San Galgano

When we were here earlier this year, we had driven past but didn't have the time to visit. Today was the day. We drove about 25 minutes with Andrea, Melissa and V.S. to San Galgano.



The Cistercian Abbey of San Galgano

This 13th-Century church is part of the Chiusdino municipality, in the province of Siena. All that is left is the walls and evidence of the apse. The "official" version is that the roof deteriorated and then fell. An alternate version is that it was made of lead and sold in 1550 by Girolamo Vitelli. Regardless, after failed restoration attempts, the church was deconsecrated and left to ruins.

I credit the next two photos to assistant blog editor, Ira. He has a good eye!


He took the photo below at the suggestion of Andrea. Remember the postage stamp photo in Siena?

A cross in the sky

Andrea said in their heyday, the monks of San Galgano were very wealthy, having received donations from Siena and all the surrounding areas. But then mysteriously, within 20 to 30 years, they lost their power and their wealth and disappeared.


Though, what's left of the church is still pretty impressive.


After touring the church ruins we walked up a cypress lined hill to the hermitage of Montesiepi. It was built at the end of 1100 at the site of the hut where San Galgano lived the last year of his life. It was consecrated in 1185 and also known as the Rotonda di Montesiepi because it was original built in a circular shape.

Circular apse

According to legends Galgano Guidotti, who later became San Galgano, was a knight who later decided to retire as a hermit near Chiusdino, the place where he was born. He decided to plant his sword in a stone and use it as a cross. 


It's encased in glass now to prevent ambitious tourists from trying to pull it out, LOL.

Our ticket included entry into the museum as well, so we walked back to the car and drove a bit to the town of Chiusdino. There were a lot of paintings of San Galgano, both ancient and less ancient. This was probably the most memorable item in the museum

Reliquary for the head of Saint Galgano

Crazy, right?!

And with that, it was time to head back home to Massa.

A dopo!

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