Abbazia di Vallombrosa
Abbey
of Vallombrosa
Immersed in a deep forest of Beech and Chestnut, to which the monks added
Fir in the course of the centuries, Vallombrosa (950 m) sits at the head
of a scenographic wooded road.
The imposing complex lies on the site where Saint John Gualberto a Benedictine
monk (985-1073 canonised 1193), member of the Florentine Visdomini family,
founded the new monastic order of the Valombrosians. From here, Giovanni
Gualberto began his predication which gave impulse to a profound reform
in monastic costume.
Through their urban seats, the monasteries of S Salvi and S Trinita, the
monks, from their retreat in Vallombrosa prepared themselves to intervene
in the social and political life of Florence. The Vallombrosians had many
followers in this city and, thanks to substantial donations, extended
their possesions as far as Pratomagno.
Today, the Abbey, in addition to it's 17th century façade
Today the
Abbey, in addition to the 17th century facade, presents numerous remanagments
which date to various phases of construction. The church, whose perimetral
walls and bell-tower date to the XIII century, was restructured by Gherardo
Silvani in the XVII century. Above, there is the Medici stem and a baston
of "Tau" form, the greek letter chosen by the Vallombrosians
as their symbol. Inside, it is decorated in Baroque style; in the chapel
of Saint John Gualberto there are the reliques of the Saint displayed
in a sumptuous 16th century reliquary-case. The Saint's tomb instead
is found in the Abbey of Passignano, another religious center linked
to the Vallombrosian order where he passed the last years of his life
dying in 1073.
As in all of these Monasteries, life was minutely organised: the refrectory,
the kitchen, the library are testimony to the phases which regulated
the monk's day.
Castle of Trebbio
On the road which leads from Sieci to S.Brigida by way of Molin one meets
the Castle of Trebbio, and an example the fortifications typical of the
Tuscan countryside in the 1200s. This ediface, protected by walls, internally
was intended as a self-sufficient center: the well, the oven, the grannery,
guarenteed a degree of autonomy from the insecurity of the surrounding
teritory. In the 1400s, the castle was acquired by the Pazzi family; to
this period belongs in particular the court colonaded on two sides with
colums of the local stone, while the windows and iron-work are of the
XVI century. In the course of the 1800s the castle was modified numerous
times. From the annexed chapel comes a painting by Andrea del Castagno
now in the Contini Bonacossi collection, the coordinated surrounding decoration
of flowers and cherubs still remains. Today, it functions as a farm and
"agriturismo".
Castello del Trebbio
Monastero di Rosano
Monastery
of Rosano
A bridge over the Arno links Pontassieve with Rosano, a little town
which grew up around the Benedictine Convent of S.Maria founded, according
to tradition, in 780, and documented from the XI century. It was linked
to the Guidi family. The ediface today is seat of a community of Nuns.
Dammaged during the second world war, it has undergone numerous restaurations
which did away with the 17th century stucccoes favoring instead the
simple Romanesque lines. On the facade the door of the 1500s records
the date of the foundation and restructuration. The Romanesque bell-tower
with five orders of windows presents elements typical of Lombard architecture
of the same period. The church has a wooden cieling and the three naves
house numerous 14th and 15th century works of art; in the cript there
is a beautiful alter-front in white and green marble which takes up
the decorative motif of the pavement (XII century).