Piazza Santa Maria Novella is one of Florence's larger squares, dominated by the inlaid marble façade of the church but considerably less crowded than Piazza della Signoria or the Piazza del Duomo. Two marble obelisks mounted on bronze tortoises mark the turning points of a chariot race (the Palio dei Cocchi) that was held here from the 16th to 19th centuries. The obelisks were designed by Giambologna.
The square is a useful place to orientate: the railway station is a five-minute walk north, and the square sits at the western end of the main tourist corridor through the city. The Loggia di San Paolo on the eastern side, decorated with della Robbia roundels, closes the square pleasantly. Early morning, before the tour groups arrive for the church, the piazza is a quiet place for coffee from one of the surrounding bars — the Caffè degli Artigiani on the corner serves good cappuccinos to a local crowd.