Firenze Santissima Annunziata The first orphanage in Europe

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Firenze
Santissima Annunziata
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The north side of the square is framed by the
Santissima Annunziata church, a parish church
founded in 1250 by the Servite order. The current
building was constructed in the 15th century
The Piazza della Santissima Annunziata is one of
the most beautiful piazzas in Florence. Arcades
border the pedestrianised square on three sides.
The central arcade forms the portico of the
Santissima Annunziata church, which gave the
square its name
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The portico of the Santissima Annunziata church
was added later, in 1601 and mimics the design of
Brunelleschi's portico of the Spedale degli
Innocenti on the east side of the square.
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Inside are nine chapels, the middle of which was
designed by Giambologna for his own tomb
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An Italian piazza is not complete without a
fountain maybe this was the rationale behind the
decision of Grand Duke Ferdinand II to place in
Piazza SS. Annunziata two amazing fountains by
Pietro Tacca which had been designed to embellish
Leghorn, the port of the Grand Duchy. This
explains why, although being impressive for their
craftsmanship, the two fountains do not entirely
fit into the harmonic Renaissance design of the
piazza.
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The church is lavishly decorated with frescoes,
but most people come to see a painting that was
started by a monk in 1252 and supposedly finished
by an angel, the cause of a still ongoing
veneration of the painting.
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The artwork depicts the Annunciation (Annunziata
in Italian), hence the name of the church
Image internet
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Outside, above the central arch of the portico,
built in 1601 by the architect Giovanni Battista
Caccini, there are traces of frescoes painted
between 1513 and 1514 by Pontormo, and the
central doorway is surmounted by a mosaic of the
Annunciation by Davide Ghirlandaio (1509).
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From the portico we enter the cloister, known as
the cloister of the Voti, because it used to be
filled with votive pictures and wax statues
decorated with precious ornaments.
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Images internet
Today it is famous especially for its magnificent
frescoes the earliest is Alesso Baldovinettis
Nativity, painted in 1460 Cosimo Rossellis
Calling of St Philip Benizzi dates from 1476 the
other episodes from the life of the Saint were
painted by the young Andrea del Sarto in 1510
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Andrea del Sarto
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Images net
Andrea del Sarto
Francibiagio
Andrea del Sarto
Pontormo
Andrea del Sarto
Rosso-Fiorentino
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Andrea del Sarto
Images internet
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Giorgio Vasari
Images internet
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Images internet
The breath-taking interior, with arches and piers
sheathed in colored marble (16th and 17th
century), has a golden ceiling decorated between
1664 and 1670
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At the center of the square stands a large bronze
equestrian statue of Ferdinando I de' Medici. It
was created by Giambologna, a Flemish sculptor
who had moved to Italy in 1550 where he became
known for his mannerist sculptures.
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After Giambologna died in 1608, the sculpture was
completed by his student Pietro Tacca. The latter
is also responsible for the two intriguing
fountains on the square which depict grotesque
mythical creatures
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The arcaded portico of the Spedale degli
Innocenti, Europe's oldest orphanage, flanks the
east side of the square.
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The orphanage opened in 1445 and allowed women
who had birthed unwanted children to leave them
here anonymously by placing them on a circular
stone. After they rang a bell, the stone was
rotated 180 degrees, taking the baby inside the
orphanage.
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Many artists contributed their works to the
embellishment of Spedale degli Innocenti. Even
the window where babies could be left anonymously
was nicely decorated.
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The colonnaded portico was designed in 1419 by
Brunelleschi and was the first classical loggia
in the city. It would later serve as an example
for other Renaissance architects.
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The façade is decorated with ceramic glazed
medallions depicting swaddled babies. They were
created by Andrea della Robbia, a local artist
who had specialized in ceramic sculptures.
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Andrea della Robbia placed his elegant ceramic
glazes in the cavities designed by Brunelleschi
in the arches of the portico
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Text Internet Pictures Daniela Iacob
www.florentinermuseen.com All 
copyrights  belong to their  respective owners
Presentation Sanda Foisoreanu
2011
Sound Cour de Savoie - Ottani -
L'amore senza malizia - ouverture
JB Viotti - Concerto for violin
orchestra No. 23 in G major, G98