Churches in Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, Chianti, Tuscany
The Church of Santa Lucia al Borghetto. The church was built in the 13th century in a simple style, paying homage to the Franciscans. Tradition dictates that Saint Francis visited the area. It was restructured many times in the 17th and 18th centuries and was entirely restored in 1889. The building has only one nave, illuminated by high gothic arched windows, contains a few traces of frescoes of the Siena school of the second half of the 1300's, which were brought to light at the end of the 19th century. On the interior, there is an Annunciation for the main altar painted in 1471 by Neri di Bicci and a crucifix painted on a curved wood plate from the school of Donatello.
The Parish Church of Saint Peter in Bossolo. The Parish, which is a few kilometres from the centre of Tavarnelle, was built around the year 1000, and represents one of the most classical examples of Romanic architecture in the Florentine countryside. The Parish church of St. Peter in Bossolo was one of most ancient and famous rural churches built within the Florentine diocese, in what was the first area to follow the Christian belief, after Florence. Ruins of buildings, existing before the Romanic settlements, were found during excavations done in 1967, in the square in front of the parish. At this time, two overlaid buildings came to light. One, identified as the church founded by the first Christians, and the other, built later to function as a baptistry, which housed the large baptismal immersion basin that still remains in the place of worship today. The interior has three naves subdivided by arches resting on quadrangular pilasters. The architecture of the church echoes with symbolism: the twelve pilasters of the the nave represent the apostles, the modular quadrant represents the four evangelists, the four parts of the world and the four letters which make up the name of God in Hebrew. But, above all, the heart of the building is the rectory. The Vicarial Museum of Sacred Art is located inside, set up in 1989, with art from the parishes of St. Peter in Bossolo and San Donato in Poggio.
The Parish Church of S.Donato in Poggio. The parish is one of the few in the Florentine countryside which maintains, unaltered, its original Romanic form. This was brought out in the restoration beginning in 1870. The enlargement of the original building incorporates a pre-existing structure, probably of Longobard origin. A bell tower was built on this foundation, which is irregularly inserted in the plan of the Church. The parish, with three naves and three apses, shows the typical absence of ornamentation of the Romanic style. The terracotta Baptismal basin by Giovanni della Robbia (16th century) is of particular interest.
Returning to the Via Cassia, crossing the town and turning towards Marcialla, brings us toThe Church del Borghetto, a Franciscan church dedicated to the patron saint of the town, Santa Lucia. Built in the typical mendicant architectural fashion, it contains frescoes and plates by Jacopo del Casentino and Neri di Bicci.
Returning to the Superstrada, before the end of the inhabitated area, a right turn will take you to the hamlet of San Donato in Poggio, “a walled village” with the 14th century city walls intact. Both the Renaissance Malaspina Palace and the 17th century Gothic church of S.Maria della Neve are admirable.
The Parish Church of San Donato is located on the road to the Chianti: a directrix, which was already of certain importance during the Middle Ages. The parish (055-8072974) was built in the 12th century and was restored to its original Romanic style during the last century. The interior with three naves and a semi-circular aspe contains a glazed terracotta baptismal basin by Giovanni della Robbia (1513) and a marble holy water stoup with the coat of arms of the priest Bandelli.
Proceeding towards Castellina in Chianti, on the left, is the Church of Santa Maria a Pietracupa (055-8072924). Along the ancient Roman road stands the Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie, where, originally there was a tabernacle which was a site of pilgrimage for the miraculous image of the Virgin, preserved inside the sanctuary. In the 1600’s, Domenico Cresti, called Il Passignano, was given the job to enlarge the sanctuary. Of importance are a Crucifixion by Cosimo Gambertucci (1609), a painting by Il Passignano and a Madonna with Child by Paolo Schiavo. Leaving behind San Donato, and returning towards Tavarnelle, there is a road for Sambuca: a village known for its stone bridge on the Pesa river, cited also by Leonardo da Vinci. There is information about the original “castro” from the 12th century. There are many water-mills in the area.
From Sambuca Val di Pesa you reach the Badia a Passignano: an abbey which has been the seat of the Order of the Vallombrosians since 1020, destroyed in 1255, and immediately reconstructed. The present construction of the monastery dates back to the middle of the 1400’s. Many traces of the original fortifications can still be seen today in the village and in the fortified building which has angled towers and a 15th century gate. The interior can be visited by appointment and the refectory, the cloister, the capital hall, the kitchen with works by Filippelli, Davide and Domenico Ghirlandaio are of interest.
In the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, a 15th century construction with one nave and a Latin cross plan, there are important 18th century frescoes, two tabernacles from the 1500’s, two wooden plate partitions by Michele di Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio, a reliquary by San Giovanni Gualberto and paintings by Francesco Curradi.
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