The cloister of Santa Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi
For few months Florence is your adopted home, and you’re probably eager to explore the city and see all it has to offer. The ubiquitous hordes of tourists wait in line outside of the Uffizi or jostle for space in the Accademia in front of David as they checkoff the famous Florentine
must-sees” on their whirlwind tour of the historic Renaissance city. You, however, are not a tourist but an actual resident, and therefore have the time to seek out some more “hidden” artworks and places that are often forgotten… places that most visitors to Florence walk right past without a second look. Indeed, Florence has many secrets to share beyond the masterpieces inside the walls of museums (and the long lines that precede them).
The following places are conveniently located right in the city center and, perhaps most importantly for your student budget, absolutely free to visit!
Santa Maria Maddalena de’Pazzi church – Perugino’s Crucifixion fresco
Santa Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi on Borgo Pinti, and the Chiostro dello Scalzo on Via Cavour. The entrance at Borgo Pinti 58 is inconspicuous but on the other side of the doors is a beautiful cloister designed by Giuliano da Sangallo in 1492. On the far side of the open-air space is the church itself, now with a baroque-style interior. The real prize of Santa Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi is Perugino’s Crucifixion fresco in the old chapter house– don’t miss it! Santa Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi is open Monday-Saturday, 9am-12pm, 5pm-7pm.
The cloister of Lo Scalzo
The Chiostro dello Scalzo – or “cloister of the barefooted” –at Via Cavour 69 was the entrance to the chapel for the Confraternity of St. John the Baptist, the beloved patron saint of Florence. The space earned its amusing nickname from the barefooted cross-bearers in the confraternity’s processions. Upon entering the cloister, visitors can experience a quiet, generally empty place, a welcome break from the bustling city streets outside, while looking at Andrea del Sarto’s frescoes of episodes of the life of St. John the Baptist that line the walls. Though the hours for the Chiostro dello Scalzo are a bit odd (Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 8:15am-1:50pm), it is definitely worth a visit!
Around the corner from Piazza San Marco is another extraordinary Renaissance fresco:
Convent Sant’Apollonia ‘ Last Supper” fresco by Andrea del Castagno
Andrea del Castagno’s Last Supper of c. 1445 in the refectory of the convent of Sant’Apollonia. The fresco features a particularly sinister image of Judas, Christ’s betrayer, as well as individualized expressions and gestures of the figures. The element of drama seen in this Last Supper is not so unexpected from the artist whose claim to fame was painting hanged men on the exterior walls of the Bargello! Another dramatic Last Supper that is worth seeing despite its location on the outskirts of the city center is Andrea del Sarto’s of c. 1519-1526 in the refectory of San Salvi (open for viewing Tuesdays-Fridays 8:15am-1:50pm).
Stay tuned! More “l’arte nascosta” to be revealed soon!
