During our visit to Firenze, we stayed in a very cozy place on the “Via Dante Alighieri”, in the shadow of a large bell tower that stood out above the structures on the street. The bell tower is part of the “Fiorentina” Abbey.
The “Badia Fiorentina” was founded in 978. In 1071 a hospital is added within the walls of the cloister. It was in the twelfth century that the Romanesque church was built. It was rebuilt in the thirteenth century, following the Gothic style. However, in the 17th century the church was transformed again, this time in the Baroque style.
The bell tower is a work that combines the Romanesque style at its base and Gothic at the top. It was built in the fourteenth century. Completing the complex is the “Torre della Castagna” (Torre de la Castaña). This defensive fortress was a gift to the Benedectine monks in 1038.
