is it a beautiful church, but inside it houses many masterpieces, including Giotto’s crucifix which was finally replaced in 2001 after 12 years of restoration, Ghirlandaio’s incredible frescoes in the Tornabuoni chapel representing scenes from Virgin Mary’s life and from that of St. John. Of particular interest is the fact that many of these biblical characters actually resemble famous citizens of Renaissance Florence from the 1400s. Other works of art of note include Masaccio’s Trinity, one of the first examples of perspective (depth) expressed in a painting.

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