The historical tourist complex comprising the Hermitage or Rotonda of Montesiepi and the ruins of the great Cistercian Abbey of Saint Galgano is one of the most evocative in Tuscany. Located halfway between Siena and the sea at Follonica, it is a must-see for visitors to our region.
The Hermitage of Montesiepi
In the Hermitage of Montesiepi, the famous Sword of Saint Galgano is embedded in the rock. Despite its superior preservation, the Rotonda of Montesiepi is older than the great Abbey. The Hermitage of Montesiepi was built between 1181 and 1185, above the hut on the hill where Saint Galgano retired as a hermit and lived the last year of his life. The Chiusdino knight Galgano Guidotti embedded his sword, as a farewell to his weapons and an act of conversion to peace, in the rock where it still rests today, at the center of the Rotonda.
The Rotonda of Montesiepi was therefore the first tomb of the Saint, who was buried north of the sword as if to see, through the entrance door, his beloved town of Chiusdino.
The Abbey of Saint Galgano
Construction of the Great Abbey below the Hermitage began only in 1220.
Construction of the Abbey of Saint Galgano, carried out by Cistercian monks, lasted until 1268, when it was officially consecrated by the Bishop of Volterra, Alberto Solari. The Abbey of San Galgano thus became the first Gothic-style church ever built in Tuscany.
Once completed, a hundred years of great splendor followed, after which famine, plague, and looting severely tested it, until 1364, when it began a slow decline brought on by the unfortunate practice of Commenda.
One fact above all: in 1550, Commendatory Girolamo Vitelli went so far as to sell (after the jewels and who knows what else) the lead roof of the Abbey.
Despite some attempts to restore the convent, in 1789, after the Hermitage of Montesiepi was elevated to a parish church, the great abbey was deconsecrated and left to definitive ruin.
Curiosity
While the Rotonda di Montesiepi, with its Sword in the Stone, takes us back to the saga of King Arthur, the great Abbey, with its Sacred Geometry, holds other surprises. Today, it is a particularly sought-after location for exclusive events and celebrations by prominent figures. One example is the highly private wedding of ex Formula One driver and Ferrari world champion Kimi Raikkonen to Minttu Virtanen, which took place in August 2016.
Tickets are available here: ABBEY OF SAINT GALGANO TICKETS
The Abbey of Saint Galgano and the Hermitage of Montesiepi can be easily visited from numerous vacation rentals in the area. Discover all the offers on our website at this link: holiday homes in Tuscany!
