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tips and exclusive itineraries in Florence
Weekends of Nov. 16-17, Nov. 23-24 and Nov. 30-Dec. 1, the medieval town of San Miniato (located between Empoli and Pisa, to find out more click here)
the birthplace of filmmakers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani
and once home to Frederick II and Napoleon Buonaparte
is the Italian capital of the White Truffle
MOSTRA MERCATO DEL TARTUFO BIANCOThe Mostra Mercato Nazionale del Tartufo Bianco di San Miniato delle Colline Sanminiatesi
organised by the Fondazione San Miniato Promozione
is now in its 53nd edition and takes place when the fruit is at its peak of ripeness and goodness
The city's squares host spaces where the best products featuring the White Truffle of the Sanminiatesi Hills can be tasted and purchased
The city is transformed into an open-air taste laboratory
where internationally renowned chefs combine zero-kilometre organic products with the best traditional recipes for new culinary experiences and trends
Mostra Mercato del Tartufo Bianco San MiniatoSurrounding the Piazza del Duomo with truffles are a range of possibilities among the historic corners and squares where typical local flavours are presented together with other Italian specialities of Taste
one can also find the best of the Italian agro-food industry
A festival of flavours where gourmets and visitors come together to taste all the excellence of food and wine
exhibitions and highlights from 7 to 13 November 2022
What to do in and around Florence from 12 to 18 September 2022
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a bomb killed 55 civilians in the cathedral of San Miniato
Two plaques tell contrasting accounts of the same event
Published: Dec 28, 2023written by Maria-Anita Ronchini
the past has always been a “battlefield.” The same events have been interpreted through parallel
Public memory was generally the result of selective remembering and deliberate forgetting
and mnemonic communities have regularly engaged in highly politicized historical debates to impose their version of the events
Italian historians started to describe Italy’s lack of consensus over the past with the term “divided memory.”
The case of San Miniato (located in Tuscany) is the perfect example of Italy’s divided memory landscape. For decades, the 1944 tragedy has been commemorated as a Nazi massacre
it was actually a US bomb that killed the 55 civilians inside the church
These two conflicting memories have led to the creation of two contradicting plaques
around 4,500 civilians were murdered between April and August 1944
On July 22, 1944, the German divisions occupying San Miniato, a hill town near Pisa, gathered the local population near the Duomo (cathedral). They were women, children, older men, and refugees from other cities. Many young men had joined the partisans operating in the nearby countryside. The only authority left in town was Bishop Ugo Giubbi
the survivors and most of the local population believed that the responsibility for the killing lay with the German army
Many also claimed that Bishop Giubbi was partially to blame for the massacre and accused him of collaborating with the Germans
Giubbi had supported the Fascist regime and was hostile towards the partisans
The first official inquiry into the massacre
Captain of the 362nd Infantry Regiment of the US Army
confirmed the dominant narrative: it was a German mine or time bomb that caused the killing
Captain Russo also wrote that the Germans had acted in retaliation for the partisans’ attacks against them
this first inquiry neglected to order a ballistic report on all fragments found in the church
including the remains of a US explosive device
Gruenther appointed a second commission to investigate the event
Its members reached the same conclusion: the Germans had perpetrated the massacre
the local government set up a commission to establish the final truth about the July 1944 event
The commission interviewed several witnesses
Florentine judge Carlo Gianattasio determined that two shells hit San Miniato’s Duomo
only the German device had caused the tragedy
The inquiry also cleared Bishop Giubbi of any wrongdoings
the town residents continued to doubt his actions
Over the following decades, the version established by the 1945 commission became the official narrative in the town. In the postwar era, this narrative served as the basis of San Miniatio’s antifascist identity and public memory of the war years
not all locals agreed with the official account of the 1944 event
one of the most prominent leaders of the Italian resistance and former prime minister of Italy
The 1954 plaque brought out in the open the lack of consensus over the local past
an alternative account of the event entered the public discourse
refused to endorse the official narrative by stating that it had actually been US shelling that killed the civilians in the cathedral
While Don Giannoni’s counter-memory remained mostly hidden for decades
doubts about the massacre continued dividing the town
local historians began looking into new evidence that questioned the official narrative of the event
After the war, the newly established Italian republic constructed the so-called “anti-fascist paradigm,” a self-exculpatory narrative of Fascism that claimed the Italians had never fully supported Mussolini’s dictatorship
when Italy’s anti-fascist party system underwent a deep crisis
the work of several historians revealed the existence of an intricate microcosmos of alternative
The newly discovered narratives often led to bitter political debates
In 1997, Giovanni Contini published his research on the massacre of Civitella Val di Chiana
a town in Tuscany where the German troops killed 244 civilians in June 1944
showed that many locals blamed the partisans for provoking the Germans’ attack against their community with their “useless” guerrilla warfare
also described Civitella’s memory landscape as “divided” in his 1996 Storia e memoria di un massacro ordinario
Civitella della Chiana 29 giugno 1944–94 (History and Memory of an Ordinary Massacre
these historians pointed out that the anti-partisan memories survived even after official records had demonstrated that they were based on false accounts of events
In San Miniato, contrasting narratives of the massacre continued to coexist. In 1982, movie directors Paolo and Lorenzo Taviani told the story of the killing in their critically acclaimed movie La notte di San Lorenzo (The Night of the Shooting Stars)
where the Germans were blamed for the mass murder of the civilians
The movie won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and reopened the controversy surrounding the events of July 1944
Paolo Paoletti denounced the German “version” as a cover-up
He further declared that archival documents clearly pointed toward an American responsibility
greatly affected the public discourse concerning the massacre
the local council appointed a new commission to investigate the events of July 1944
After taking into account old and new evidence
the scholars on the commission concluded that the killing had not been a premeditated crime of the German troops but an unfortunate consequence of a US shelling
two of the first historians to coin the term “divided memory,” were members of the 2002 commission appointed by the city council of San Miniato
they published their findings in the book Stragi tedesche e bombardamenti alleati (German Massacres and Allied Bombings)
the two scholars suggested that the divided memory surrounding the events of July 1944 needed to be taken into consideration
They argued that the anti-German account had played a key role in (re)shaping the town’s postwar identity
Paggi and Contini called for a “historicization” of San Miniato’s divided memory
there is no denying that the history of postwar Italy cannot be fully understood without analyzing its “divided memory.”
Maria Anita holds a MA in History with a focus in Jewish Studies from the Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität of Munich (LMU) and a BA in History from the University of Bologna
She is currently an independent researcher and writer based in Italy
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Here are some of the best things to do and events to visit during this month
Chestnut festivals (sagre delle castagne) take place in many regions
where roasted chestnuts and chestnut-based dishes are enjoyed by locals and visitors alike
where fresh olive oil is produced and celebrated with food tastings and markets
Many of these fall festivals also include medieval fairs
providing a festive atmosphere while connecting visitors to Italy’s deep-rooted traditions
Whether you’re a foodie or a history enthusiast
Italy’s autumn festivals offer something for everyone
Antique Markets: Immerse yourself in Italian history and culture by visiting the antique markets that take place in various cities
and one-of-a-kind artifacts that will transport you to a bygone era
November is also a good month to catch of Italy’s opera performances
and what better way to immerse yourself in Italian culture than by attending an opera at one of the country’s world-renowned opera houses
Italian opera is celebrated for its dramatic storytelling
making it a must-see cultural experience in Italy in December
Milan’s Teatro alla Scala often opens its season in December with some of the most iconic productions, including operas by Verdi and Puccini. The grand architecture of La Scala, combined with the emotion of live opera, creates an unforgettable experience. In Naples, the Teatro di San Carlo
the oldest continuously active opera house in the world
also offers a series of spectacular performances throughout December
Additionally, Venice’s Teatro La Fenice and Florence’s Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino feature their own seasonal productions
making it possible for visitors to enjoy world-class opera performances in some of Italy’s most historic theaters
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we encourage you to supplement our insights with your own research and seek additional advice when planning your journeys
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celebrations and vigils accompany the faithful on feast days
Let's discover the times of the liturgies in the most beautiful churches in Florence
A rich calendar of events in Florence's symbolic place
Christmas Vigil and midnight Mass on Christmas Eve
Wednesday 25 December Christmas of the Lord: 10 a.m
Ernest Simoni with Papal blessing and plenary indulgence
Until 24 December Novena in preparation for the Solemnity of the Lord's Christmas
the monumental complex is closed to visits
The basilica alone is open to the faithful
to 12 noon and in the afternoon from 3 p.m
The oldest church in Florence on 24 December opens its doors at 10.45 p.m
for the Canto delle Vigilie and the customary Midnight Mass
On Wednesday 25 December there will be a Mass at 8.30 a.m.
In the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella on Tuesday 24 December at 11.45 p.m
santa maria novella firenze storia segreti itinerario
you can choose the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine for Christmas Mass on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 at 8 a.m.
From the one on the cathedral forecourt to the historical one in the Basilica of Santo Spirito: here are the ones to visit
museums and truffles: everything you must do and see in San Miniato
villages and all there is to discover about one of the most beautiful lands of Chianti
Our mini-guide to choose the FAI visits to book province by province
All the most beautiful monuments and restaurants not to be missed in the beautiful Val d'Orcia village
churches: everything you mustn't miss in San Gimignano
palaces and works of art: an itinerary to discover the most beautiful examples of Baroque in Florence
Restoration work in the church of San Miniato al Monte in Florence has been completed
made possible by a donation from Friends of Florence
the American foundation that has been supporting the conservation of the Florentine and Tuscan heritage since 1998
thanks to its donors from all over the world who daily care about the future of these masterpieces
The intervention was carried out under the High Supervision of the Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the Metropolitan City of Florence and the Provinces of Pistoia and Prato
by a team of restorers and professionals in diagnostics and conservation.The restoration involved several parts of the Abbey: theapse with its marbles and the mosaic in the basin
thealtar and the Christ Crucified in glazed terracotta
the latter winner of the 5th edition of the Friends of Florence Art and Restoration Prize organized by the Foundation in collaboration with the Salone of the same name
the works were in different states of preservation: while the pulpit and transenna (the latter with the wall paintings on the back)
were covered by consistent and inconsistent deposits
the altar showed rather extensive alteration at the string-course cornice
the arches and the wainscoting that rests on the marble seat
in addition to a high layer of atmospheric deposition
had old pictorial additions on the loincloth and arms and had one hand totally detached and supported by nails
which was also covered with inconsistent and coherent deposits due to dust
was affected by both structural problems such as lesions and plaster adhesion defects
and superficial problems such as lifting of individual tesserae and more superficial layers of the mosaic
The decoration in some areas was very disordereddue to numerous altered and overflowing plasterwork and extensive repainting
the reliquary bust was also in a compromised state of preservation
both in terms of the constituent materials of the support - marked by some cracks - and the polychromy affected by repainting and numerous lifts in the color and gilding
including analysis of the state of conservation
study of the execution techniques of each work
The team of restorers worked in profound synergy
with full respect for the Abbey and the community of Benedictine monks who live there daily
aware that first and foremost San Miniato al Monte is a place of spirituality and that culture is and must continue to be its support and service
And it is with this in mind that the restoration of each work not only served to preserve the surfaces
but was propitious to ensure their legibility
usability and to study their technical and historical-artistic aspects
The work was carried out under the high supervision of Maria Maugeri and Lorenzo Sbaraglio
official art historians of the Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the Metropolitan City of Florence and the Provinces of Pistoia and Prato
and altar was carried out by Daniela Manna and Marina Vincenti with the collaboration of Laura Benucci
Restoration of the mural painting on the back of the transenna was performed by Bartolomeo Ciccone
The restoration of the apsidal basin is by Habilis S.r.l
(Andrea Vigna and Paola Viviani) with the collaboration of Stefania Franceschini
The restoration of the Christ Crucified in glazed terracotta was carried out by Filippo Tattini
The restoration of the Reliquary Bust of San Miniato was performed by Anna Fulimeni with the collaboration of Francesca Rocchi
Photographic documentation: Antonio Quattrone; Torquato Perissi for the Bust of San Miniato
Photographic documentation with UV fluorescence: Ottaviano Caruso
Scientific investigations by ISPC CNR of Florence by Donata Magrini
Silvia Vettori for the restorations to the transenna at the pulpit
apse and altar; by Cristiano Riminesi and Barbara Salvadori for the mosaic in the apse basin
Investigations with x-ray ELIO spectrometer for characterization and localization of the elements present by acquisition of elemental distribution maps by the Department of Earth Sciences University of Florence (Alba Santo
Petrographic investigations on color samples of the San Miniato Reliquary Bust: Marcello Spampinato
Diagnostic investigations on the San Miniato Reliquary Bust: CT c/o Fanfani Institute
Laser equipment for cleaning the transenna
Video shooting; Artmedia studio of Vincenzo Capalbo and Marilena Bertozzi
with the collaboration of Federico Cavallini
The just-completed restorations represent the latest stage of a journey that began in 2017 with the restoration of the Chapel of the Crucifix and its furnishings
under the direction of Daniele Rapino (this is the chapel erected in 1447 to a design by Michelozzo to house the miraculous Crucifix of St
transferred in 1671 to the Church of Santa Trinita and on thealtar replaced with Agnolo Gaddi’s polyptych depicting the same holy founder of the Vallombrosa Abbey)
the site moved to the Chapel of the Cardinal of Portugal erected following the young prelate’s death in 1459 to a design by Antonio Rossellino with contributions from his brother Bernardo
Through the delicate work of cleaning from the young cardinal’s catafalque
traces of gold that once marked the tomb’s ornaments emerged
while from the glazed terracotta of Luca della Robbia’s covering reappeared the original gold leaf applied to mission thanks to the use of laser employed here for the first time with which it was also possible to remove the now altered purple repainting
our restoration project began on all the marbles of the raised presbytery area
the mosaic of the apsidal basin with the marble facing of the fascia below
Miniato attributed to Nanni di Bartolo was restored
a work that won in 2020 the bid promoted by Friends of Florence in collaboration with the organizational secretariat of the Florence Art and Restoration Fair
Current restoration work began in the spring of 2022 on the marble transenna and ambo
which had already been dismantled in 1910 by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure
to proceed with cleaning and fracture additions
unique pieces of Romanesque art extensively studied by Guido Tigler and Nicoletta Matteuzzi
The transenna that encloses the choir is divided into square panels bearing finely carved rosettes inside
a decoration this close to the decorative motifs of the panels of the dismembered enclosure of the baptismal font of the Florence Baptistery
now preserved in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo
the ambo repeats the one completed around 1162 by Guglielmo for Pisa Cathedral
removed in 1310 to make way for Giovanni Pisano’s
spread throughout Tuscany: one example above all is Guglielmo’s Taglia di Guglielmo ambo for Pistoia Cathedral
with the Florentine variant where geometric decoration was preferred to figurative
The ambo of San Miniato served as an inspirational model for other examples executed in later years
among which the closest appears to be that of the Pieve di Sant’Agata in Mugello
in which is given the date of execution 1775
because of the presence of the same sculptural group
read in iconological terms by Giovanni Serafini as the celebration of the Resurrection
composed of the lion’s head resting on a shelf molded in the shape of an acanthus leaf
compared to the decoration of the transenna
the ambo and the marble facing of the apsidal basin
shows an updating of the geometric score through the insertion of two stylized amphorae on either side of the frontal mirroring
the restoration confirms what Angelo Tartuferi had already argued extensively
namely in other words that it was made in two phases
attributed by the same scholar to the Master of St.Agatha dating it to about 1260
with Christ Pantocrator flanked on one side by Saint Miniatus who in his role as King of Armenia gives him his crown and
a Madonna little legible in its originality as it was extensively remodeled by the 19th-century restoration
The lower band was updated with the symbols of the four Evangelists around 1297
the date placed in the lime in the basin and admissible although the original tiles have been partially replaced
observation from below suggested the need for general cleaning to restore luster to the tesserae
but the true conservation condition became clear only after the scaffolding was erected when the detachment of so many of the original tesserae was determined
If it is difficult to circumscribe the 1491 intervention of Alessio Baldovinetti
who spent the last years of his activity in the care of the mosaics of San Miniato
subject to the replacement of tesserae brought directly from Venice by master glassmaker Sante Antonio Gazzetta in 1860
as a sign of not distinguishing from this to that,” a mirror thought of the method of the time oriented toward remakes rather than keeping the artist’s original intervention and thought comprehensible
is the substitution of tiles by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in 1907
the most intact area of the entire mosaic is the right area
part of the fascia below and the decoration of the intrados of the arch
including the figure of the Madonna for which it is not understandable how much and whether the original design has been tampered with
At the planning stage we all agreed to include in the restoration project also the glazed terracotta Christ Crucified located on the high altar
formerly attributed to Luca della Robbia and rightly traced to the workshop of Benedetto Buglioni by Giancarlo Gentilini
but rather a flattened figure with a hollowed-out back
an indication in my opinion that it is what remains of a composition placed within a demolished niche
The adaptation to an altar crucifix dates to the late 19th century
a dating suggested by the older wooden cross applied to another larger cross in 1930
when the work underwent restoration to reattach the arms to the torso
Very complex because of too many repaintings from past undocumented restorations was the work on the Reliquary Bust of San Miniato
although CT scans found no object inside the sculpture
hence the inference that the relic was in the lost base
perhaps Antonio Federighi trained in 1438 in the shadow of Jacopo della Quercia on the building site of Siena Cathedral
while the name of Baccio da Montelupo is given in a note in the margin of a reproduction preserved in the photo library of the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florence
documented from 1419 onwards alongside Donatello in the Santa Maria del Fiore building site
comforted by the comparison between this sculpture and the Madonna and Child from the Convent of Ognissanti
on display at the major exhibition on Donatello at Palazzo Strozzi
because of the commonality of the figure’s physicality and the structure of the drapery
the dating of the Reliquary Bust of San Miniato should fall within 1423
a date this marking Nanni’s hasty flight from Florence for debt on February 11
sheltering in Venice where he obtained prestigious commissions for the Basilica of San Marco and the Doge’s Palace
placed on the chancel to separate the space of the Heavenly Jerusalem dedicated to prayer
consists of two short and two longer sections with three entrances to access
on the left to the organ and on the right to the choir and sacristy
which has undergone maintenance and restoration over time with substantial replacement of worn or damaged portions of the moldings and cornices
The restoration portions are distinguishable by a slightly lighter coloring of the materials used
Small reconstructions of decorative elements of the cornices were made of alabastrine plaster
Inconsistent and consistent deposits were found throughout the surface
especially at the corner elements of the jambs on either side of the entrances as well as on the reliefs of the decorative panels that are particularly “attractive” to visitors’ hands because of the refined and meticulous sculptural technique
within the carvings was visible a dust consisting of pinkish-colored fibers presumably a residue of an abrasive paste used in previous polishing and maintenance associated with residues of waxy substances applied in the past
black stains resulting from uneven burning were visible
Serpentine elements showed a differentiated degradation with phenomena of disintegration
associated with small-scale failures of both the vegetal decorations of the marble cornices and small portions of the inlays below the ambo
were present at the sides of the entrances and visible at the top of the transenna
The restoration work was marked by the following phases: 1
Careful removal of deposits of an inconsistent nature with low and medium power vacuuming with the aid of soft bristle brushes of various sizes; 2
Mechanical removal with the aid of scalpel of traces of wax and unstable and decohesive fillers; 3
Cleaning with absorbent cotton swabs soaked in decolorized alcohol and pure acetone and subsequent removal of deposits of a more consistent nature with demineralized water
a 10% aqueous solution of ammonium carbonate supported by medium-thick Japanese paper with repeated rinses with demineralized water was used; 4
The most deteriorated serpentine elements were consolidated with brush-applied ethyl silicate until completely imbibed; 5
Small- and medium-sized deficiencies were supplemented with Polifilla stucco
those of depth with river sand and lime putty
those of pink marble with Verona Red marble powder
and those of serpentine with black and green marble powders aggregated by acrylic microemulsion; 6
on two breccia columns with marble capitals in composite Corinthian style
while the other rests directly on the transenna
The entablature consists of a marble cornice in continuity with that of the transenna and a serpentine molded frame
Each side of the pulpit consists of two panels with a central rose window surrounded by geometric inlays of serpentine and marble
On the panes runs a frieze with serpentine and marble inlays like the cornice
a marble shelf worked with acanthus leaves supports a lion on which is placed a telamon monk with a capital supporting the eagle holding a marble lectern
A fair state of preservation was found with rather extensive deposits of a coherent and inconsistent nature
The columns and capitals were particularly chromatically altered due to the presence of fatty/ waxy substances applied during past maintenance work
The delicately carved capitals suffered losses of small portions of matter with obvious wax and blackish burn residues
The pietra serena pulpit flooring bore cracks and and exfoliation in the visible part below
most likely caused by previous water infiltration
The marble and serpentine mirrors and cornices were in good condition
The sculptures bore consistent and inconsistent deposits and brown stains only at the snout of the lion
The restoration work was punctuated by the following steps: 1
Careful removal of deposits of an incoherent nature with low and medium power vacuuming using soft bristle brushes of various sizes; 2
Use of laser equipment for removal of blackish-colored substances visible on the left capital; 3
Mechanical removal of traces of crumbling wax and grout; 4
Cleaning with absorbent cotton swabs soaked in decolorized alcohol and pure acetone and
The apse consists of five niches interspersed with serpentine columns with marble capitals in composite Corinthian style
All decorative elements are made of marble and serpentine
The back slabs are made of Serravezza breccia
All serpentine elements showed rather extensive alteration at the string-course cornice
The marble elements were in a fair state of preservation unlike the capitals due to the presence of a lime-based patination rather consistent with the stone substrate
There were rather extensive remakes and additions on the serpentine elements
Most likely these were polyester resins used during more recent maintenance that caused extensive abrasions on the original marble surfaces during the intervention
After thorough dusting with vacuum cleaners and soft bristle brushes of various sizes
a series of preliminary cleaning tests were performed
The marble elements were cleaned with demineralized water and soft compact sponges after degreasing with absorbent cotton tablets soaked in decolorized alcohol and pure acetone
Only locally were medium Japanese paper veils applied to support a 10% basic solution with the intention of removing deposits of a more consistent nature
Cation exchange resins were used for partial removal of limestone encrustations on the capitals at differentiated times
The serpentine elements were cleaned with water and soft compact sponges while simultaneously consolidating the surfaces with lithium silicate applied by brush until completely imbibed
rinsing the treated areas scrupulously for any excess product
The joints between the blocks were partially integrated with Polifilla while the gaps on the serpentine were integrated with marble powders similar to the original aggregated by acrylic microemulsion
It was then decided to mask the old resin integrations with tempera
acrylic colors and watercolors according to the areas
The altar also underwent cleaning in several stages: 1
Degreasing of the surfaces with absorbent cotton swabs soaked in decolorized alcohol and pure acetone; 2.Removal of deposits of a more consistent nature with soft compact sponges; 3.Mechanical removal with scalpel of wax drips
partial for waxy stratifications with absorbent cotton swabs soaked in White Spirit; 4.Grouting of the joints at the joints between blocks with polyphyll and subsequent masking with watercolors
The execution technique of the parietal mosaic is the direct technique
which involves the application of the tesserae on a plaster that is still fresh
on which a preparatory drawing has been made
the mosaicist connotes the scene with chiaroscuro effects through the slope
The mosaic apsidal cap has an area of about 55 square meters and expresses with its iconographic and iconological setting the didactics of the monastic communities
The San Miniato mosaic was probably made in several stages since the 1370s
One of the peculiarities of this mosaic is the execution technique that makes use of many natural and artificial stone materials and different types of glass pastes
A documented nineteenth-century restoration by Antonio Gazzetta was responsible for an impressive mosaic remake using the indirect technique
whereby the typical irregularity of the mosaic surface was lost for a very planar mosaic with regular tesserae arrangement
Particularly relevant is the rendering of the faces; the tesserae here are very small in size with an irregular texture
Given the material complexity of the San Miniato mosaic
the study and classification of the type of all the mosaic tesserae present was carried out
sorting them into descriptive tables accompanied by macro and microphotographs with metric reference
The methodical classification simplified the reconstruction of the original execution and restoration phases
facilitating the design of the restoration work
The observation of the surfaces and the diagnostic campaign conducted by the CNR
revealed the presence of structural (lesions and plaster adhesion defects) and superficial (lifting of individual tesserae and more superficial layers of the mosaic) problems
The surface was entirely covered with inconsistent and coherent deposits due to dust
and black smoke that had severely opacified the mosaic
The decoration appeared very disordered in some areas due to numerous altered and overflowing stuccoes that could be traced to several earlier phases
Interstitial plastering executed by means of very fluid grouting was found at the face of St
The tiles that showed most advanced degradation were the white marble stone tiles
The gold-leaf vitreous tiles showed typical damage related to the layered structure
Another element of degradation was the presence of extensive repainting that covered many areas of tesserae
The main color used was a deep blue that analysis identified as Prussian blue
In order to expand the knowledge of the work and its state of preservation
first through non-invasive techniques (Thermography-IR
XRF) and later through invasive investigations (FT-IR Spectroscopy
In order to understand the structural stability of the plasters of the entire apsidal canopy
a thermographic investigation was carried out first in total and then in the areas with the greatest plaster detachment problems
The survey finally allowed the mapping of the main plaster detachments
UV fluorescence imaging first allowed the recognition of organic and inorganic materials
imaging also aided the identification of restoration interventions.To characterize the nature of some of the tiles and the different bedding mortars
the deposits were removed in several stages: first by soft brushes and micro-aspirators
fermature with infiltration of PLM-A® hydraulic mortar and mixtures of acrylic resins in aqueous emulsion
Paraloid® B72 in a low percentage was used for the re-adhesion of the tiles
Coherent deposits were removed by ammonium bicarbonate packs in Nevek®
PLM plasters carbon pins and epoxy resin grout lime and sand etched mortar retouching with tempera paints and Laropal resin
The wall paintings in question located at the church of San Miniato al Monte in Florence decorate the back of the right side of the marble transenna with decorative architectural elements
The paintings in addition to being a decorative compendium to the already ornate and rich marble decoration served as a warning to the monks who went to pray as the Latin inscription warned them that “when you are before God do not be far from the heart because if the heart does not pray in vain the tongue works.” The paintings probably date from the earliest period of the church; we can assume execution between the 13th and 14th centuries
With regard to the technique of execution we are faced with a lime painting on fresh plaster for the portion of the decoration adjacent to the access staircase to the pulpit
while a good fresco for the one located near the entrance to the cloister
except for the large portions of plaster remakes executed last century in lime
The state of preservation was all in all good
except for the numerous repaintings present and some plaster detachments about to fall off
The pictorial film was in good conservation condition
After a preliminary dry removal of the loose deposits by means of vulcanized latex sponges the cleaning was conducted with saturated ammonium carbonate solution applied by brush on pure cellulose sheets
was removed by swabbing with organic solvents
The consolidations were done with PLM AL injection mortar and the fillings with lime and sand-based mortar
Pictorial retouching was conducted with watercolors
The work has probably undergone various shifts over the years
and it is not excluded that it was part of a more complete altarpiece
typical of the depictions of the della Robbia and Buglioni workshops themselves
is mounted on a double wooden cross: the first smaller and older
probably made precisely to fit in the apsidal area behind the central throne
Only the head is shown to be well hollowed out from the inside
while the entire rest of the figure has few hints of hollowing
The modeling consists of four portions: the legs
the part that includes the torso and the head
The composition is made to be self-supporting: each piece fits together with the adjacent one
The work had a high layer of atmospheric deposit
The left hand was totally detached and supported only by a few nails
The current conservation intervention involved the removal of the Crucifix from the wooden supports
which included the removal or reduction to the level of the original surface of the old altered interventions
The detached hand was cleaned in fracture and glued in the correct position
Textural and pictorial additions of the gaps were made
the work was remounted on the two wooden crosses
stucco and papier-mâché and depicting St
the Armenian soldier who arrived in Florence where he was beheaded during the persecutions of Emperor Decius
is a sculpture known to art literature whose extraordinary beauty has suggested it as the author of the most representative Tuscan sculpture of the 15th century: Carlo Del Bravo referred it to Antonio Federighi; Martini attributed it to Nanni di Bartolo and Luciano Bellosi to Donatello because of its profound affinity with works of the second decade of the 15th century
The work is carved from a block of wood hollowed out on the inside; papier-mâché was used to make some parts of the interior of the drapery
The mantle is covered with a coarse weave cloth and ammannita to receive plaster preparation
the decoration has silver bulining and leafing
During the preliminary stage of restoration
the work was subjected to diagnostic investigations by CT
UV and IR followed by color and gilding investigations to understand the artistic technique and state of preservation
It was determined that the work was in a poor state of preservation
The polychromy of the fleshwork was obscured by repainting spread over time for devotional reasons: the face had been heavily ’refreshed’
Extensive lifting of the gilding was present in the robe and hair
The conspicuous punched texture on the edge of the robe
and the crown were looking blurred and repainted
although the attack of woodworms was not active
In some wooden parts where fragility was present
consolidation with Balsite resin was performed
stopping of the pictorial film was carried out with glue of organic origin and Japanese paper
In order to characterize the pictorial surfaces to be treated
stratigraphic sampling and assays were carried out
which in the carnate identified three layers of pink color applied over as many plaster preparations
In the parts made shiny by the gilding (hair
mantle and robe) two applications of gold leaf with bolus preparation are noted
On the edges of the robe are traces of silver leaf
In the gilded crown are inserted gems made of pastille and glass paste
through gradual cleaning aimed at restoring the older pictorial layering composed of white lead and cinnabar
Solvent Gels with acetone and benzyl alcohol was applied then finished with several scalpel passes; in the gilding consisting of gold leaf gilding on red bolus preparation
a neutral fat emulsion was used repeated several times due to the presence of paints and mash applied over time
This phase was followed by plaster and glue filling of the gaps present on the polychromy and the filling of the woodworm holes in the wood parts
The pictorial integration of the gaps present on the polychromy of the fleshtone was done by color selection with varnish colors; the gaps in gold were restored with bole and shell gold followed by a final Matt varnish protection in the gold and fleshtone
The restoration recovered the expressive values of the bust conceived as a statue in the round
Also of extraordinary quality is the back carved and shaped with great skill in the articulation of the mantle resolved with folds of surprising beauty
The diaphanous polychromy of the light pink complexion of the young saint with a contemplative gaze with a crown on his head embellished with gems that sinks into the plastic mass of golden hair
like the jagged robe where the hands stand out in a refined pose
a luminous beauty almost as if it were an object of sacred jewelry
“Just as the awe generated by the contemplation of the beauty of the Byzantine mosaic and the other precious marble apparatuses that anticipate here on earth something of the splendor of the Heavenly Jerusalem is ineffable,” says the Abbot of San Miniato al Monte
“so it is really just as difficult for us to find adequate syllables to express the joy
gratitude and admiration of the entire monastic community of San Miniato al Monte in the face of the competition of love
selfless generosity that have made possible the enterprise now being carried out
under the scrupulous and participating gaze of the Florentine Superintendence and in particular of Dr
by workers who with sleepless passion have restored this fundamental chapter of the art and architecture of Tuscany to its source of clarity
I wish to thank in a very special way and with everlasting and prayerful memory the extraordinary and constant commitment of the Friends of Florence to the preservation of the millenary heritage of San Miniato al Monte and
the truly exceptional commitment of the Simon family that gives to Florence and to the whole world so much rediscovered wonder.”
“San Miniato has always been in the heart of Friends of Florence: the support for the restoration of the Tempietto and the Chapel of the Cardinal of Portugal is only a few years old,” stresses Friends of Florence PresidentSimonetta Brandolini d’Adda
“these new interventions allow us to appreciate and experience in depth the beauty that the Abbey gives to those who enter it to pray
The restorations make it possible to return to the community around the world
a heritage of inestimable value made up of details that finally become visible again and enrich a narrative that can be told for years to come
I would like to thank on behalf of our foundation Dr
Maria Maugeri a functionary of the ABAP Superintendency of Florence who directed the work
Abbot Father Bernardo Gianni and the Community of the monks of San Miniato al Monte for welcoming the restoration work
and the entire team of restorers who intervened on the works ensuring that all of us and future generations of people will be able to enjoy these masterpieces
a special thank you goes to our board member Stacy Simon who chose to support the restoration in memory of her husband Bruce: it is through her gift that we were able to carry out the entire restoration project.”
“A meticulous and thorough intervention that required great commitment and passion: being able to admire in all its beauty these restored parts of the Abbey is a true gift to the city and this is the extraordinary result of a great team effort,” stresses Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Culture Alessia Bettini
“We can only say thank you to Friends of Florence
which has always supported Florence’s artistic and monumental heritage
love for Florence and for art and culture.”
“The restoration allows us to appreciate much more and better the entire presbyterial area
the sacred spice of prayer reserved for celebrations and monks
elevated from the hall and very rich in distinguished works,” says Superintendent Antonella Ranaladi
the frescoes and the splendid mosaics were restored and studied by excellent specialists
one has recognized the original parts where the face of Christ
from the later remakes and restorations including the extensive nineteenth-century ones
one can appreciate the variety of materials
the manner of execution of artists and workers
These are works that were choral and become choral again in the completed restoration
thanks to the contribution of excellent specialists and the attention and generosity of Friends of Florence
which confirms here in San Miniato its love for Florence
two masters of the Renaissance that the city of the Rinascimento has leaned on for the last five centuries
Florence is so rich with artistic and architectural wonders; who can blame the conservative Florentines for resting on their laurels or sore-footed visitors for having the sensation that the great Tuscan capital is just one big stifling museum
But Florence has changed over the last five years. Firstly, it’s bigger: in 2021 UNESCO added the churches of San Miniato al Monte
Giuseppe Poggi’s renovated ramps and Piazzale Michelangelo in the Florentine hills to its World Heritage Sites
extending the centro storico to 530 hectares
cleaner and brighter since motor vehicles were banned in the city centre and the rebirth of some of Florence's most important artworks and museums via a series of recent ambitious restorations
And a generation of artisans is breathing sustainability and diversity into Florence’s ancient arts and crafts
Since architect Paolo Desideri’s €175-million conversion of the Teatro Comunale into a multifunctional music space and opera house
urban regeneration projects go from strength to strength
The city’s former granary and army barracks are now a co-working hub and Manifattura Tabacchi
a disused tobacco factory near Piazza Puccini undergoing a progressive €250 million transformation
is destined to be Florence’s new dynamic creative and fashion hub
Italy's most enchanting city is going through a sparkly revival
edgy architecture and quirky twists on regional food popping up everywhere
There's so much more to explore but where to begin
These are all the very best things to do in Florence
San Miniato al Monte churchJohn RizzoBardini VillaWith so much art it’s easy to forget Florence’s proximity to nature both in its glorious hilly surround and its superstar Renaissance gardens – manicured works of art
too grand to be classed as mere “green spaces.” Most magical are the gardens of the Bardini Villa above the city where one can walk through boughs of wisteria
and further on – the terraced Rose and Iris Gardens in the new UNESCO extension – before watching the sun set into the great bowl of Florence from romantic working monastery San Miniato al Monte
Address: Costa San Giorgio, 2, 50125 Website: villabardini.it
Florence is known for the Big Three: Gucci
a fashion game that can now be spotted in any major global city
But a new generation of Florentine labels has restored the hunting thrill to shopping in the city
Following the haute couture seams of Loretta Caponi
young Fiorentina Gioia Bini – now a regular in the pages of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar – designs limited edition hand-sewn bell-shaped and architectural dresses with up-cycled fabrics from the region’s best textile mills
Address: Lungarno Serristori 9, 500125 Website: gioiabini.com
Mercato CentraleGetty ImagesMercato CentraleFood halls are a brilliant way to experience the best of what a city has to offer on the culinary scene
and Mercato Centrale does exactly that for Florence
It’s situated on the second floor of an impressive late-19th-century steel-and-glass market building (a fully operational market complete with traditional butchers
fishmongers and fresh produce can be found on the first floor)
visitors sit at one of the many communal tables in the centre of the space
surrounded by stalls selling everything from pizza
Address: Piazza del Mercato Centrale, Via dell'Ariento, 50123 Firenze FI, ItalyWebsite: mercatocentrale.com
The new €1.8 million re-haul of the Bargello Museum
which was kicked off by a major Donatello exhibition in 2022
is one of a number of recent renovation projects polishing up the city’s greatest hits
Most wondrous are the works at the Brancacci chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine church
where scaffolding forms viewing platforms from which to see Masolino and Masaccio’s restored frescoes masterpieces – often cited as the genesis of the Renaissance
Address: Via del Proconsolo, 4, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy Website: chiesadelcarmine.net
VIVOLI in FlorenceVivoliIn case you’ve somehow managed to miss the many (many) photos and videos of this now Insta-famous cafe doing the rounds on social media
serving tourists and locals alike everything from gelato and cookies to traditional Florentine desserts
there’s only one thing that has them queuing across the road… affogato
creamy gelato into pre-chilled coffee cups before a shot of espresso goes into the hollowed-out middle
once the ice cream has melted into the coffee
Address: Via Isola delle Stinche, 7r, 50122 Firenze FI, ItalyWebsite: vivoli.it
Cathedral of FlorenceGetty ImagesPalazzo StrozzinoA dialogue between Renaissance and the contemporary art age housed in the palace of the Medici's nemesis
the Palazzo Strozzi Foundation upped its game when it hired Arturo Galansino formerly of London's Royal Academy in 2015
Since then it has become a major Florentine institution showing the works of Ai Weiwei
Marina Abramović and Jeff Koon as well as co-hosting the likes of the Donatello exhibition
the iconic Odeon cinema in Palazzo Strozzino across the road is to become a new multifunctional cultural centre
Address: Piazza degli Strozzi, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Website: palazzostrozzi.org
went on to sculpt the same marble as Michelangelo
showed in Florence in 1972 and donated works to the city – all the while cross-fertilising with Tuscan primitivist sculptor Marino Marini
One of the most important Italian artists of the 20th century
Marini’s monolithic equestrian sculptures are shown in this under-the-radar ex-tobacco factory once a chapel designed by Leon Battista Alberti
Address: Piazza di San Pancrazio, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Website: museomarinomarini.it
A view of Florence Old Town with the duomo and the bell tower in the backgroundGetty ImagesSuperduper HatsWith a new space at the urban regeneration project Manifattura Tabacchi
Superduper Hats is the brainchild of Matteo Gioli
Ilaria and Veronica Cornacchini’s who fashion unisex millinery showpieces on antique wooden moulds
Address: Via delle Cascine, 35, 50144 Firenze FI, Italy Website: superduperhats.com
KatayaIacobella GaetaniInspired by the Colombian Mochila
Iacobella Gaetani founded her eponymous handbag label in 2019
A fusion of Florence’s leather- and jewellery-working cultures
Iacobella’s hand-stitched plaited bags often use recycled leather strips and have a gem fastening as their trademark
Website: iacobella.com
Sileno CheloniMarcela Schneider FerreiraSileno CheloniNew perfume laboratory Sileno Cheloni is a nod to the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutico Santa Maria Novella
the historic pharmacy founded by Dominican friars in 1221 with its flagship in the celestial chapel of San Niccolo’
in a space that rather conjures the dark arts
master perfumer Cheloni has created an “olfactory library” of 2,000 essences for his one-off alchemical creations
which also come in the form of medieval-style scented silver pomanders
Address: Via di San Niccolò, 72R, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy Website: silenocheloni.com
Photography by Emiko Davies
selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter
If there were a Tuscan town that had it all for me
it would be San Miniato – and I’m not just biased because it’s my husband’s town
It’s also because there are white truffles
which have turned the place into a gourmand’s paradise
Not to be confused with San Miniato al Monte
the hilltop town of San Miniato is not on many tourists’ radars
yet it sits in a sweet spot conveniently halfway between Florence and Pisa
Siena and San Gimignano – a position that made it a strategic rest stop for centuries on the via Francigena
the medieval pilgrimage route that connected Canterbury to Rome
a sweeping view of the surrounding Arno valley opens up
revealing a painterly panorama of centuries of Tuscan farming
cypress trees and terraced citrus gardens interspersed with hills of native forest that guard the secrets of one of the world’s true rarities: il tartufo bianco
the author’s home © Emiko DaviesTartufaio Luca Campinotti
inspects a white truffle © Emiko DaviesOnly a few select places on the planet – including the Balkans and the Istrian peninsula – can say their soil harbours white truffles
Italy is blessed with a handful of such regions
Alba in Piedmont and the Crete Senesi and San Miniato in Tuscany
San Miniato’s claim to fame is that a whopping 2,520g white truffle was found here in 1954 by Arturo Gallerini and his dog Parigi
a nugget that weighed in at nearly double that of any modern records
It was given to the American president Dwight D Eisenhower in an attempt to put San Miniato on the map
To add to the exclusivity of white truffles
try as we may we have struggled (bar a few experimental handfuls in south-west France in the past couple of years) to cultivate them like black truffles (also known as the Périgord or French truffle)
They must be sought out in the wild like buried treasure
What makes things even more intriguing is the fact that humans are completely useless at finding truffles and need animals to sniff them out for us
Thousands of euros and months of work are spent buying
breeding and training Lagotto Romagnolo or Meticcio Sanminiatese (San Miniato’s own special breed of truffle dog) puppies to help find and pluck these diamonds out of the woods
Macelleria Sergio Falaschi © Emiko Davies (2)Truffles on sale in San Miniato When I go truffle hunting with tartufaio Luca Campinotti
who is part of the inimitable Savini Tartufi team
Luca is just “taking a nice walk in the woods”
but he’s been so well trained that he isn’t into eating them (unlike pigs
which are no longer used for truffle hunting due to the dangerous impracticalities of trying to take a truffle out of a pig’s mouth and the damage they can cause to the ecosystem)
Fiuto is there for the treats deep in Luca’s pockets
The result of a symbiosis with the roots of particular trees (birch
white truffles grow from spores distributed with the help of forest creatures that seek out the intoxicating scent – squirrels
wild boars and even snails love to snack on truffles too
Luca is always careful to cover the hole made by Fiuto back up with soil
so that the spores left there may grow into new truffles
Shaved white truffle on spaghetti © Emiko DaviesFiuto digs for a truffle © Emiko DaviesTechnically in season between September and December
the autumnal white truffle is a fickle thing
naturally less abundant than black truffles
But with Tuscany’s consistently prolonged summer weather
Conditions need to be just right – the trees
White truffles are up to 80 per cent water
so a bit of rain and some morning frost to help them ripen is beneficial
oyster fossil-studded soil – remnants of the Pliocene era when San Miniato was a seabed
We spot quite a few of these shells as we’re truffle hunting
and I can’t help but notice how perfectly camouflaged white truffles are in their sandy surrounds
which grow relatively close to the surface
these precious white fungi are usually buried so deep in the ground (often up to 40cm below the surface) that they need to emit a very strong perfume for animals to know they are ripe and ready to be found
the unique scent of a white truffle – earthy
even garlicky – is so much more powerful than mellow and mushroomy black truffle
Fiuto is hardest at work when it’s white-truffle season; Luca
the one and only tool a truffle hunter is permitted to have) in one hand
ready to help dig or break roots if needed
while keeping a keen eye on Fiuto’s eager digging – one paw too far and the truffle can be broken
Don’t think too much about what to do with a white truffle
There are also food stalls selling everything truffle-related that you can imagine and plenty of things you can’t – chestnuts
Stop by the fourth-generation butcher shop Macelleria Sergio Falaschi
custodians of the town’s only slow-food presidium
for a spiced blood sausage called mallegato
Its fresh white-truffle sausages alone are worth the trip and it has one of the best views from the back of the shop
which has been turned into an informal restaurant
Così è si Vi Piace deli © Emiko Davies (2)Market stalls in San Miniato You can also do a tasting of San Miniato’s local wineries – seek out the wines from Cosimo Maria Masini
a picturesque biodynamic winery where native grapes are grown
pressed and fermented into elegant wines such as “Daphné”
a macerated orange wine that would go nicely with any white-truffle-laced dish
book one of the few tables at Ristorante Maggese and try the chef’s dégustation
playful fine dining experience where you can taste locally produced ingredients paired with white truffle and made with such care and packed so full of flavour that omnivores won’t even realise it is vegetarian
Luca’s truffle dog Fiuto © Emiko DaviesAnother highlight of visiting the festival is having the opportunity to take a white truffle home. It’s not cheap. White truffles have a price tag that reflects their rarity. Last season’s truffles went for €7,000 a kilogram – a high price thanks in part to the ongoing drought in Tuscany that meant fewer to go around
or even less (this season looks slightly better than last but it is still unseasonably warm and dry for white truffles
which are going for around €4,000-€5,000 per kilo)
Luckily a little goes a long way and you only need five to 10 grams of white truffle per person for a good truffle dish
You should be allowed not only to look but to touch and smell
keep going until you find someone who will oblige
A perfectly ripe one will be firm like a stone
and will have a deep brown marbled interior and that intense
which you don’t want to clean off until you are ready to use it (a gentle brushing with a soft toothbrush or nail brush and a damp paper towel will do the trick; don’t be overly zealous about cleaning as the skin is delicate)
Truffle produce at the San Miniato white-truffle festival © Emiko Davies (2)Freshly dug white truffles Once you have a perfect white truffle
it will keep for a maximum of five to six days when looked after carefully
Keep it wrapped in absorbent paper towel (change each day) and sealed tightly in a glass jar in the fridge
white truffles’ flavour and scent are elusive
If you try to cook a white truffle you will destroy the perfume that makes it so prized
Simply shave it thinly over a dish right at the moment of serving: preferably it should be something warm to let the aroma waft up to your face – a truffle-infused steam bath for your senses
If you find you aren’t going to use it all at once but want to conserve it
Gently melt some of the best unsalted butter you can get and grate (use a microplane for best results) the fresh truffle into it
Add good-quality salt to taste if you wish
Pour into small glass jars and store the white-truffle butter in the fridge for up to several weeks
Butter preserves truffle perfectly and you have yourself one of the best condiments ever
Spoon your white-truffle butter into scrambled or over fried eggs
top a steak with it or simply spread it generously onto warm crostini and maybe drape an anchovy over the top
breathe in that special aroma and imagine you’re back within the 12th-century walls of San Miniato
In the final minutes, with the victory on ice, there is also room for the young Nica, Marcantoni and Fabrizi. The best scorers of the Amaranth are Bischetti with 21 points and Dal Pos with 16. Now we await the official date of game 1, which Arezzo will play on the parquet of San Miniato. The series will be the best of three challenges.
This imposing 12th-century building is one of the best-known symbols of San Miniato; its Pisan Romanesque facade is completely covered with red bricks between which are inserted 26 decorated ceramic basins
the style is purely neo-Renaissance with a profusion of Baroque decorations
while the coffered ceiling is richly carved according to seventeenth-century taste
The cathedral in its long history was also the scene of a tragic bombing that
cost the lives of 55 people who had taken refuge here and inspired the Taviani brothers’ masterpiece La notte di San Lorenzo
The splendid palace of the Episcopal Seminary is the building that perhaps best testifies
with its austere grandeur and its style at once clean and refined
to the importance of San Miniato in the affairs of this corner of Tuscany
Built following the ancient outline of the medieval walls
the seminary has gradually expanded since 1622 when the Diocese of San Miniato was established
Today this Renaissance-style building no longer houses young seminarians
but is home to municipal and diocesan offices
associations and religious institutes as well as the Seminary Library
a precious archive of unpublished and ancient documents and books
This 16th-century church originally belonged to the Augustinian friars of the Lecceto congregation
Its façade is made of brick and blends admirably with all its surroundings; however
one only has to cross the doorway to find oneself in a quite different environment
where frescoes and sculptures of fine workmanship stand out
the result of work carried out between the 17th and 18th centuries
the Church of the Santissima Annunziata is famous for its dome
hidden on the outside by a tall octagonal drum
decorated with a fresco by Anton Domenico Bamberini celebrating the coronation of the Virgin
The earliest traces of a place of worship in this part of the town probably date back to before the year one thousand
and although the present appearance of the church dedicated to Saints Michael and Stephen is due to a series of transformations carried out at the turn of the 16th and 19th centuries
one only has to walk through its main door to touch on all the rich past
To fully appreciate how much is preserved by these ancient walls
one must sharpen one’s eyesight; only then
A visit to the diocesan museum to admire numerous artifacts that have adorned this church for centuries is also a must
Embraced by a grand eighteenth-century staircase and overlooking a terrace that lies in the space between the Rocca
Anton Domenico Bamberini is credited with the scenes from the life of Christ that adorn all the walls
but also of great value are the 19th-century statues of the four evangelists in the pillars of the dome or the imposing pipe organ that dates from the mid-18th century
This magnificent 14th-century building contains within its walls the past and present of San Miniato
the Palazzo Comunale has undergone restoration and expansion to adapt to the needs of the lords of the day
and each of these transitions has left indelible traces
Today the palace houses the Municipality of San Miniato
but it is also one of the most visited places in the town
it is possible to admire the Oratory of Loretino
whose walls are decorated with a cycle of 15th-century frescoes
the place where decisions were made for the leadership of the free municipality after the death of Frederick II and which is completely frescoed with sacred and civic representations dating back as far as the 14th century
The construction of this fortified tower that stands out from the top of the hill of San Miniato dates back to the period between 1217 and 1223 at the behest of Frederick II
The tower was long a place of detention for political prisoners until it was gradually abandoned in the 16th century
During World War II the tower was completely demolished by the Germans
the tower was just under 40 meters high and ended with several cylindrical brick columns that
an extraordinary panorama stretching from the Apennines to the sea
One of the gems of San Miniato’s magnificent cathedral square is definitely the large Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art
It is one of the first museums of its kind in all of Italy and is located within the premises that originally housed the sacristies of the cathedral
In the five rooms of the museum are collected more than 50 works from the various parishes of the diocese and placed in an order from the oldest
canvases and an original scale model depicting the Church of the Most Holy Crucifix
The Chapel of the Cardinal of Portugal in theAbbey of San Miniato al Monte
a masterpiece of the Florentine Renaissance
The lengthy restoration was carried out under the supervision of Maria Maugeri with the Superintendence of Archaeology Fine Arts for the Metropolitan City of Florence and the Provinces of Pistoia and Prato; the three-year project was made possible thanks to a team of experts and thanks to funding from the Friends of Florence association.Cutting-edge technologies and ancient techniques were used: after careful investigations and assessments carried out on the entire space
the team of experts recovered the surfaces and details of paintings by Alesso Baldovinetti and Piero and Antonio del Pollaiolo
works by Antonio Rossellino and terracotta masterpieces by Luca della Robbia
“San Miniato al Monte is special for Friends of Florence,” said association president Simonetta Brandolini d’Adda
“Three years ago we contributed to the restoration of the ciborium on the occasion of the church’s first millennium
with the presentation of the renovated Chapel of the Cardinal of Portugal
we are promoting our commitment to preserve the Abbey.”
“The community of San Miniato al Monte is profoundly grateful to the Friends of Florence and the donors who made this restoration undertaking possible
restoring to its original beauty one of the most illustrious monuments of all Renaissance art and of the millennial history of San Miniato al Monte
thus helping to make beauty and its preservation a wonderful instrument of consolation and hope in the face of the mystery of death.”
The Chapel of the Cardinal of Portugal is one of the most important Florentine Renaissance chapels
Located in the church of San Miniato al Monte
it was built in the middle decades of the 15th century on the will of Cardinal James of Lusitania
a member of the Portuguese royal house who died suddenly in Florence in 1459
Commissioned by Archbishop Alvaro to Antonio Rossellino in 1461
the design and construction of the chapel and tomb were entrusted to a group of artists
The relatively small and square space has a vaulted ceiling
and four coffered arches decorated with 69 rosettes in pietra serena
The inlaid floor was made by Roman craftsman Stefano di Bartolomeo from serpentine marble
The vaulted ceiling has a geometric motif in glazed terracotta imitating mosaic with a central roundel depicting the Holy Spirit; around it are embossed personifications of the four cardinal virtues: Temperance
Justice and Fortitude; the latter shows a shield on which the arms of the deceased cardinal are crossed with those of the House of Aragon
The depiction of a large marble curtain introduces visitors to the niche in which the tomb rests on a base covered with finely “embroidered” drapery
traces of original painting and gilding were found
The top of the tomb depicts the young cardinal
Angels in flight frame the door that leads the cardinal to eternal life
while the final register includes two angels in relief holding a crown in which the Virgin watches over his eternal resting place with Baby Jesus
After completing the right wall with a final payment of 421 florins in February 1466
Antoniop Rossellino devoted the next few months to the opposite wall where
he placed an episcopal throne with inscriptions on the sides
Around the arches are frescoes of the Evangelists accompanied by the Doctors of the Church
and the lunettes of the chapel depict the Prophets facing the biblical Patriarchs
Purchased by the Florentine Galleries in 1866 and replaced by a good copy in the 1930s
the young cardinal’s personal patron
patron of the church of which the cardinal was titular
who was highly venerated in the Iberian Peninsula
In front of them will be a Gazzada now devoid of objectives. Etrusca will therefore have to approach the match with intensity and lucidity, leveraging the experience of the group and the need to regain confidence in view of the play-off and with a long season behind them and a future yet to be written, San Miniato will play it all in one night, between the desire for redemption and the will to continue dreaming big.
Autumn in Tuscany is the season of grapevines turned golden in the sun
It’s a time to cherish the fruits of the earth and the vine
Restaurants put up handwritten signs touting fresh porcini mushrooms
festivals celebrating local food and history
Living in Florence over the past few years
I’ve relished taking short local train excursions within the region of Tuscany
Here are three day trips on regional trains that will take you to three provinces
All the trains leave from the huge central Florence train station
Buy your tickets in advance – I use Trainline
or you can buy tickets from machines in the station
The trains themselves move relatively slowly
Some may be modern three-car commuter trains; others will remind you of European trains you may have taken years ago
with no assigned seat numbers and windows that can be opened
the Tuscan town of Marradi holds its chestnut festival
music and the pervasive scent of chestnuts roasting
But visiting any day of the week will immerse you in chestnut season
Marradi is in a broad green valley called the Mugello
which claims connections to both Giotto and Dante
On the train ride there (see below for information)
Take the five-minute stroll from the train station
where you’ll find paintings by the Maestro di Marradi
an anonymous painter working at the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th
The Maestro was probably a pupil of Domenico Ghirlandaio
and he originally painted these paintings for the Abbey of Marradi
only 11 years old – who was tortured and martyred for her faith in the third century
she was the patron saint of Florence (the Duomo replaced a church dedicated to Santa Reparata)
you will find her at the Madonna’s right hand
which is in the piazza where you will find yourself after crossing the river
you’ll find information about the chestnut trees; lots of chestnuts on display; posters demonstrating how chestnuts can be used
from liqueurs to marrons glacés; and sculptures
set in the hollowed trunk of a chestnut tree
You’ll also be right near the charming little Teatro degli Animosi
and should step inside if it’s open; it was built in 1792
a villa that has belonged to the Torriani family for centuries
Tours led by a family member can be arranged (call in advance)
and the public rooms include some beautiful painted ceilings from the early 20th century
Then climb a flight of steps to the gracious central Piazza delle Scalelle
often used as a market square on festival days
where you’ll find sweeping views of the roofs and towers of Marradi and the surrounding hills
You can also descend and walk along the river
where there will probably be a chestnut-roasting operation on festival days
You might want to reserve a table for lunch at the restaurant you passed as you walked from the train station: Ristorante Il Camino
which has tables along the street and overlooking the river
Order the fantastic housemade pasta with sausage and porcini
or ravioli with black truffles; try the grilled lamb chops with cherry tomatoes or the beef filet topped with a large porcini mushroom cap
a lavish multicourse lunch might cost 40 to 50 euros (or about $40 to $50)
and there are excellent local desserts – but save room for those chestnut treats
Marradi also offers plenty of stores selling chestnut products to take home
I recently came back with cookies made with chestnut flour
a bottle of terrific grappa (brandy) made with chestnut honey
Train: From Santa Maria Novella in Florence
buy a ticket to Marradi-Palazzuolo sul Senio
The ride takes about an hour and 15 minutes
which is about 31 miles to the west of Florence
especially if you are interested in truffles
was a martyr saint who was tortured and ultimately beheaded by the Romans in Florence
He is said to have picked up his head and traveled across the Arno River to the site of his church
You can reach San Miniato in 40 minutes on one of the regional trains heading west from Florence toward Pisa or the coast
which takes place over the last three weekends in November
Shuttles will meet the train and take you up the hill to the historic center; otherwise take a bus or taxi
either of which will bring you to the Piazza del Popolo
The hills around San Miniato yield the highly prized white truffles
and you can watch them carefully weighed and sold in town even when there is not a festival
But the white truffle harvest is a major event
The town’s identity as a truffle destination is also celebrated in a statue of a truffle hunter
There’s a tourist information office in Piazza del Popolo
walk uphill for five to 10 minutes into town
and you’ll soon find yourself in the Piazza della Repubblica
admiring the beautiful frescoed facade of the seminary
A staircase will take you up to the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and San Genesio
which dates to the 12th century; the facade is remarkable for inset ceramic plates from North Africa used as decorative elements
(The originals are in the cathedral museum.) There is a beautiful bell tower
named for a powerful Tuscan countess from the Middle Ages
the Germans gathered local people into the church
which was then hit by an artillery shell from the U.S
“The Night of the Shooting Stars,” by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani
a small chapel dedicated to the Madonna of Loreto
which originally contained a much-venerated crucifix from the beginning of the 15th century
The 16th-century wooden altar in the oratory includes the scene of San Miniato’s martyrdom
and there are wonderful early Renaissance frescoes on the walls
with scenes from the life of Jesus; on the ceiling
accompanied by one of the classical sybils and the Four Evangelists
you will quickly (if breathlessly) find yourself at the Rocca di Federico II
This is a rebuilt structure – the original
built for the Holy Roman Emperor around 1220
You can pay to climb the tower for a great view of cultivated fields
All this should help you work up an appetite
you’ll find stalls and delicacies everywhere
but the town is also full of restaurants serving local cuisine
some of which take advantage of the same hilltop vistas you saw from the tower
offers housemade salami to buy and take home; a restaurant in back has a spectacular open terrace looking out on the hills
and offers wine and snacks all day and a full menu
Train: Buy a ticket to San Miniato-Fucecchio
You may be offered a route with a change at Empoli
but there are also many direct trains headed for Pisa
If you are traveling during the truffle festival
shuttles to town will be available; if you are there on a nonfestival day
which leaves outside the station every half-hour
about 16 miles to the northwest of Florence
Prato is the capital of its own Tuscan province; it’s an industrial city
important for textiles since the 12th century
But you’ll also get the chance to see world-class Renaissance masterpieces
and taste the famous Prato cantucci cookies (the ones you dip in sweet vin santo at the end of a meal)
Prato is also a center for Italy’s Chinese population and there are plenty of restaurants offering Chinese food
Take one of the frequent trains from Florence to Prato Porta al Serraglio
and walk the short distance to the 12th-century Romanesque Cathedral of Santo Stefano
green-marble facade was added in the 15th century
along with the monumental pulpit on the outside facade of the church
built and decorated by Michelozzo and Donatello
the priest could show the public Prato’s greatest treasure: the Holy Belt
Thomas at the time of her assumption to heaven
and its illustrious journey to Prato is told in gorgeous color in paintings by Bernardo Daddi
which can be seen in the Palazzo Pretorio Museum
along with a multimedia installation on the history of the Belt
buy a ticket for 8 euros to the cathedral museum
where you’ll find a room with the original carved Donatello panels from the outdoor pulpit
(The panels outside are reproductions.) Here are Donatello’s joyously dancing children
The same ticket will take you into the chapel inside the cathedral where Filippo Lippi painted his famous 15th-century fresco cycle on the lives of St
The paintings feature unforgettable scenes: the saints in their youth
the artist created a remarkable scene of Herod’s banquet and the beautiful dancing Salome in her diaphanous gown – off to the side
The beautiful chapel right next to it was painted by Paolo Uccello from 1430 to 1450 with scenes from the life of the Virgin and Saint Stephen
There is plenty more to see and do in Prato
There are also restaurants serving local dishes – Prato makes its own version of mortadella
open continuously from noon to around midnight
And as you walk down the main street away from the cathedral
where the cantucci cookies (also called biscotti di Prato) have been made since 1858
and also variants like hazelnut or chocolate
The cantucci will leave you with a sweet taste of the variety and complexity to be found in this fascinating region
Train: Buy a ticket to Prato Porta al Serraglio (one stop beyond the central station in Prato
so be sure you wait for Porta al Serraglio); it will cost 2.70 euros each way and take between 20 and 30 minutes with no changes
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History is what interests me about the food
Tuscan ricotta-and-spinach dumplings are called gnudi because they’re ravioli stripped of their pasta clothing
Dante Alighieri pined nostalgically for pane sciocco
And every ingredient has a reason for being
a focaccia studded with wine grapes made only during the harvest
Uncovering these stories behind the food inspires my books; it also shapes my family’s travel
or “drunken bread,” a sweet and airy loaf steeped in dessert wine
and try the house-made tagliatelle served with classic ragu or porcini
so sharing a bistecca would go perfectly with a glass of Brunello
My husband’s birthplace of San Miniato, famous for its white truffles, is 24 miles from Florence along the Arno. Just shy of this hilltop town, you’ll hit the Cosimo Maria Masini winery
a certified biodynamic vineyard focusing on indigenous Tuscan grape varietals
The wine to take home is Daphné—a slightly macerated (orange) white made with Tuscan malvasia and trebbiano
We always stop by a fourth-generation butcher’s called Macelleria Sergio Falaschi
sustainable produce and make their own salumi
My favorites are their sausages with white truffle and spuma di gota
a creamy paste made of pork jowl fat from Tuscan heirloom Cinta Senese pigs
delicious on just-toasted crostini or tossed with pasta
they’ve opened an informal eatery with one of the best views around
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The White Truffle is 'considered a "magical fruit"
the "diamond of the earth" or "white gold" also for its price that last season touched the 4000 euro per kg
For three weekends in the medieval town of San Miniato (between Empoli and Pisa) is the capital of the Italian White Truffle
The National Exhibition of White Truffle of San Miniato
when the fruit will find its full maturity and its maximum goodness
Together with the white truffle you will appreciate the best of Italian excellence
The chefs will have an over two kilometers of open laboratory of taste most important in Italy
where the typical products meet the more than one hundred thousand visitors expected from all over Italy to learn the latest trends in kitchen and new alliances of taste
A real festival of knowledge and flavors where gourmets and visitors gather to appreciate the excellence of
Truffle hunters with their dogs champion will compete in the heart of Tuscany
in a magical land in a pristine environment and from September 10
opening day of the collection of the White Truffle of San Miniato
to find in forests valuable nuggets and try to break the record of Arturo Gallerini
since the hills of San Miniato Truffle found the world's largest
already present in the first edition and confirmed
San Casciano and San Piero a Sieve have been added
The top places and fun things to do with the little ones
Our city has its own start of the year: we reveal its origins and special initiatives to celebrate
Let's discover together all the fashion appointments not to be missed in the city
Let's find out together where to go to find villages
From 27 November to 5 December at the Fortezza Da Basso
The woman who turned the stole into a sought-after item reveals the unseen face of her city
design and enterprise generate positive energy
Via Francigena
and a full homemade apricot pie (‘crostata’) for the journey: this is how San Miniato waved at us as we said goodbye
We passed through the second part of the town discovering that it had been decorated with pilgrims drawn on posters by kids participating to summer camps of the local Shalom movement
now 100% famous Toscana landscapes you see on holiday postcards
I took many pictures and videos and enjoyed every corner of the view along the entire stage
a well-known local pilgrim who shared stories about the local history and landscape; he pointed out that
we could already see the towers of San Gimignano in distance
We were also accompanied by Elisa Montanelli
and by the Podisti Casa Culturale association
led us to a tall wooden art installation he created
in which he carved the figure of a pilgrim and the words “20 years Road to Rome”
If you stand on the right side of the installation
you see a perfect frame of the town of San Miniato inside the ‘zero’ of number 20
I had already seen this installation (when we were still in France) on social media: our page had been tagged a few times in pictures of it by pilgrims who passed by
I finally see it with my own eyes – it seemed so far away then
We headed towards Gambassi Terme accompanied by Andrea Mezzetti
who came to meet us by bicycle to greet us before we entered the town
We also met up with members of Gambassi Terme’s Proloco – who will host us at Hostel Sigerico and are organizing today’s
program: we will be stopping here for a day of rest
We were also joined by members of the Greenbassi association
who take care of maintenance and signposting of the Via Francigena in this territory
taking up the most essential role for the overall survival of the Via Francigena
Associations who take care of territorial maintenance of the trail are in fact mostly volunteer-based and are the emblem of the success of the Via – in name of EAVF
I want to thank Greenbassi and all the other associations that are taking direct care of the route
The Proloco Gambassi Terme group decided to come to rescue us with a big watermelon
I’m not particularly fond of watermelon
but jeez…it was the most amazing thing I ate today
Shortly after we were rescued by more water: it started raining – properly
The air cooled down; I didn’t wear my k-way
and enjoyed the fresh feeling of raindrops on my skin
It feels weird not to walk for 24 hours….What am I going to do?
– Meeting the Greenbassi Association and Irene
– The wonderful taste of fresh watermelon when getting really tired
Irina Creazioni Uniche & Association Greenbassi
Alice Sconfietti & Francesco Mugnani (@viaggiaconalice)
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either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter
or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources
Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content
This American former soldier who fought in Italy during World War II before going on to become a New York City cop is on a quest to find these schoolchildren he photographed in 1945
"I held the rank of Private first class (PFC)," Edward Roethel
who is now over 90 and a veteran of World War II
were on the way from Naples to the Battle of the Bulge to serve as replacements
Our troops set up camp in San Miniato for a period in June 1945
"I was out for a walk with an Army buddy in San Miniato inspecting the damage to the Town Hall when I noticed what looked like a group of small
cute school children lined up to go to school and I snapped their photo
He had been deployed in Italy as part of the Fifth Army and was stationed in Naples in 1944 before he was sent to the town of San Miniato
located in the province of Pisa in the Tuscany region
The Fifth Army landed on the southern Italian beach of Salerno
It was the first American military force to invade mainland Europe during the conflict that pitted the Allies against the Nazis and other Axis powers
Italy in December 1944 and sailed back to the United States from Livorno in August 1945 having spent much time in the beautiful Tuscany region during that time
"Our troop ship was sailing to the Panama Canal and Japan when the War ended and we were re-routed to Boston."
He said that after the war, he "married a few years later and joined the New York City Police Department and retired as a lieutenant."
Roethel now wants to find the children he photographed back in 1945
and the town of San Miniato is trying to help him reach his goal
all Roethel has to go by is a black and white photograph of eight schoolchildren standing on some steps in front of a building entrance
He remembers that it was a "hot day" but he does not remember their names and the closing months of the war were characterized by numerous displaced families being hosted by locals
a spokesperson for the municipality of San Miniato
expressed the desire to trace the children immortalized in this photo or some of their relatives
"Edward was employed in the Fifth Army and arrived in Naples in December 1944
he does not know the names of the children
"These children today should be around 80 years old and may not be from San Miniato because at the time in the city there were also many families displaced from other areas of Tuscany
"We ask the citizens if anyone recognizes themselves in this photo or if they recognize a family member, contact us by writing to ufficioostampa@comune.san-miniato.pi.it or by calling 348/8160268
This story was provided to Newsweek by Zenger News
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It was unveiled today, Thursday, June 28, 2018, the installation Eldorato: Birth of a Nation, by Giovanni De Gara (Florence, 1977), who placed on the doors of the basilica of San Miniato al Monte
one of the most famous churches in Florence
the golden thermal blankets that are given to migrants at the end of their exhausting journey when they arrive in European ports
The blankets were placed to cover the three entrance portals for an installation that
echoes the gold of the 13th-century mosaic with Christ between the Virgin and Saint Miniato that adorns the pediment of the facade
But the meaning of the work goes further: it is
“a strong sign of welcome,” promoting “a profound reflection on migration
built beyond the idea of borders and capable of being human again.” The work
“recounts the illusion of this millennium: the existence of a land of gold
A distant land about which little is known and wonders are imagined; a land beyond the horizon line that hides it from us.”The aim of the project is to promote a deep reflection on the theme of welcoming every individual
and at the same time to give a message of warmth and salvation to those who migrate
and dreaming of a promised land (but often find before them death at sea
The title of the project refers precisely to the imaginary place par excellence
but it is also a play on words with the term El (“God” in Hebrew: and it is God who is the only link that comforts many of those who migrate by abandoning their land)
The blankets are installed on the gates of San Miniato because of their symbolic significance: the one on the left is the Holy Door of Florence
and the inscription on the step identifies it as ianua coeli (“gate of Heaven”)
the access to Paradise (the work is thus also filled with eschatological meanings
and restores to the facade of San Miniato its ancient symbolic value)
The installation was presented by the abbot of San Miniato
in full harmony with the daily magisterium of Pope Francis
wants to remind us that today more than ever it is imperative to give attention to the distant
to the last,” specified Father Bernardo
who added: “it is not a matter of generic goodism but of a contribution for a high and evangelically inspired reflection about a newfound consideration for the adventure of every human story
especially that of those who like ancient Israel and the Holy Family of Nazareth itself experienced the condition of the exile
It is an appeal that we feel is in line with the great La Pira tradition of this city and especially of this place that the Holy Mayor Giorgio La Pira called a ’terrace reaching out to all nations.’”
The work will remain in Florence for a few days
and will then be moved: it will first be in Rome
and a stop in Lampedusa will also be planned
The project can be followed on Instagram at the @eldoratoproject account (hashtag #eldoratoproject
the 1,000-year-old abbey of San Miniato al Monte
to the city and the world: SOS.Photo by Oisin Patrick Murphy2 / 4In Ireland
an elderly woman is asked if she believes in the Sídhe or fairies
But they’re there all the same.”Photo by Oisin Patrick Murphy3 / 4According to the Rule of St
connecting with Spirit even in the fragments of seconds
Photo by Oisin Patrick Murphy4 / 4San Miniato al Monte was founded at the first millennium on the site of the saint’s hermitage high over Florence.Photo by Oisin Patrick Murphy It’s Friday 19th September 2014 and I’ve arrived in Italy for a long weekend
I wake in that post-late-night-flight delirium: where am I
Albanian in one ear and Italian in the other suggest the Strait of Otranto
the screech of parrots to answer the question
I am here in Florence at my extended family’s home
Their plumbing must be delinquent again if Aleksander from Albania is on the terrace
Cadbury’s chocolate and Hadji Bey’s Turkish Delight assure my welcome
Gubbeen cheese and Clonakilty black-pudding are in the fridge overnight
We make fresh coffee for Ale and ‘the boys’ who are downstairs
sorting out the devastation of two summer floods
In west-coast Liguria rain fell at levels normally found in the Himalayas and the Philippines
as cars and coffins slalomed down streets turned big-water canyons
As the muratori and idraulici lash into brown bread slathered with Irish butter
apologies for leaving the family in the lurch
“Even a tsunami wouldn’t get my wife to leave Versilia” says Ale referring to the Italian obsession with spending not just August
“Siamo in Italia.”
After their bread-and-butter treat the cats
the hills to the south look exquisitely tender
One of Ale’s team produces a rosewood rosary from his grandmother in Tirana
a vengeful God opens a blue-black sky and power-hoses the province with thousands of tonnes of blue-white hailstones
They sweep over the roofs like a diabolical cavalry
eviscerating the market-gardens of Pistoia
tossing ancient umbrella-pines and cypresses like they were the thighs on Florentine women
waiters haul screaming pedestrians off the streets
crunching over centimeters of ice to find pets
distinctly-medicinal scent: the sharp resin of thousands of mutilated trees
Necessary balsam in this Third Circle of Hell
It is fitting that San Miniato should sound the alarm
If we have left behind the Holocene of our existence
it is right that this message should be declared in a place that has been sacred for millennia
in a city that gave the Renaissance to the world and Dante Alighieri
Florence established international banking through the Medici
the hermit Minias worshipped Christ at the time the Emperor Decius demanded sacrifice to the pagan deities
climbed the hill to the spot where his bones now lie
Some say aristocratic relic hunters absconded with him to Metz
a shaft of sunlight falls on the foot of Christ in a mosaic over the choir
pointing downwards to what remains of the saint
San Miniato al Monte was founded at the first millennium on the site of the saint’s hermitage high over Florence
kind community of 12 is as far as it is possible to be from the soutane-swishing
sombreroed wannabe-clerical aristocrats downtown
primped and perfumed they sweep along Florentine pavements straight from a Fellini movie or the 1950s
their murmuration murmurings not about Populi Dei but Precepta Romana
They used to bother me until Paolo Sorrentino’s insane and ingenious The Young Pope made them ridiculously delicious
“I got passion in my pants and I ain’t afraid to show it”
the monks welcome me—and all—as belonging to the people of God
They have made San Miniato “a place of peace
‘a house of prayer for all the peoples’.” Through the years
In the days and hours my father lay dying in Ireland
I watch them freeze inside icy walls; one by one succumbing to the cold
a solo voice scours the columns salvaged from ancient Roman settlements
When I first lived in Florence on sabbatical
I’d race up the hill to San Miniato for my double-espresso for the soul
In his book The Secret Zodiac: The Hidden Art in Medieval Astrology
the British writer and photographer Fred Gettings says the church possesses “an almost palpable feeling of ancient healing power”
the only places comparable are the Hill of Tara in Ireland or the Temple of Minerva in Assisi
Visitors stride into the abbey—It’s Tuesday so I guess this is Florence – only to be atomised by its energy
Gaddi dying before finishing the panels behind the altar
an elderly woman is asked if she believes in the Sídhe or fairies
But they’re there all the same.”
As I think of those first days at the abbey
He waits for me in the mornings with his sandpapery
From the abbey steps we watch discombobulated young Americans on their junior year abroad; German pensioners managing the minor miracle of brandishing guidebooks and crutches; Japanese photographers draping brides thin—so thin—in ivory silk and skin against jasmine
we spy on the city’s signore in their pearls and furs
making for the family tombs in the hilltop cemetery attached
their bums pink-and-puckered from the cold
mini emissaries to this silent republic of the dead
If these high-society womenwould forfeit a single Reserved place in a city obsessed by status and privilege
Now and then they stop at headstones bearing porcelain
Massimo Giovanelli: infant Italians claimed by the Spanish Flu
these latter-day Dives to my Lazarus of Bucharest
Violet Fleurs-de-Lys flap like prayer flags across the Renaissance city
signalling history with France and hysteria over Fiorentina
sparkles straight from the pages of a fairytale or the shelf of local sweetmaker
are miniature bridges strung like pearls across the Arno
foundries of bronze bells will strike the eighth hour
they have signalled invasion and investiture
I imagine archangels lining up their Kings in the Bargello and Palazzo Strozzi
their Queens in the churches of Badia Fiorentina and Orsanmichele
When we lived in a 19th-century palazzina in town
often at night I would wake to a faint metropolitan rumble
If I slipped silently down the 72 stone stairs
my hand on a stone wall sensing a palazzo out of breath
could keep watch over such sublime politics is witnessed in the threshold of one of its doors
The white marble reads Hac est Porta Coeli
and the monks live the message of the Gospel
they rallied the community to hire him a lawyer
I miss Grigore and think of him as we light our candles
commemorating the 50th anniversary of the floods in November 1966
when the Angeli del Fango—Mud Angels—flew from all over Italy and the world to save Florence’s art
As the abbot Dom Bernardo prays for the angels
I look down at the zodiac wheel laid in the nave by Byzantine astrologers and astronomers on 28 May 1207
Some say this zodiac wheel was Christianised
point to the occult significance especially of Taurus
The occult here and at other Florentine sites is for another day
The abbey has yet to give up all its astrological and astronomical secrets
Since the whip-hand of reason and the rational is impoverishing us literally and metaphorically
Our planet is at its hottest for 115,000 years
Financial insanity presented as fiscal sense is best summed up in The Great Gatsby
Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together
and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”
Economic growth or payrises are impossible when Tom & Co own 50% of everything in the US and Daisy & Associates own 55% of everything in the UK
Last time we had deflation it took Auschwitz for people to realise that
their system is the opposite of our material striving
With Matins at 04.30 they break sleep to keep vigil with Christ
At 06.30 in Laudes they greet the first rays of the sun
celebrate Christ’s victory over darkness and death
Dom Stefano runs their small shop that smells of cypress
honey from the holy bees—le api sante—kept by enclosed nuns at Rosano
Lebanese Dom Ildebrando makes a lemon cake to die for
Dom Bernardo keeps an important connection between the spiritual
All of them care deeply for their elderly brothers
particularly the old abbot who once preached unforgettable sermons and lives now in the havoc of forgetting
When I arrive in Florence for half-term holidays
All week we’ve marvelled at late roses
Two days after the catastrophic floods of 4th November 1963 and 1333
As we search for the family of otters at Ponte alle Grazie
my son reminds me that the statue of Mars swept off the Ponte Vecchio in 1333
The too-warm wind carries the bell of San Miniato over the waters
The Irish Independent and The Sunday Times
It was the main topic with which we opened the last issue of Firenze Made in Tuscany "Le colline che guardno Firenze" (The hills that look over Florence) a month ago
and now comes the news from the councillor for culture Tommaso Sacchi
who says: "our city has extended its world heritage site and is increasingly becoming a jewel of culture
A detail of Church of San Miniato al Monte ph
The hill overlooking Florence from the left bank," continues Sacchi
has been recognised as a natural extension of the historic centre downstream
which includes the part of the city within the avenues and the ancient walls
We also share our happiness with Father Bernardo Gianni
who has always been at our side in this battle"
"we are truly celebrating a victory for everyone
The hill of Florence on the left bank of the Arno ph Lorenzo Cotrozzi
Click here to read our article and have fun looking for some fresh air in the hills on these hot July days
Discover the temples of Tuscan hospitality to book now for unforgettable experiences
A small handbook to get to know the types and areas of production in Tuscany to know what to ask for from gastronomy
Among absolute new entries and great classics
we introduce you to all the restaurants included in the new Michelin Guide 2021
The most beautiful open-air artworks and installations in Florence and beyond
5 places to discover an hour from Florence
At the 44th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee underway in Fuzhou
the extension of the area of the historic center of Florence
the historic center of Florence has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since Dec
1982.“Today is a very special day for the cultural heritage of our country: after the inscription of the Portici of Bologna among UNESCO sites
comes the news of the extension of the UNESCO site of the historic center of Florence
It is a demonstration of how the shared work of the different realities involved can lead to important results
capable of giving merit to the richness of our cultural heritage,” this is how Culture Minister Dario Franceschini commented on the ratification
the Poggi Ramps and the entire hillside complex on the left bank of the Arno River
become part of the UNESCO World Heritage List,” said Florence Mayor Dario Nardella."A historic day for Florence
“An extraordinary recognition for these areas of the city whose beauty will from today be counted among the wonders of the world on par with the city’s historic center
Florence will boast more than 530 hectares of areas of inestimable artistic
Proud of our city!” concluded Councillor for Culture Tommaso Sacchi
vine-covered hills of Chianti and the ancient
Perhaps less well known are its 250 miles of coastline
majestic cycling routes and the healing hot springs of the Maremma
Whether you’re planning a culinary odyssey
Tuscany offers an abundance of epic experiences
making it a challenge to decide where to start first
here is our choice of some of the best things to do in Tuscany."},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"This article contains affiliate links
which may earn us revenue"},"children":[]}]}]},{"name":"heading2","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"1
the"},"children":[]},{"name":"paywall","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":" small medieval town of San Miniato can justly claim to be Tuscany’s truffle capital
Locals are expert at unearthing this highly seasonal product
descending on surrounding woodlands each October with dogs specially trained to sniff them out
Cap off your visit by sampling at least two truffle-rich courses at lunch — pasta dish "},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paywall","children":[{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"tagliolini al tartufo"}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" is a perennial favourite
San Miniato is also a hub of the slow food movement
known for its goat’s milk cheese and Cinta Senese salami
Explore by Vespa"}}]},{"name":"image","attributes":{"id":"e3246763-8305-4cdd-889a-e770791805aa","display":"fullwidth","caption":"Vespas are made by Piaggio at a plant near Pisa","title":"Cruise along the quiet roads of Tuscany on a Vespa
cinema shot in Italy has helped establish our collective love-affair with the country’s moped brand — made in Tuscany at Piaggio’s plant in Pontedera
they are also surprisingly straightforward to drive and therefore popular for tours into the countryside
Riders receive training from an English-speaking instructor in Florence before setting out to cruise along quiet roads through rolling vineyards
Join forces with a friendly Italian and you’ll see the best that Tuscany has to offer
or the striking walled city of Lucca — all while having the chance to learn about the country along the way
Tours By Locals make doing this a cinch; you’ll be transported in an air-conditioned vehicle
have a huge choice of customisable itineraries
and be paired with a guide who knows the best spots to visit
Seeing how spaghetti is made at a pasta factory
this Italian region offers a wealth of home-grown specialities
Top picks include the piquant olive oils made from dark Leccino olives
sometimes aged under ashes or seasoned with truffles
perfect for dipping into the region’s rich game stews and
produced from succulent Chianina beef bred in Val di Chiana
but other prestigious wines include Brunello di Montalcino
The northwest region is known for its dessert wine
Vin Santo (“holy wine”) aged for at least three years before it’s ready to drink and traditionally consumed at wine tastings alongside cantucci"}},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" —"}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" crunchy almond biscuits
its historic centre a Unesco world heritage site
Other towns and cities include the spectacularly beautiful hilltop city of Arezzo
with a plethora of events taking place throughout the year
Perhaps the most famous is Siena’s Palio horse race
held on July 2 and August 16 each year; and on the last Sunday of August
especially in spring for the wildflowers or in autumn for balmy temperatures and golden sunshine
Ancient paths that bisect the region include the Via Francigena
this region also has around 250 miles of coastline lapped by the Tyrrhenian Sea — so it’s worth giving yourself time to explore the shore
where lines of deckchairs fill up with Italian holidaymakers in the summer
head to the less-visited resorts in the southern area of the Maremma
Marina di Alberese is one of the best in this region and the promontory of Monte Argentario has inviting rocky coves."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"tuscany-villas.co.uk/to-tuscany/2018/localities/tuscan-coast/marina-di-alberese"}}]}]},{"name":"inlineAd3","children":[]},{"name":"heading2","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"10
Tuscany’s thermal springs remain relatively undiscovered outside Italy
Situated in the under-visited Maremma region
the waters have been put to therapeutic use since Roman times
the resort also has a day spa where guests can bob about in pools of varied temperature and book in for a treatment in its enormous 53-room spa — many of which make use of Saturnia’s anti-oxidising mud
rolling Tuscan countryside with a network of quiet
undulating roads criss-crossing a landscape of vineyards
cypresses and hilltop villages makes Tuscany ideal for relaxed touring by car
Whether a gentle potter through the wooded valleys to the east of Florence
a foray into the wilder countryside southwest of Siena
or a meander through the picturesque Val d’Orcia
there’s always an opportunity for an interesting detour
Plan a comprehensive itinerary taking in Tuscany’s top sights or simply take pot luck to chance upon a tiny Romanesque chapel
From wine festivals to glorious crowd-free beaches
Florence’s food markets and Venice’s gondolas.","slug":"things-to-do-in-italy","categoryPath":"/travel/destinations/europe-travel/italy/things-to-do-in-italy-zkvrfhnrk","__typename":"Article","summary({\"maxCharCount\":105})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Whatever your holiday style
"},"children":[]},{"name":"link","attributes":{"href":"https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/europe-travel/italy"},"children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Italy"},"children":[]}]},{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":" won’t disappoint
Florence and"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":125})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Whatever your holiday style
Florence and Venice are a must"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":145})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Whatever your holiday style
but many towns"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":160})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Whatever your holiday style
but many towns feature gorgeous"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":175})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Whatever your holiday style
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but it’s also the starting point for voyages into the Adriatic
Aegean and Mediterranean seas.","slug":"best-cruises-from-venice","categoryPath":"/travel/destinations/europe-travel/italy/venice/best-cruises-from-venice-02kr60prq","__typename":"Article","summary({\"maxCharCount\":105})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"La Serenissima
and La Dominante are among the many evocative"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":125})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"La Serenissima
and La Dominante are among the many evocative names given to Venice"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":145})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"La Serenissima
and La Dominante are among the many evocative names given to Venice — and it lives up"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":160})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"La Serenissima
and La Dominante are among the many evocative names given to Venice — and it lives up to every one of"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":175})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"La Serenissima
and La Dominante are among the many evocative names given to Venice — and it lives up to every one of them
However"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":225})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"La Serenissima
our expert reveals the very best places to visit in Italy.","slug":"best-places-to-visit-in-italy","categoryPath":"/travel/destinations/europe-travel/italy/best-places-to-visit-in-italy-g0sjl0w2r","__typename":"Article","summary({\"maxCharCount\":105})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Temistocle Solera
the librettist for Verdi’s opera "},"children":[]},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Attila"},"children":[]}]},{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"
said: “"},"children":[]},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Avrai tu l’universo
resti"},"children":[]}]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":125})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Temistocle Solera
resti l’Italia a me"},"children":[]}]},{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"” — “you"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":145})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Temistocle Solera
resti l’Italia a me"},"children":[]}]},{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"” — “you may have the"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":160})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Temistocle Solera
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these are the best things to do in TuscanyThe Cappella della Madonna di VitaletaALAMYTimes TravelTuesday April 09 2024
The TimesTuscany is a region that encompasses all that is loved about Italy
here is our choice of some of the best things to do in Tuscany
A successful truffle hunter in San MiniatoALAMYPerched on a hilltop between Pisa and Florence
the small medieval town of San Miniato can justly claim to be Tuscany’s truffle capital
Cap off your visit by sampling at least two truffle-rich courses at lunch — pasta dish tagliolini al tartufo is a perennial favourite
made from an ancient pig breed unique to the region
Vespas are made by Piaggio at a plant near PisaTIQETSFrom La Dolce Vita to The Talented Mr Ripley
stopping at boutique wineries and medieval churches before finishing with a slap-up lunch
Piazza dell’Anfiteatro in LuccaALAMYThe best way to see any region is being guided by the people who know it best: the locals
Expect options for pretty much every desire
Pecorino cheese on sale in a deli in Pienza (Alamy)ALAMYFamed for its delicious local produce
Vineyards at Castello Banfi in MontalcinoALAMYTuscany is perhaps best known for its excellent Chianti wines
Vin Santo (“holy wine”) aged for at least three years before it’s ready to drink and traditionally consumed at wine tastings alongside cantucci — crunchy almond biscuits
• Best vineyard hotels in Tuscany
A view of Piazza San Giovanni from the Baptistery in FlorenceALAMYTreasure-filled cities packed with world-class art galleries and architectural gems make Tuscany a culture-lover’s heaven
and Cortona with its Etruscan remains — and don’t forget the medieval buildings of San Gimignano and Pienza
Training run of the historical horse race Palio di SienaALAMYTuscan people know how to enjoy themselves
Montepulciano’s Bravio Delle Botti festival sees heavy wooden wine barrels pushed along the town’s narrow streets
Cyclists taking a break on the Via Francigena trailALAMYEmpty roads and gently undulating landscapes make Tuscany an excellent choice for leisurely exploration on foot or by bicycle
the Via Romea and the Via degli Dei — a historic 130km route connecting Florence to Bologna through the Apennines and hills of the Mugello Valley
Marina di Alberese beachALAMYAlthough better known for its interior
Marina di Alberese is one of the best in this region and the promontory of Monte Argentario has inviting rocky coves
tuscany-villas.co.uk/to-tuscany/2018/localities/tuscan-coast/marina-di-alberese
Taking the waters at Terme di SaturniaWhile stressed Italian urbanites flock to Terme di Saturnia every weekend
The bistro serves healthy lunches and sundowners — a unique opportunity to partake in aperitivo hour while wearing your bathrobe
a bustling market town or a sleepy hilltop hamlet
thediscoveriesof.com/italian-road-trip-travels-tuscany
• Gorgeous Italian villas for all group sizes• Best luxury villas in Italy
Sign up for the Times Travel Newsletter here
Away from the bustle of the crowds is a far gentler version of Tuscany’s great art and food city
I’m on a bike without lights (almost no one has lights on their bikes in central Florence
just as no one has a helmet) and whichever turn I take to get me to the River Arno seems to get me back to the Duomo
its magnificent light and dark marble rising majestically out of the night
I have a bag of locally made chocolate in my basket and suddenly I realise that being lost in the Renaissance city in the middle of the night
makes me perhaps the luckiest person alive
and cycling back to it 15 minutes later along the river path
feels like being transported to the Umbrian countryside
View image in fullscreenBikes over Ponte Santa Trinita in Florence
Photograph: Jeffrey Blackler/AlamyThe concept at Riva Lofts is to give visitors an oasis of calm that could be 50 miles away from the city centre
Ten rooms and apartments are arranged around a courtyard; there’s a walled garden with a small swimming pool and plenty of space to lounge around
Breakfast can be in your room or served around a large table in the in the communal space with sofas and rustic exposed brick walls
All the rooms and apartments have a fridge and cooking facilities; and in the courtyard there’s a rack of bikes – you simply take one and pedal down the river towpath into town when you’re ready to brave the crowds
It’s almost always crowded in Florence, but autumn or spring are the perfect times to visit. To be fair, the molten concoctions at Carraia
taste divine at any time of year; they’re the best thing you’ve ever tasted even on a drizzly autumnal morning
and the San Marco museum where Fra Angelico lived and whose walls are adorned with his stunning frescoes
But the greatest joy of this city is that there are jewels to be seen far from the madding crowds of the big-name venues
Another less-visited gem is the Ospedale degli Innocenti in the centre
designed by Brunelleschi (architect of the Duomo)
Some of the displays document its fascinating history as a home for abandoned children
telling the story of the 17th-century wheel device that enabled parents to leave children they couldn’t afford to care for at the hospital door without being seen
Unlike the Uffizi or the Pitti Palace it’s not overwhelming
but its high points are just as impressive
with a Madonna and Child by a youthful Botticelli
and an intricate and arresting Ghirlandaio altarpiece featuring the Adoration of the Magi
has views across the rooftops to the cupola of the Duomo and the dome of the synagogue
where the coffee comes from a breathtaking range of nations
where for an €8 drink you can enjoy a delicious spread including broccoli cheese bake
but for me the early mornings are the best and
One dawn I cycled right along the Arno and across an empty Ponte Vecchio
the ancient bridge of shops mercifully spared the bombs of the Luftwaffe and then I parked my bike and climbed up the hillside to the basilica of San Miniato
From there I gazed out at the ribbon of river and the coffee-and-cream coloured buildings and rooftops
and felt as every visitor longs to feel: that here
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This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025. The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media.
Text description provided by the architects. The project aims to recover and integrate an old site, already used as an orphanage, built on a portion of a hilly area next to the old historical centre of San Miniato. The "CASA VERDE" project, so called because of his historically/social value (CASA / home / orphanage – VERDE / Green / built in a forest of holm oaks), is a search to find links:
1_ with the woods, through the study of the various shades of the leaf color in different seasons;
2_ with the "guests Girls" by editing their graphic works on the glass facade;
3_ with the city by reusing "vicoli carbonai" (useful and necessary for the maintenance of the hillside);
Diagrams4_ with natural light (main staircase);
5_ with the centuries-old cypress trees next to the structure;
6_ with art through the artist MERCURIO-S17S71 who painting the faces of the "guests" has created a collection of contemporary artworks called “SHAMANS”;
© Simone BossiThe project is part of a bigger site plan, which is now almost totally realised. Actually is only missing the basement laboratory part on the southwest side of the building, which will be built, according to the agreed program, from 2018.
© Simone BossiThe idea matrix is to protect, in materials and shapes, (as evidenced by the roof geometries) the original plan and emphasize the extension with shapes and materials close to contemporary culture.
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San Miniato Basso organises for the second year the Street Food Festival San Miniato: from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 May four days of taste
music and fun will animate the area of the Casa Culturale Sombrero in San Miniato Basso
The Street Food Festival will see the participation of some of the best food trucks from all over Italy
ready to satisfy all tastes with their colourful vans and a wide range of food and drinks
every evening in the company of music and shows with artists and groups of national level
where every evening will be enlivened by DJ sets
a fun fair and a play area for the little ones
Also on Friday 19 it will be possible to enjoy street food delicacies from 6 p.m.
San Miniato Basso will become an open-air disco with the show by the Metempsicosi project and the timeless hits of Franchino and 00Zicky
Saturday evening will see the big Mamamia On Tour show
with all the energy and charge of the famous Torre del Lago disco
while on Sunday it will be the turn of the Combriccola del Blasco concert
the tribute band that has been bringing Vasco Rossi’s great successes all over Italy for over 30 years
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whose residents are called ‘pinocchini’
has been celebrating the famous puppet with entertainment
and street shows with the customary ‘Giant Pinocchio’ along Via Tosco Romagnola Est
extraordinary opening of shops and craft market
Why are the inhabitants of San Miniato Basso called ‘pinocchini’
It seems that Carlo Collodi was inspired by the places in and around San Miniato
Carlo Collodi’s father worked as a cook in San Miniato and often
which at the time was called Pinocchio (a name that remained until 1924): a peculiar name
that perhaps derives from the fact that long before this place was called Ponte ai Pidocchi (from here many people passed through
Later the name would be changed to Pinocchio because of a large pine tree that stood in the centre of the village
Museo del Tartufo delle Colline Sanminiatesi celebrates the art and science of truffle-growing through a unique exhibition in an evocative urban forest
MutArt stands as a witness to the intelligence and intuition that for centuries have guided truffle hunters and their dogs in the search for and extraction of truffles
an activity that skilfully blends observation
respect for nature and techniques handed down from generation to generation
visitors are invited to relive the epic of the truffle hunters
emblematic figures of this enduring tradition
recalling historical moments such as the discovery of the world’s largest truffle in October 1954
The MuTart also offers a window into the techniques and tools of this ancient craft
as demonstrated by the diary documenting this exceptional find and the spade
an indispensable tool for every truffle hunter
This journey through time and the culture of the truffle underlines San Miniato’s commitment to preserving and celebrating a precious heritage
making the museum a must for anyone wishing to discover the secrets of this fascinating world
The itinerary ends at the imposing Romanesque basilica of San Piero a Grado
embellished with elegant ceramic decorations dating back to the 10th century AD depicting boats or simple geometric patterns
The Via Francigena is a lesser-known cousin of Spain’s Camino
“San Miniato is halfway between Pisa and Florence,” says Anna Dottori
“The emperor built the tower here so the other towns would recognise his power and authority
hearing about ancient power struggles while enjoying views over green hills
the path that led pilgrims from Canterbury
If you’ve heard of the Camino de Santiago in Spain
this is its lesser known — and arguably more beautiful — cousin
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TOSCANA TODAY web magazine – Informazione e cultura
"We are at the end of this very particular year and
it will not be possible to have the classic dinner in large numbers with friends and relatives
and we will not be able to gather in the squares
At this moment we want to invite you to be responsible and respect the anti-Covid rules that are currently in place
so travel is prohibited and the rules are stringent."
The mayors of the district Simone Giglioli
Gabriele Toti and Giovanni Capecchi make a unanimous appeal to citizens to respect the rules on New Year's Eve and
which are dangerous and can cause harm to people and our animal friends
we mayors of the Leather District have decided to appeal to the sense of civilization which
will allow us to avoid gratuitous situations of danger for men and animals
We are sure that there will be no shortage of fun and the desire to party
what we ask of you is that they do not degenerate into forms of conduct to be punished: respect for everyone and
together with civility - and they conclude -
hoping that 2021 will be a year full of opportunities and serenity."
(Source: Press Office of the Municipality of San Miniato)
(Photo: https://pixabay.com/it/photos/luminoso-celebrazione-buio-fuoco-1853624/)
This is an example of a Vimeo video embedded via WPZOOM Video Widget
From Lucca to San Giminano are about ninety kilometers eastwards: plain
churches and hospitable for the first half; gradients and nature in the second
enchanting compensation of effort made to get there by bike
Those road are fine but the MTB are better
to end peacefully.From Lucca exit taking to port San Gervasio first and then port Elisa
city walls Este.Follow Via Romana where a Pellegrinetto ago by yellow trail up to the Provincial Road 23
Across the use of two different directions that lead to the same goal – Capannori – but the beauty of Tuscany is also this
is written in a text Lucchese 745 while the church of Saints Quirico and Giuditta is 786
but the battlements of Ghibelline bell tells the origin and identity of the church Lucchese
less than five kilometers to ride straight on the SP 23 or articulated that start from Via del Popolo and continue on the path where you go right
left-right and inside-out and then again ends on Provincial
Let Abbey Pozzeveri and thoughts turn to the importance of this village around Mille – with churches and a hospital – now that there is almost in the way
We return then to the Francigena Romea towards Altopascio and from a distance we see the bell tower of the hospitable and the church of San Jacopo; few kilometers and you arrive
sees Florence; neighbors to the north and east
“Water nigra” or “Arno black,” says Sigerico about the passage sull’Usciana Ponte a Cappiano
articulated structure that included the strong
It comes out of the covered bridge and take the road which goes towards Fusecchio
near dell’Usciana and near the Francigena
The bridge over the Arno was “Arne Blanca”
A Fusecchio we can fix the bike
Otherwise riprediamo and a few kilometers later we are in San Miniato Basso
Up here you dine with the monks at the monastery of St
Francis; a last effort worth and a view that is worth the day
From San Miniato you move into southeast to San Gimignano
after forty kilometers beautiful and difficult
Leave the Valdarno to enter the Valdelsa: Tuscany
according to the conception most classic and most poetic
The Arno and Elsa are enriched with rain that share then with the Chianti hills – to the east – and with the hills between Volterra and San Gimignano
Geography of a paradise that the history of contention between Florence and Siena
Then farmhouses and castles and the Via Francigena: the Pieve a Chianni
the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul in Coiano; watchtowers
The Way that you ride is not always the one that you walk
To get pedaling at Pieve di Coiano is more useful Sanminiatese
From Coiano to San Gimignano are comfortable Sectionals 108 first and then 46
whereas both before and after addressing gradients that caress 4%
On for Castelfiorentino from where it continues to Gambassi Terme: you go on sweets for four miles to reach and pass – or stop and admire – the Church of Santa Maria Chianni
Still hard and uneven bottom marked up to the Abbey of San Pietro a Cerreto
Next again until you see the towers of San Gimignano that approach; once 70
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© Clearview / Alamy Stock Photo Easily reachable on the Oltr’Arno
home to one of the famous sculptor’s three versions of David
offers stunning panoramic views of Florence
so you can enjoy a drink and a meal while you breathe it all in
often to the soundtrack of local musicians playing in the square
It’s difficult to think of anywhere better suited to the quintessential Florentine experience
© Peter Barritt / Alamy Stock Photo You could spend days trying to tick off all the churches in Florence
but perhaps the best to visit to get a great view of the city is the lesser-known Church of San Miniato al Monte
It sits on the same hill as Piazzale Michelangelo
parts of which date back more than 800 years
The most prominent features are the Chapel of the Crucifix
and the stunning central mosaic dating back to 1297
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© Victor Korchenko / Alamy Stock Photo Florence has several large gardens
and many of them have become renowned tourist destinations for their landscaping
Giardino Bardini isn’t the most well known
and the views it offers at the top make it well worth a stopover
The flowers on display only add to the appeal
© Stuart Black / Alamy Stock Photo Just below the Piazzale Michelangelo
attractive garden has stood proudly overlooking Florence since 1865
it’s a tiny space yet offers an exceptionally good view of the rest of the city and is immaculately kept
with hundreds of different species of roses
lemon trees and even a Japanese garden donated by Florence’s twin city
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autumn enthusiast and self-taught photographer – I am Francesca
now I spend my days in the lively city of Tirana
you’ll find me at the local food market or writing about my travels
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