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CHAPTER XXXII.
SANTA MARIA NOVELLA.
HE Dominican Convent of Santa Maria Novella was at
one time, with the exception of the other Dominican
Convent of San Marco, the most important religious institution
in Florence. A small church, built in the ninth century by
the family of Tornaquinci, stood on the ground occupied by
the transepts of the present beautiful edifice. The principal
entrance was in the Piazza Vecchia, beyond the Bacchiera
gate, or postern, in the second circuit of walls, which was
situated where the Via de’ Banchi and the Via Panzani meet-
a corner since known as the Canto de’ Carnesecchi. This
church was called Santa Maria tra le Vigne—Santa Maria
among the Vines—until the tenth century, when it was enlarged
by the canons of the Florentine Cathedral, and the name was
changed to Santa Maria Novella. It was about the year 1219
that St. Dominic sent a certain Giovanni da Salerno, or, as he
was afterwards called, the Beato Giovanni, with twelve other
Dominican friars, to introduce his Order into Florence. They
first lodged in the Hospital for Pilgrims outside the Porta San
Gallo ; but when St. Dominic himself arrived there in 1221,
the Papal Legate and the Bishop of Florence assigned the
Church of Santa Maria Novella, as well as the adjacent land,
to the Dominicans, on which they raised their monastery.
They immediately commenced building, and the first stone of
the new church was laid by the Legate, Cardinal Latino degl