Ognissanti

To the west of Piazza Goldoni lies the old neighbourhood of Amerigo Vespucci, the only Florentine to have a continent named after him. His parish church, San Salvatore in Ognissanti, is set back from the river behind a dingy Baroque façade.

It was built on property donated in 1256 by the Umiliati, a lay order from Lombardy known as the 'Humble ones' for their simple grey garments and vows of extreme poverty. The Umiliati specialized in wool-working (they had learned the latest techniques in Germany, which they introduced to Italy to give the poor work). Originally a small stream flowed into the Arno near here, which they harnessed to provide power for the mills.

The Umiliati were well respected in Florence for their honesty and integrity; several members were canonized; in Florence they served as administrators in the city government. Appreciative wealthy benefactors commissioned the greatest artists of the day to decorate the church, including Giotto, whose famous Madonna with Angels altarpiece is now in the Uffizi, and who also probably painted the Crucifixion in the Sacristy, according to the results of a recent restoration.