Chianti between Florence and Siena along the superstrada. Here we find
abbeys and parish churches which clearly retain the imprint of medieval
society. The importance of connecting Chianti with the adjacent Valdarno
and Valdelsa determined the construction sites of these various religious
buildings (abbeys, parish churches, oratories, churches and tabernacles).
The abbeys reflect the influence of various religious orders on the
area, while the parish churches, located in places convenient for the
gathering of the scattered rural population, the need for community
expressed in baptisms and holidays. The oratories and churches were
the religious fulcrums of a village and the tabernacles, located at
points where two or three roads came together, reflect the spirit of
the medieval rural community in its peregrinations. The simplicity of
these buildings reflects the essential religious needs of these people
and this quiet and somber atmosphere is appreciated today as a welcome
contrast to the stresses of the cities.
Badia a Passignano
Badia a Passignano
built during the XI century
This Abbey is located in the heart of Chianti, not far from the superstrada
which connects Florence with Siena. A huge fortified monastic complex
surrounded by great gray crenelated walls and look-out towers, it reminds
one of an inaccessible medieval fortress, and even though there have been
major changes made during these many centuries, particularly during the
1800's, it still tells us of the protective measures the monks needed
both for defense of their lives and for their religious practices.
The abbey was one of the monasteries founded by the Vallombrosian monks
in the 11th century, in their fight against the corruption of segments
of the clergy. These monks, under the strict rule laid out by their founder
Saint John Gualberto, were an essential part of the great reform of ecclesiastical
life in this period.
There is still today a small group of Vallombrosian monks living in the
monastery.
Inside the walls we can see the church of S. Michele Archangel , built
in the 13th century and many times restructured. It has a plain facade
and a single nave but the high altar has frescoes and pictures by Passignano,
an artist born not far from the abbey in the 16th cent.
There are inscriptions both in Greek and Hebrew visible in the wooden
choir, which testify that this monastery was an important center of eastern
studies. The visit includes the refectory where we find a "Last Supper"
by Ghirlandaio.
Pieve of S. Pietro in Boscolo
Located
not far from Tavernelle val di Pesa, it is one of the oldest historical
landmarks of the area. The church was founded around 1000 and recent restorations
have brought to light the original form of the Romanesque architecture.
In addition, archeological studies have recently brought to light, in
front of the church, the foundations of the IV century baptistery. Inside,
the church with its central nave and two side aisles is, in its essential
simplicity, a typical example of the period.
The old stone facade is flanked by a porch of the 1500's that runs down
the right side.
In the vicarage there has been created a museum with works of sacred art
belonging to the parish church and to the nearby parish church of S. Donato
in Poggio.
Badia a Passignano
Pieve of S. Pietro in Bossolo
Pieve of Sant'Appiano
Pieve of S. Appiano
This
monumental complex surrounded by tall stately cypress trees commands
attention not only for its panoramic position but for its historical
importance. Located on top of a hill which slopes towards the river
Elsa in the valley it is a site rich in archeological remaims which
go back to the Etruscan and Roman periods.
In front of the parish church there are four cruciform pilasters,
testifying to the presence of a baptistery of the VII-VIII centuries
located in front of the church. Badly damaged in the earthquake of
1805 it had to be demolished.
The historical importance of the area is confirmed by the presence
of the remains of Saint Appiano, responsible for the evangelization
of the Valdelsa. The ruins that we see today are redolent of its'
original importance as the spiritual and administrative center of
an area under which twenty other smaller rural churches depended.
The rich decoration of the baptistery capitals with the Tau cross
and geometric figures show that it was also one of the official stopping
places for the pilgrims along the via Francigena and moreover that
culturally the area was influenced by Volterra rather than Florence
or Siena.
The richness of the building, the presence of cloisters and the many
works of art, such as the frescoes of the IV century remain a testimony
to the esteem in which this center was certainly held.