The church was gradually enlarged and enriched and finally in 1300 became an Abbey. In 1500 Buontalenti was asked to modify the presbitery and to rebuild the convent. He’s the author of the Mannerist façade and he created the monumental altar (that was removed in 1800). Then, the cloister was commissioned to Alfonso Parigi il vecchio and some parts of it were added in the following centuries.

Santa Trinita is the mother church of the Vallumbrusan Order of monks founded in 1092 by a Florentine nobleman.

The church counts numerous chapels where you will find many masterpieces; are you interested to know everything about them? Go there with one of our experienced art history teachers! The church can be infact included in our art history programs.

Discover Florence, its tradition and history with our art history  and history of Florence courses

Would you like to know something more about the great wonderful Dome ideated by Brunelleschi? At the Opera del Duomo’s website, there’s a special section dedicated to this famous piece. After 15 years of hard work, finally all the ancient documents have been digitalized and can be consulted by anyone. Check the following link – http://www.operaduomo.firenze.it/cupola/home_eng.html

With the Institute Galilei’s art history courses, you will have the possibility to know the secret of Florence!

Once there was a womans’ Benedictine monastry, in which the abbess had the institutional duty to welcome the new bishop, when he was in visit to Florence. That’s why the Florentines, with their famous profanity, used to call her the bishop’s bride. The ancient romanic church, which had many changes and modifications during the years, can be seen in the Ghirlandaio’s San Zanobi’s miracle, set today at the Accademia museum.

The church was destroyed in 1783 because of its precary conditions; it all begun with the fell of a column, but the truth is that the duke Leopold II didn’t want to have too many religious istitution in the city of Florence. After the church, that area became a poor zone and lost its magnificence. What we can see now, it’s just three arches of the church’s ancient façade. Two of them are now part of private houses.

Find out the secrets of Florence with the Institute Galilei’s art history courses!

An elaborate irrigation system brings water from the arno river to the gardens (which lack  a natural source of water); whithin the many sculptures and artworks which you will be pleased to admire walking around, you can find an amphitheater, an egyptian obelisque (brought from the Villa Medici in Rome), the Fountain of Neptune, with the sculpture of Neptune by Stoldo Lorenzi.

The Boboli gardens can be included in the program of guided visits of Florence or in the art history course offered by the Institute Galilei.

Enzo Ferrari defined the Mille Miglia “the world’s greatest road race” and, 82 years after its origin, this race still is a world-known event.

Mille Miglia is a suggestive parade of pre-1957 cars that cover 1000 miles in few days. This event tells something about adventure, history and discovery.

Vintage car lovers should take a look at the Mille Miglia race, which starts out from Brescia on May 14th, passes through Ferrara and reaches Rome before returning to Brescia on another route via Siena, Monteriggioni and Florence.

You don’t have to go far to watch it, as these ancient cars will be passing through Piazza della Signoria and Piazza San Marco in Florence on May 16th, on their way back to Brescia.

Discover Florence and its tradition with the Institute Galilei’s History of Florence course!

Designed by Giuseppe Poggioni, the square was buit in 1869, during the urban renewal of the town. Florence was the capital of Italy and during that period, the middle class strongly wanted to show its strong rebirth; there were created lungarni; on the right bank, instead of the fourteenth-century walls were open the avenues of the ring of a boulevard, on the left bank was traced, wind on the hill of San Miniato, the Viale dei Colli, a street tree overview 8 kilometers long, at whose climax the square was built as a terrace with a panoramic view inside the city.

The Michelangelo square, dedicated to the great Renaissance artist Michelangelo, has copies of some of his famous works in Florence: the David and the four allegories of the Medici Chapel of San Lorenzo. These copies are made of bronze, while the originals are all in white marble. The monument was brought up by nine pairs of oxen on 25 June 1873.

Poggi designed the loggia in the neoclassical style that dominates the whole terrace, which today houses a panoramic restaurant. Originally it was supposed to house a museum of works by Michelangelo, ever.

The view shows the heart of Florence from Forte Belvedere to Santa Croce lungarni through the bridges of Florence and in sequence, especially the Ponte Vecchio, are the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, the Bargello and the octagonal bell tower of the Badia Fiorentina, without forgetting opposed to the hills north of the city with the center and Settignano Fiesole.

The square can be accessed by car along the tree-Viale Michelangelo, made in those same years, or walk the stairs going up the ramps of the monumental Piazza Poggi Poggi in the district of San Niccolò.

(source: Wiki)

Discover Florence with a real art history teacher, following the Institute Galilei’s art history course!

But let’s talk about the funny piglet that you can see right in front of the building. This bronze wild boar is a reproduction of an Hellenistic statue which is in the Uffizzi, signed by Pietro Tacca. The piglet is a real touristic attraction, Wikipedia explains the reason:

“Popular tradition has it that rubbing the nose brings fortune, so that the statue has acquired over time a certain shine in that spot. Visitors are encouraged to place a coin in the mouth of the boar after rubbing its nose, and superstition implies that the wish will be granted if the offering tumbles through the grate whence the water flows.”

This place of interest can of course be included in one of the Institute Galilei’s guided tours of Florence.  Good luck, then!

Built around 1352, the Loggia was used as a shelter for lost children and unwanted infants who were abandoned to0 the care of the Company of Mercy.  In 1425 the “Compagnia of Santa Maria del Bigallo”, normally housed at Orsanmichele, transfered here as well. They used to take care of pilgrims and travellers at their Ospedale di Santa Maria del Bigallo, located in Fonteviva.

The two arches are richely decorated with bas-reliefs of prophets, Angel, the Virtues, a Christ giving benediction and an Ecce Homo. Nowadays, the Loggia hosts a museums of objects related to the Compagnia del Bigallo.

(source: Wikipedia)

Every building in Florence hides a story – discovering it with the Institute Galilei’s art history course is really easy and interesting!

The Basilica of the Most Holy Annunciation (Basilica della Santissima Annunziata) is a Catholic church located in Santissima Annunziata Square, in Florence.

This basilica was founded in 1250 by the Seven Holy Founders, the seven Florentine youths belonging to patrician families that formed the Servite Order. The Servite is one of the five original Catholic mendicant orders and its members (called Servite Friars or Servants of Mary) are devoted to the Mother of God.

The Basilica della Santissima Annunziata still is the mother church of the Servite Order.

Inside the Basilica there’s a miraculous painting of the Annunciation that, after being begun by one of the monks in 1252, was supposedly completed by an angel while he slept.

A special atrium (Chiostrino dei voti) has been built to house the votive offerings of the pilgrims that came to venerate the painting. This painting has always been venerated, especially by girls and women in childbed and, traditionally, the Florentine brides visit this shrine to leave their bouquets as a gift to the Virgin Mary.

This church is just on the Institute Galilei’s doorstep and is worth visiting.