Santa Maria Novella is a church in Florence, Italy, situated just across from the main railway station which shares its name. Chronologically, it is the first great basilica in Florence, and is the city's principal Dominican church.
The church, the adjoining cloister, and chapterhouse contain a store of art treasures. But what amazes me is the cemetery situated along the right side of the church, facing the façade.
The old Higher Cemetery of Santa Maria Novella is fenced with gothic archways on niches above the "avelli" (tombs) and contain the deceased of the old noble families of Florence, whose sepulchres are called "avelli."
As for the two obelisks found in Piazza Santa Maria Novella, they marked the start and the finish of the race. They were set up to imitate an antique Roman circus. The obelisks rest on bronze tortoises, made in 1608 by the sculptor Giambologna.
Location: just across from the Santa Maria Novella railway station
Source:
http://giubileo.comune.fi.it/musei/smnovella/lingue/eng/f_chiesa.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Santa_Maria_Novella
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