The Basilica of Santa Maria Novella is one of the most significant churches in Florence, with its coloured marble, elegant form and works of art kept inside. The basilica and adjoining cloister were built by the Dominican Order in the 13th century, starting with the small Church of Santa Maria delle Vigne, called this because of the countryside which surrounded it at the time.The spectacular white and green marble front was started in 1350, when the lower part was designed in the Romanesque style, while the upper part was only finished in 1470 by Leon Battista Alberti.