Fra Angelico’s San Marco Museum

Another religious building in Florence is San Marco. San Marco is a religious complex consisting of a church and a monastery, now a museum.

The early Renaissance Italian painter Fra Angelico (also known as Giovanni da Fiesole or Beato Angelico) painted his first paintings on the walls of the monastery during his stay there. Therefore, it is possible to find many works related to Fra Angelico here.

One of Fra Angelico’s most important works in the Renaissance period is the work called Besaret. Besaret, which means good news, good news, is the religious name given to the announcement of the birth of Jesus to Mary through the angel Gabriel.

There are many empty cells on the upper floor of the museum. The walls of these cells, where the monks stayed, are filled with decorative frescoes designed and painted by Fra Angelico.

Another work by Fra Angelico is the Crucifixion with Saints fresco of the crucifixion of Christ. The faces of Dominican priests are visible below and around the work.

The museum also has a library. There are many old books in the library built by Michelozzo for Cosimo Medici.

The monastery was also home to Girolamo Savonarola. The anti-Renaissance cleric was the leader of Florence for a while. Savonarola, who lived in San Marco, is known as the person who had books and artworks burned.

San Marco Museum is not very crowded. If you like murals, you might like Fra Angelico’s drawings.