Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The ruined abbey at San Galgano, surrounded by dense woodland
San Galgano
7
Road map
D4
(località Chiusdino).
@
Montalcino
8
Road map
D4.
On a hill above the abbey is
the beehive-shaped chapel of
Montesiepi, built on the site
of St Galgano's hermitage
around 1185, a few years
after his death in 1181.
St Galgano's sword stands
embedded in a stone just
inside the door of the circular
oratory. The 14th-century
stone walls of the side chapel
are covered with frescoes
showing scenes from
Galgano's life by Ambrogio
Lorenzetti (1344); some are
now in a poor state of repair.
The shop alongside the
chapel sells locally-made
herbs, wines, olive oils and
toiletries along with topics on
the history of the region.
*
5,100.
@
n
Costa del Municipio 8 (0577 84
93 31).
from Siena.
Abbey and oratory
¢
Mon.
(
Fri.
#
daily.
The ruined Cistercian abbey
is surrounded by woodland
and in a superb setting. It is
very remote but well worth
the effort of getting there for
the beauty of the surround-
ings and the majesty of the
roofless building. Begun in
1218, the abbey is Gothic in
style; unusual in Tuscany, this
reflects the French origins of
the Cistercian monks who
designed and built it.
The monks avoided contact
with civilization and divided
their lives between prayer
and labour, clearing the hills
of vegetation to graze their
sheep. Despite the Cistercian
emphasis on poverty, the
monks became wealthy from
the sale of wool; by the middle
of the 14th century, the abbey
was corruptly administered
and gradually fell into decline.
In the late 14th century, the
English mercenary Sir John
Hawkwood sacked the abbey
and by 1397 the abbot was
the sole occupant. Numbers
recovered for a time but the
abbey was eventually dissolved
in 1652. Empty for many years,
the cloister and other monastic
buildings alongside the church
are now being restored for
the Olivetan order of nuns.
Montalcino's foremost
activity is wine-producing,
as is evident from the
number of shops where
you can both sample and
buy the excellent local
Brunello wines
(see p268)
.
The town, situated on the
top of a hill, is of timeless
character and the streets are
narrow, winding and steep.
The highest point is the
14th-century
Fortezza
and
its impressive ramparts,
built by Cosimo I in 1571.
THE LEGEND OF ST GALGANO
Galgano was born in 1148, the
son of noble parents, and grew
into a brave but dissolute young
knight. He saw his life as futile
and turned to God, renouncing
the material world. When he
tried to break his sword
against a rock as a symbol of
his rejection of war, it was
swallowed by the stone. This
he interpreted as a sign of
God's approval. He built a
hut on the site of today's
chapel at Montesiepi, and
died a hermit in 1181. In 1185
Pope Urban III declared him
a saint and an example to all
Christian knights.
