Santa Maria Nuova Hospital

Description

The Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova, in the heart of Florence, has a rich collection of works of art.

Santa Maria Nuova was founded in 1288 by Folco Portinari, father of Beatrice Portinari the famous inspirational muse of the great Dante Alighieri. Santa Maria Nuova Hospital is the oldest hospital in the world still in operation. Throughout these centuries of activity, many works of art were produced for this Florentine hospital. Today its large collection is grouped in a museographic itinerary counting more than 700 works including paintings, frescoes, sculptures and artifacts.

In the new entrance hall we find the reproduction of the fresco representing "The Consecration of the Church of Sant'Egidio in the Presence of Pope Martino V", made in 1424 by Bicci di Lorenzo to celebrate the solemn moment of the consecration of the church of Sant'Egidio after the works carried out in the fifteenth century. The original fresco, detached from its original location on the facade of the church of Sant’Egidio in 1957, is kept in the executive offices, while the sinopite is visible in the Martino V hall on the first floor.

Another must-see is the "Coronation of the Virgin" a terracotta by Dello Delli dated 1424, as well as vestments and sacred objects that testify to the spirit of the place which has always placed emphasis on the care of the soul as well as the body. In the mezzanine, overlooking the entrance, we can admire the fresco by Gherardo del Fora and Francesco Brina, paintings depicting the Spedalinghi, two crucifixes and the resin copy of the tabernacle by Bernardo Rossellino (the original in marble can still be admired in the church) which held the oil for the sick people and was protected by a gilded bronze door by Lorenzo Ghiberti.

The museum tour continues with a visit to the cloister where the tombstone of Monnatessa, founder of the order of the Oblate linked to the hospital, is located. This woman had the merit of suggesting to Folco Portinari the idea to create a hospital for the sick and people in need. Inside the cloister there is also a neoclassical temple built in 1873 in honor of the hospital's last benefactor, Count Galli Tassi. Continuing the itinerary you arrive at the matroneum where an interesting display of sacred furnishings, votive images, crucifixes and reliquaries has been created, among which a crown of flowers encircling the skull of San Gervasio stands out. Particularly striking is the view of the church of Sant’Egidio annexed to the hospital.

Among the many illustrious people who passed through the Santa Maria Nuova Hospital there is Leonardo da Vinci: the great genius came here for his anatomical dissections that allowed him to expand his scientific studies.


Where is it?

piazza di santa maria nuova, 50122 firenze


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