Florence Pictures | Historical Center | santa-maria-novella | Santa Maria Novella Courtyard
Courtyard to the side of Santa Maria Novella through which visitors enter into the church. The arches all around are in effect a cemetery, housing the remains of many of Florence's illustrious past residents including the tomb of painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. The cemetery existed from the first church that was here, if you look closely at the basilica today you can see the facade incorporated the walls and arches of the cemetery in the lower part.
