Florence - San Martino

Opposite the Dante House, in a little square, is the unassuming church of San Martino where Dante was to marry Gemma Donati. Founded in 986 it passed to the Compagnia dei Buonomini, a charitable brotherhood which cared for the "shameful poor", once wealthy burghers who had lost everything they possessed. The present church is from the second half of the 15th century.

The church is worth a visit for its frescoes which depict the good deeds of the brotherhood - visiting the sick, sheltering pilgrims, etc., and thus provide a vivid picture of everyday life in Florence in the late 15th century.