BADIA A COLTIBUONO

In order to reach the Abbey, from Florence, take the Autostrada A1, direction Roma. Exit the motorway at Valdarno and take the SS408, direction Siena. After about sixteen Kms you come to the turn-off for Badia a Coltibuono (about a one hour drive from Florence). From Siena, take the SS408, direction Gaiole in Chianti / Montevarchi. After the village of Gaiole the turn-off for Badia a Coltibuono is a futher 6 Km on the left. (about a 45 minutes drive from Siena).  

The vallombrosana abbey of San Lorenzo a Coltibuono was founded around year thousands, it lived its maximum moment of glory between the 11th and the 12th century: but already in the successive century it began the decline; even if in 15th century it had an ulterior development under the patronage of Lorenzo de'Medici. The Abbey remained property of the vallombrosani Benedictines monks until 1810. In 1810, under the napoleonic rule, the monks were obligates to leave Badia a Coltibuono, and the structure was transformed in villa - farm. The church introduces the typical architectonic outline of the Vallombrosani: plant to Latin cross with semicircular apse and cupola on the capocroce, protect externally from a quadrilateral tiburio from the unusual profile to pagoda. The nave conserve the false vault 18th century time, while are still original the vault of the arms of the transetto. On the left side is set up it a bell tower, whose construction was begun in 1160. Inside the church has a frescos decoration. Interesting is the italian garden, in the center of the garden is found a basin in serene stone of rectangular shape.