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-19.00, closed on Sundays).
A possible detour to Consuma (1023 m, GEA stopping place
- phone 055/8306507), an outlying district of Pelago,
a resort centre. Another possible detour is to Monte Secchieta
(1449 m, winter ski resort) where, at the Masso del Diavolo
(to which a legend is linked that is documented by a small shrine),
an extraordinary panorama** of the Valdarno, Apennines
and the Casentino can be admired. From Vallombrosa,
the road continues into a Fir-Wood for 1.5 km as far as Saltino
(see Vallombrosa). Leave Saltino
and go to Pietrapiana (470 m) where, a short distance away,
there is the church of Sant'Agata in Arfoli (phone 055/868043).
A 12th-century Romanesque edifice, and the former charitable
institution of the Ardimanni family. The church has been restored
several times: in 1930, for example, work was done on the 18th-century
portico of the facade, and in the Sixties the Romanesque layout
was restored, to the design of architect Guido Morozzi. The
structure contains a single nave that perserves a Renaissance
choir, a tombstone dated from 1126, fragments of pre-Roman sculptures
and numerous frescoes and paintings from the 15th century, amoung
which, a Madonna and Child by Raffaellino del Garbo. On the
right, a door with the inscription 1228 leads to an interesting
cloister with Renaissance columns. The bell tower, with its
double and single mullioned windows, is very lovely. Continuing,
you arrive in Reggello. From here, by turning onto Provincial
Road 17 in the direction of Florence, you arrive at the hamlet
of Cancelli (2 km away; 330 m; the recently restored church
of Santa Margherita, Romanesque in layout, containing preserved
vestiges of walling, refined 18th century decorations, a Madonna
and Child, a fresco by Paolo Schiavo, and a 16th-century Crucifix).
Continue as far as Leccio (10 km).
Along the road one can see the characteristic erosion furrows,
formed by the presence of a large lake that existed in the valley
during the Pliocene Age.
A stop at the romantic Castle of Sammezzano** is recommended:
according to tradition, this ancient settlement (possibly Etruscan)
gave shelter to Charlemagne. Rebuilt several times, it was the
property of the Gualtierotti, Altoviti, Medici and Ximenes d'Aragona
families. The latter realized the present configuration in 1853,
with Moorish shapes, on the outside, inspired by Indian mausoleums
and, on the inside, by the Alhambra in Granada. Today, open
to public, it preserves a valuable park with Lebanon cedars
and sequoias. (for information, phone 055/867936-8657847-8657911).
Returning to the State Road in the direction of Incisa, we reach
Pian dell'Isola, in the vicinity we find the fortress, made
of "alberese" (a kind of limestone rich in marl), of Torre
all'Isola, a grandiose medieval building with crenellations
and corbels that was built to guard a ford crossing the Arno,
to defend the territori of Rignano
and used as a small fortress and residence. In the vicinity
is the Ponte di Rignano, a brigde built in the 14th century
which aided the expansion of the Rignano
area. The bridge is located on a road used for moving sheep
to other pastures, which led from San Donato to Maremma. We
continue and, after 2.5 km, find the Torre del Castellano
(phone 055/863108-583878), a tower built by the Count Guidi
in the 14th century over the ruins of a Longobard tower, owned
by the Pazzi and Castellani families. Quadrilateral with inclined
reinforcement and decorated with an angular tower, it was restructured
in 1952 by architect Morozzi, and preserves at its summit the
remains of corbels and crenellations. |
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Here You can download the itinerary map. [mappa4.zip] |
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Departing from Rignano,
cross the bridge to the hamlet of San Clemente and then take
State Road 69. After a short distance, detour to Sociana to
see the church of San Clemente (for information phone 055/866534),
decorated with a portico and columns of pietra serena. The inside
is filled with numerous works of art: a Madonna and Child, a marble
relief** by Antonio Rossellino, located on the left; a Madonna
from the studio of Santi di Tito; St Michael among the Saints by Naldini.
Behind the high altar is a candelabra holder embellished with two
angels, the work of Mino da Fiesole. Stay on State Road 69, after
2 km we encounter S. Ellero (an outlying district of Reggello;
train station), which was once the scat of a ver-y old convent run
by the Benedictine sisters in the 10th century. It was given to the
Vallombrosian monks, and was then transformed into a private villa
where you find medieval vestiges and the Romanesque tower of the 12th-century
Castle di Alfiano. A train for Saltino
used to leave from S. Ellero, between the 19th and 20th centuries:
there remains the unusual Swiss-style building that is now used for
the normal railway line. Detour from the State road, onto Provincial
Road 88 in the direction of Donnini (336 m) and then turn onto Provincial
Road 86 (Reggello-Donnini-Tosi).
After 5 km , there is a beautiful late 19th century Villa Pitiana,
that used to be owned by the Grottanelli family (phone 055/860259).
A visit to the Romanesque church of San Píetro a Pitiana is
recommended. Built in the 12th century, but extensively remodelled
during the 19th century by the reduction to a single nave. The parish
church preserves within its walls the ruins of the three-nave design,
with pillars and a lovely bell tower with a sequence of double and
single mullioned windows. The facade is simple, and is preceded by
a 16th century open gallery embellished with a central rose window
and the coats-of-arms of the Cavalcanti family and of the Main Hospital
of Santa Maria Nuova of Florence, the owners of the building. Inside,
an Annunciation by Francesco Curradi and a panel from the studio of
Ridolfo Ghirlandaio. in the vicinity, San Donato in Fronzano (426
m), whose church (phone 055/865027) - extensively remodelled in the
17th and 18th centuries - preserves the ruins of the Romanesque walls
and the priest's house with an excellent cloister; inside, the remains
of a fresco by Paolo Schiavo. Continuing along Provincial Road 86,
you arrive in Tosi (500 m.a.s.l.; an outlying district of Reggello;
for information phone Tourist Board 055/864505), a centre for the
manufacture of furniture. From Tosi, a journey of about 25 km is possible
along Provincial Road 83, which connects to Pelago
in the direction of Florence, and also passes through Paterno, Pelago
and Pontassieve (41km). From
this road a detour leads to the Monastery
of Rosano in the direction of Pratomagno As the landscape
changes, and the road begins to climb, the first signs of the forest,
can be seen with its Pieve di Sant'Agata in Arfoti Vallombrosian silence
and austerity. After 5.5 km there is a long driveway, flanked with
majestic maple trees, which announces the entrance to the Abbey
of Vallombrosa **
("...Vallombrosa was thus nominated as an abbey that was rich and
beautiful, as well as religious, and hospitable to all who came there......
Ariosto, Orlando Furioso, XII-36. Phone for information - 055/862029,
from July to September: Guest quarters - 055/862074), with the State-owned
Fir Wood and the Experimental Arboretum. Possible excursions on foot,
horseback or mountain bike are available. Guided tours of the Abbey
and Arboretum in july and August (Saltino-Vallombrosa
Tourist Board 862024; Vallombrosa State Forestry Service 055/8667071-862131-862020;
Saltino "Azienda Promozione Turistica",
P.le Roma, 7 - phone 055/862003: open July-August 9.30-13.00; 16.30- |
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TuscanyDream/Tuscan
Itineraries/Rignano-S. Ellero-Vallombrosa-Reggello
