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

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 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.

Inside are nine chapels, the middle of which was designed by Giambologna for his own tomb

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.

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.

The artwork depicts the Annunciation (Annunziata in Italian), hence the name of the church Image internet

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).

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.

Today it is famous especially for its magnificent frescoes: the earliest is Alesso Baldovinetti’s Nativity, painted in 1460; Cosimo Rosselli’s 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

Images internet

Andrea del Sarto

Andrea del SartoAndrea del SartoPontormoAndrea del SartoFrancibiagioRosso-FiorentinoImages net

Andrea del Sarto

Images internet

Giorgio Vasari 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

Images internet

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.

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

The arcaded portico of the Spedale degli Innocenti, Europe's oldest orphanage, flanks the east side of the square.

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.

Many artists contributed their works to the embellishment of Spedale degli Innocenti. Even the window where babies could be left anonymously was nicely decorated.

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.

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.

Andrea della Robbia placed his elegant ceramic glazes in the cavities designed by Brunelleschi in the arches of the portico

Sound: Cour de Savoie - Ottani - L'amore senza malizia - ouverture

JB Viotti - Concerto for violin & orchestra No. 23 in G major, G98

Text : Internet

Pictures: Daniela Iacob www.florentinermuseen.com

Arangement: Sanda Foi oreanuş