FERVOUR, FRESCOES AND FAITH

Explore two of Florence’s religious complexes and discover how exquisite craftsmanship and profound faith contributed to the creation of some of the city’s best-loved masterpieces.

You begin your day with a leisurely stroll to a 15th century monastery, whose history and fame are inextricably linked to the lives of an ill-fated preacher and a gifted painter. Fervent Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola, fierce opponent of the Medici family and of the luxury and excess of the Renaissance way of life, was Prior of San Marco between 1491 and 1498. From his modest cells – which are still on view to the public together with fragments of his cape and tunic – he managed to establish a short-lived theological reign of terror before being condemned for heresy and eventually burnt on a pyre in Piazza della Signoria. A more upbeat story is that of Fra Angelico, the Dominican monk and painter who decorated the convent’s dormitory and cloister with his gorgeous frescoes between 1439 and 1444. The humble, pious friar was beatified five hundred years later and proclaimed patron saint of painters and artists under Pope John Paul II.

The elegant, harmonious structure we can admire today was designed by Renaissance architect Michelozzo in 1436 in accordance with the wishes of Cosimo de’ Medici the Elder who chose it as his hideaway for private meditation – and who was of course assigned the most elaborately decorated cells. Once home to the friars of the Dominican Order, today the convent houses a museum showcasing the most extensive collection of works by Blessed Fra Angelico. His magnificent panel paintings and altarpieces are on display in the former hospice while his deeply devotional frescoes, conceived as a visual backdrop for the meditation of his fellow friars, grace the walls of the Chapter House and the monks’ cells.

After browsing the museum, make your way to the 14th century Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, a fine example of Gothic architecture in Tuscany and a true treasure trove of wonders. The interior and cloister are filled with extraordinary paintings and sculptures by early Renaissance masters. Highlights include Giotto’s Crucifix, a skilful depiction of a human body; Masaccio’s Trinity, considered to be the first painting ever to display a scientific approach to perspective and space; the Tornabuoni chapel decorated with brightly coloured Scenes from the Life of the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist by Ghirlandaio. Your guide will lead you past a splendid parade of artworks, each one a unique milestone in the illustrious history of Italian art.