Archive for 'Florence'

You're probably in suspense from the last post, right? You must be wondering what happens to the gentleman in the story! Or, if you're just joining us, you must be very confused! We were telling the tale of the Goblin of La Via del Corno, set in Florence, and about a gentleman and goblin that lived together in that great city. If you haven't read the first post, I suggest that you go and do that now and then come back here for the climax of the tale! While you're at it, find the perfect luxury villa in Florence and you can spot the locations from the story for yourself and explore the rest of the stunning city.

It is always fascinating to hear the legends of other lands as they often tell you something about the people or their culture and values – and even if they are not particularly educational, they are always fun and interesting things to know! Of course, a city like Florence, has such a long and rich history that it has great many legends and myths attached to it. In fact, we've already discussed one to do with Michelangelo in a previous post. However, this one is a little more mystical in nature and involves legendary creatures rather than legendary artists. Why not find a luxury villa in Florence and learn even more about its incredible rich heritage and culture once you've heard this tale?

Santa Maria Novella is Florence's first great basilica and the principal Dominican church in the city. Though it may be, perhaps, somewhat overshadowed by the presence of the Duomo not that far away, it is still famous for its striking polychromatic façade by Alberti and work by Masaccio, Giambologna, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Michelangelo. Begun in the 13th century and finished in the 14th, it is a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance styles and was commissioned by that great patron of the arts, Giovanni di Paolo Rucellai. However, it is not just the church itself or its artistic treasures that are worth visiting for. Santa Maria Novella is also home to one of the world's oldest active pharmacies.

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (English: Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower) is the main church of Florence, Italy. The Duomo, as it is ordinarily called, was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi.
The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white and has an elaborate 19th century Gothic Revival façade by Emilio De Fabris.


The cathedral complex, located in Piazza del Duomo, includes the Baptistery and Giotto's Campanile. The three buildings are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site covering the historic centre of Florence and are a major attraction to tourists visiting the region of Tuscany. The basilica is one of Italy's largest churches, and until development of new structural materials in the modern era, the dome was the largest in the world. It remains the largest brick dome ever constructed.
The cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Florence, whose archbishop is currently Giuseppe Betori.