Brancacci Chapel and Santa Maria Novella
Overview
The perfect tour to discover the passage from the Middle Ages to Renaissance. Art, literature and history intertwine in the Church of Santa Maria Novella, from Dante to Boccaccio, from Giotto to Ghirlandaio. We will also visit the Brancacci Chapel, where Masolino and Masaccio depicted the life of Saint Peter, applying the rules of perspective for the first time.
Places
Church of Santa Maria Novella
Brancacci Chapel inside the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine
Info
Tour duration: 2,5 hours
The tour consists of an outdoor walk with access to two churches and it’s not available on Tuesday all day and Sunday morning, when the churches are closed.
Reservation is mandatory for the Brancacci Chapel. Ask us to do that for you!
The tour is suitable for all visitors and is not particularly difficult. (simbolo sedia a rotelle)
We recommend dressing in an appropriate way as we will be visiting holy places.
Fees
Guided Tour starting from 150,00 € max 3 hours
The fees do not include museum tickets, transportation costs or the rental of radio systems.
For groups, we recommend renting radio systems. We can manage the rental, on request.
Church of Santa Maria Novella
Regular Tickets: 7,50 €
Reduced Tickets (between 11 and 18 years old): 5,00 €
Free Entry: under 11 years old
Brancacci Chapel
Regular Tickets: 8,00 € (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday); 10,00 € (Saturday, Sunday, Monday).
Reduced Tickets, between 18 and 25 years old: 6,00 € (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday); 7,00 € (Saturday, Sunday, Monday).
Free Admission: under 18 years old, groups of students upon presentation of an official student’s list.
By booking this tour we can follow you step by step, helping you to make the reservations for both the churches. If you are planning to visit the museum independently, we recommend reading our BLOG instead.
What to expect
The tour starts with a visit to the Church of Santa Maria Novella, where the Dominican Order still resides nowadays. Over the course of the centuries, this order played an important role in religious, political and scientific events in Florence.
The Friary, which grew very rapidly, was the propulsive force behind the development of the whole surrounding neighbourhood. Here, the Gothic architecture of the church designed by the friars themselves combines perfectly with the façade completed by Leon Battista Alberti. This was the first work where he rigorously applied the new principles of Renaissance architecture, giving birth to an unrivalled masterpiece. However, the church was also a location where the friars would study astronomical phenomena, as proven by the presence of still functioning sundials and armillary spheres.
As soon as we enter, our attention will be captured by the Trinity, a famous fresco by Masaccio, but before admiring it from up close we will focus of the Crucifix by Giotto, to understand the origins of Renaissance art. We will then observe the wooden Crucifix by Brunelleschi, before moving towards the frescoes by Ghirlandaio in the Main Chapel, where Michelangelo started his artistic career as an assistant.
Before reaching the cloister featuring the Cappellone degli Spagnoli, we will make a stop in a transept chapel, where we will observe a representation of Hell as described by Dante in the Divine Comedy.
After exiting the Church, we will make our way to the Chiesa del Carmine, where during the 1420s Masaccio and Masolino painted their fresco cycle dedicated to the life of Saint Peter in the Brancacci Chapel. An absolute masterpiece, where the definitive transition from Middle Ages art to the new Renaissance style is fully visible. Here, the stories of the saint’s life are depicted within perspective panels and applying a new monumental anatomy, seeking a perfect balance between form and meaning. The result is a milestone destined to influence entire generations of artists.
Photogallery
Are you interested in this tour?
contact us by filling out the form below
