The San Marco museum is housed in what was the cloisters of the monastery, taken over in 1437 by the Dominican order and funded by Lorenzo de Medici. Fra Angelico was one of the monks who lived there and he painted frescoes in many of the monk's cells. Upstairs is the Annunciation, one of his most famous works, and cells along the corridors where you can see frescoes.
Another famous resident was Savonarola (the righteous monk who decried the decadence of Florence's art to end the Renaissance period) and you can see his cell and relics. The large library with an exhibit of important manuscripts was where Savonarola was finally arrested in 1498.
Downstairs are paintings and frescoes by Fra Angelico and other 15th century artists, including a large Last Supper in the bookstore. A long hallway holds interesting relics from what was once Florence's medieval center, destroyed to make way for modernization and the Piazza della Repubblica in the 1860's (more about that when we get to Piazza della Repubblica at the end of our walk, page 7).
Next we'll make our way to the central market. Turn right at the exit and walk past the Galleria dell' Accademia, then turn right on Via degli Alfani and left on Via Sant Orsola.
More about: Fra Beato Angelico | Savonarola and the High Renaissance
