The original nucleus of
the monastic complex Cistercian of Saint Galgano
(Galgano Guidotti 1148-1181) is constituted by the hermitage of Montesiepi, built in Roman
style as mausoleum of the Saint between the 1182 and the 1185. Its greater particularity
is the so-called 'the Rotunda of Saint Galgano' with a unique, for the constructions of
that time, plan. It encloses, beyond to the tomb of the saint, the famous rock with the
sword. Although at a first look it can seem an emulation of ancient Etruscan tombs of
Populonia, Vetulonia and Volterra, the architect responsible of its construction inspired
itself to Castel S.Angelo and the Pantheon of Rome. In the following centuries the Rotunda
was strongly manumitted, but the perfect restoration of the year 1924 brought it back to
the original aspect. The dome is constructed using alternated rows of white stone and
bricks. With the growth of the interest in the cult of Saint Galgano many rich nobles
wanted to contribute to the embellishment of the Rotunda, in the year 1340 was begun the
construction of a Chapel on the north side, then frescoed by the great artist Ambrogio
Lorenzetti, he's paintings are still today in part visible thanks to a careful restoration
work that has arrested their degrade.The hermitage began too small to contain the monks
and the pilgrims, so in 1218 was decided to begin the construction of a new imposing Abbey
in the plain below. The works were encouraged also by the Bishop of Volterra. The
community of Saint Galgano began the point of reference for all the territory and for the
interest of the Senese Republic. The Abbey was built in the classic gothic forms of all
the other Cistercian constructions, with plan at Latin cross with three aisles, rich of
carved capitals and rose-windows, cloister, halls, bell tower.The richness of S.Galgano
and the good relationships with Siena attracted on it the incursions of the Florentine
armies that, together with other political events, carried to a rapid decadence of the
abbey since from the first half of 15th century: in the 1550 only five monks were in the
abbey and at the beginning of 17th century only one old and poor monk still lived between
its walls, already in ruin. On the 6 of January 1786 the bell tower, with its 36 meters
high, collapsed sweeping up great part of the roof of the church.In the 1789 the great
Abbey was definitively abandoned and become an enormous quarry of stones and columns for
all the buildings of the zone. Fortunately, from the beginning of this century, many jobs
of restoration and maintenance have been undertaken, so that today the ruins of Saint
Galgano, by now without more traces of the roof, are one of the most visited medieval
monuments in Tuscany.
The original nucleus of
the monastic complex Cistercian of Saint Galgano
(Galgano Guidotti 1148-1181) is constituted by the hermitage of Montesiepi, built in Roman
style as mausoleum of the Saint between the 1182 and the 1185. Its greater particularity
is the so-called 'the Rotunda of Saint Galgano' with a unique, for the constructions of
that time, plan. It encloses, beyond to the tomb of the saint, the famous rock with the
sword. Although at a first look it can seem an emulation of ancient Etruscan tombs of
Populonia, Vetulonia and Volterra, the architect responsible of its construction inspired
itself to Castel S.Angelo and the Pantheon of Rome. In the following centuries the Rotunda
was strongly manumitted, but the perfect restoration of the year 1924 brought it back to
the original aspect. The dome is constructed using alternated rows of white stone and
bricks. With the growth of the interest in the cult of Saint Galgano many rich nobles
wanted to contribute to the embellishment of the Rotunda, in the year 1340 was begun the
construction of a Chapel on the north side, then frescoed by the great artist Ambrogio
Lorenzetti, he's paintings are still today in part visible thanks to a careful restoration
work that has arrested their degrade.The hermitage began too small to contain the monks
and the pilgrims, so in 1218 was decided to begin the construction of a new imposing Abbey
in the plain below. The works were encouraged also by the Bishop of Volterra. The
community of Saint Galgano began the point of reference for all the territory and for the
interest of the Senese Republic. The Abbey was built in the classic gothic forms of all
the other Cistercian constructions, with plan at Latin cross with three aisles, rich of
carved capitals and rose-windows, cloister, halls, bell tower.The richness of S.Galgano
and the good relationships with Siena attracted on it the incursions of the Florentine
armies that, together with other political events, carried to a rapid decadence of the
abbey since from the first half of 15th century: in the 1550 only five monks were in the
abbey and at the beginning of 17th century only one old and poor monk still lived between
its walls, already in ruin. On the 6 of January 1786 the bell tower, with its 36 meters
high, collapsed sweeping up great part of the roof of the church.In the 1789 the great
Abbey was definitively abandoned and become an enormous quarry of stones and columns for
all the buildings of the zone. Fortunately, from the beginning of this century, many jobs
of restoration and maintenance have been undertaken, so that today the ruins of Saint
Galgano, by now without more traces of the roof, are one of the most visited medieval
monuments in Tuscany.