Aside from The Duomo, the two most important churches in Florence are Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce.
The church was called Novella, or new, since it was built on the site of Santa Maria delle Vigne from The 800’s. In 1221, The Dominicans decided to build a new church and adjoining cloister. Leon Battista Alberti designed the upper level of the inlaid green marble and white marble between 1456 and 1470.
The church is chock full of art work, most notably Masaccio’s Trinity which is the very first example of single point perspective in the history of art. Ghirlandaio painted The Tornabuoni Chapel when Michelangelo was still in his workshop.
Fillipino Lippi’s Strozzi Chapel includes a fresco of St. Philip Driving the Dragon from the Temple of Hieropolis, where people are holding their noses at the expulsion of the “dragon,” which is really a demon.
With crucifix’s by Giotto and Brunelleschi, Santa Maria Novella is one of the most important sites for artwork in Florence.
