Church of Santa Felicita in Florence
Ancient place of worship in the Diladdarno, custodian of precious works by Pontormo
In the heart of Florence's Oltrarno district, between the Ponte Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti, stands in the square of the same name the Church of Santa Felicita, one of the oldest churches in the Città del Giglio, along with San Lorenzo.
Its origins are rooted in Roman times; its remains emerged during a series of excavations undertaken in about the middle of the last century. Important remains of the basilica and early Christian burials were unearthed, which housed evidence of the presence of a Greek-speaking Christian community of Syrian origin, and traces of the Roman Via Cassia emerged underground. The destruction of the original building can be traced to the devastation by the Goths and Lombards.
It was later rebuilt and then abandoned, allegedly because of the plague of 1348; a new church with Gothic features was then built by the nuns.
Between 1700 and 1800 it was completely restored by the architect Ferdinando Ruggieri and to this day it retains its appearance; the Corridoio vasariano (Vasarian Corridor) - clearly visible both from outside and inside - rests on the gabled facade.
Once inside, one notices that the plan is in the shape of a Latin cross and consists of a single nave covered with a lunette barrel vault. On the right, in the Barbadori -Capponi Chapel by Brunelleschi you can admire a masterpiece by Pontormo, the painting Trasporto di Cristo (Thrust of Christ), sometimes erroneously called the Deposizione (Deposition); to the hand of the painter of the eccentrici fiorentini we also owe the Annunciazione (Annunciation).
Accessibility information: feelflorence.it
