Bucine

Badia a Ruoti Abbey

Visiting the fascinating timeless village of Bucine it is possible to be enchanted by the Badia a Ruoti, an abbey perched on the cobblestone alleys that dates back to around the year 1000 when it belonged to the Camaldolese monks;  in truth there are clues that suggest that even before it was owned by the Benedictines. Due to frequent sieges, in the past it witnessed struggles and wars that from time to time badly reduced the abbey complex, forcing it to undergo some structural interventions, so much so that it lost its original appearance during the 17th century.

Today, thanks to various restorations, we can admire the original form of the Abbey of San Pietro a Ruoti back to life. The church has a hanging prototype dating back to the 11th century on the façade.  The interior, which develops like a Latin cross, has a single nave ending in a semicircular apse;at the intersection of the nave with the transept there is a dome covered on the outside by a high octagonal lantern.  It contains some frescoes from the 16th century that the passing of the centuries has made fragmentary: these paintings cover the internal side walls and seem to accompany the visitor’s gaze towards the golden painting of the incoronazione  della Vergine by Neri di Bicci (1472) Coronation of the Virgin by Neri di Bicci made in 1472.

The abbey has gradually grown.  In fact it was originally smaller with a roof.  in perfect Romanesque style, made of trusses and covered with stone slabs.  Later it was enlarged with the addition of the transept of the apse and the bell tower. To rebalance the new dimensions of the complex, the roof was raised with the use of red bricks that replaced the stones. Not far from the abbey of Badia a Ruoti you find a majestic old oak that seems to be in a deep slumber. It stands out in the country-side; it is called a “memory tree”. Its 27 meters of high constitute a sort of natural link between land and  sky.

INFORMATION
Possible booking of guided visits at “ Neri de Bicci” Association.

CONTACTS
Neri de Bicci Association.
Phone. 338 5929912
Phone. 339 2447023

Parish Church and Tower of Galatrona

The Pieve di San Giovanni Battista, a Romanesque parish church hidden among the cypresses of the Tuscan countryside, originally titled Canestruna (Galatrona). It stands out from afar in all its placid majesty,with its clear façade and white plastered bell tower; probably built in the Paleochristian age, on the remains of a pagan temple, perhaps Etruscan.
It houses three works by Giovanni Della Robbia, made between 1517 and 1521 including: the baptismal font placed along the right nave, it portrays the life of Saint John the Baptist in five panels in relief,in the sixth panel, the front one, the baptism of Christ is instead depicted. The statue of Saint John the Baptist announcing the coming of the Savior with his right hand while in the left he holds a cartouche. He is surrounded by a frame frescoed with floral motifs.
On the high altar the ciborium , the third masterpiece of Robbia, rises in all its grandeur. In the six panels the carved figures of Jesus loaded with the cross, Mary Magdalene and John, Saints Leonardo and Jerome, they seem to come to life.
The Galatrona Tower (dating back to the tenth century) dominates looking over the entire side of the Valdarno. This watchtower, called “il torrione” is what remains of the castle of Galatrona, , located at the end of a long rocky spur that melts with Monteluco del Chianti. The tower, built in sandstones and bricks, is divided into five floors and the terrace, at the top of the tower. makes you feel the strategic position from the Valdarno to all its borders and the Valdambra. From the top you can enjoy a panorama of extraordinary beauty: wonderful villages perched on rolling hills, fields and cultivated land, in which the cultivation of vines and olive trees stands out, supported by traditional dry stone walls and thick woods of heather, junipers, holm oaks, strawberry trees and brooms.
INFORMATION
The Parish Church of Galatrona can be visited from April to October every Sunday and every public holiday from 04:00 am
at 06:00 pm (visits on request for groups of minimum 8 people on other days of the week).
CONTACTS
Pieve di Galatrona Volunteers Group
Phone 338 2879310

Pogi Bridge

The bridge in the hamlet of Pogi , a few kilometres from Bucine, dates back to the Romanesque age. The bridge represented the continuity of the ancient Via Cassia Adrianea, it allows you to overcome the torrent.
Both the river and the bridge with its five stone arches retain the same ageless atmosphere: precious heritage and incomparable legacy.
The recent renovation has given new splendour, the bridge is perfectly integrated in the banks of the river surrounded by soft vegetation. The place is the ideal destination for lovers of trekking, fishing and photography.
Not far away, perched on the hill, there is Pogi alta, an ancient and characteristic fortress, once a castle today enchanted village composed of stone houses.