Firenze Santa Maria Novella
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What people say
Pedro Pereira
Available for hire
"The station is located just a few metres from the Church of Santa Maria Novella, from which it takes its name, and 10 minutes from the Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore, the cathedral of Florence. There are also several bus stations nearby, serving regional, national and international services, and it is therefore the main entry point to the city for tourists and visitors.
The current station was built in 1932-1934. Previously, there was a station on the same site called Maria Antonia, which was demolished to make way for the new station.
Around 1840, plans began to be made to connect Florence with the nascent Italian railway network. The city's first station was Leopolda Station, created in the Porta al Prato area to serve trains to Livorno. It was inaugurated on 12 June 1848 and dedicated to Leopold II of Tuscany.
Florence's new railway station, called Santa Maria Novella, was designed and built in the 1930s, during the Fascist era. At that time, the Fascist authorities were in favour of modern and functional architecture in keeping with the times, and the work of building this new station fell to the so-called Tuscan Group of architects, among whom Giovanni Michelucci stood out. According to the guidelines of Italian rationalism, the structure of a building should reflect its function. Santa Maria Novella station was the first Italian station to be built under the precepts of modern functionality. The building had a great impact on Italian society at the time, causing a division between those who were in favour of building modern buildings on plots close to the historic centres of cities, and those who opted for a more conservative stance."
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Sarina Kist
Available for hire
"Santa Maria Novella Station (SMN) is located right in the heart of the city and is a short walk from hotels and attractions"
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