San Frediano in Cestello in Florence, Italy is now amongst the best examples of Florentine architecture of the late Baroque era. The Carmelite church and convent were built onto the site of the monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli (founded 1450). The monks who owned the site from 1628 commissioned to have the church built. The design was approved by 1680 when construction began, and this ended in 1689 when the dome and bell tower were completed. The façade which faces the Arno River and the town was never finished and remains uncompleted till this day.
The interior of the church is decorated with pleasant stucco work and marble altars. It is filled with light from the big windows on the tambour under the dome. The famous frescos of the dome and the side chapels were crafted by great artists of the time, such as Florentine Baroque painter Anton Domenico Gabbiani, Matteo Bonechi, Alessandro Gherardini and Antonio Puglieschi. The famous ‘Smiling Madonna’, the 13th-14th century Tuscan carved and painted wooden statue can be seen in the third chapel to the left. As you leave the church and go into the Piazza di Cestello take note to the left, where you will see the Granary which was built in 1695 to store the city's grain. Choose one of EasyToBook.com’s great deals in one of the area’s discount hotels near to San Frediano in Cestello in Florence. The budget hotels are well centered around fantastic activities for the art lover or history buffs alike.