Ospedale di Santa Maria Nuova

The Ospedale di Santa Maria Nuova in Florence (Piazza S.Maria Nuova, 1) is the city's oldest hospital still active. This hospital - now undergoing deep restoration works1 - was founded in 1288 by Folco Portinari, father of Dante Alighieri's muse, Beatrice. "He was encouraged in the undertaking by Monna Tessa, a nurse in the Portinari household who lies buried in the former Cloister of the Bones. The hospital, intendede for the cure of the sick and dying, was divided in two wards, one for men and one for women, and had about 200 beds. In the 15th century especially it flourished financially, and this was the period when it was rebuilt and added to. The Cloister of the Medicherie was built on in 1420 by Bicci di Lorenzo. In the late 16th century Buontalenti designed the portico in front of the main facade, which was built by Giulio Parigi (1611)"2.

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  • Photos by Luca Borghi ti.supmacinu|ihgrob.l#| (December 2008)

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Bibliography

- A.Cocchi, Relazione dello Spedale di Santa Maria Nuova di Firenze (A cura di M.Mannelli Goggioli), Le Lettere, Firenze 2000, pp. 223
- E.Diana, Santa Maria Nuova, ospedale dei fiorentini. Architettura ed assistenza nella Firenze tra Settecento e Novecento, Polistampa, Firenze 2012, pp. 629
- E.Diana (a cura di), Il percorso museale dell'ospedale di Santa Maria Nuova di Firenze, Polistampa, Firenze 2022, pp. 165



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