Florence - Parrocchia S Santa Maria Maggiore by Mark Sukhija

Evidence of a church at the site of the Parrocchia S Santa Maria Maggiore exists from the 8th Century but this church was only documented from 931. The Church was rebuilt in the Gothic style after it passed to the Cistercians in the 13th Century. The basic Cistercian structure is identifiable from a division of naves and aisles by pointed arches above square piers and three chapels in the east end. A late-antique head known as 'Bertha' is set into the truncated Romanesque Belfry. 14th-Century frescoes showing 'King Herod and the Massacre of the Innocents' in the sanctuary are attributed to the Jacopo di Cione and Mariotto di Nardo. The chapel to the left of the choir, houses a painted, guilded bas-relief of the Madonna and Child attributed to Coppo da Mercovaldo and a column from the tomb of Donatellos master - Brunetto Latini.

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Map

Further reading

Italy - 5 great hotels - Recommended hotels in Rome, Florence, Turin and Milan

Florence - Duomo Cuppola and Campanile - Cathedral Cuppola and Campanile in Florence

Florence - Arno waterfront in the early evening - View of the Arno river running through Florence in the early evening light

Florence - Ponte Vecchio straddling the Arno - Trinket on sale in front of Florences famous Ponte Vecchio bridge

Italy - 5 great restaurants - Recommended places to stay dine in Rome, Florence and Venice

Florence Duomo - detail of the exterior - Detail of the exterior of the Florence Duomo

San Gimignano - Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta - Historical notes on and about the Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta in San Gimignano

Italy - 10 places not to miss - 10 places you shouldn't miss in Italy

Pisa - Chiesa Santa Maria della Spina - Some brief notes on the Chiesa Santa Maria della Spina on the banks of the River Arno in Pisa

Pisa - Chiesa e Convento di Sant Anna - Chiesa E Convento Di Sant Anna in Pisa on the Tuscan coast

About Mark Sukhija

Mark Sukhija is a travel and wine blogger, photographer, tourism researcher, hat-touting, white-shirt-wearing, New Zealand fantatic and eclipse chaser. Aside from at least annual visits to New Zealand, Mark has seen eclipses in South Australia (2002), Libya (2006), China (2009) and Queensland (2012). After twelve years in Switzerland, Mark moved back to London in 2012. You can follow Mark on Twitter or Facebook