The Pieve of San Lorenzo

History, art and spirituality in the heart of Tuscany

Introduction

Imagine walking along a narrow road, surrounded by olive trees and vineyards that stretch gently onto the hills. At the top, suddenly, the Pieve di San Lorenzo a Montefiesole appears, a stone jewel that dominates the landscape of Pontassieve.

Restored in 1998, the Pieve of San Lorenzo is today much more than a simple building: it is the guardian of stories, a silent witness of the centuries, and a destination for those seeking beauty and spirituality in a place where time seems to have stopped.

History

  • 11th century (2 February 1038 – 9 January 1045): first attestations in the "Cards of San Miniato" as plebs of Monte Fesuli, which confirm the existence of the Christian community on the hills of Montefiesole

  • 1190: the church is qualified as a collegiate church by a Florentine ecclesiastical document, attesting to its important role in the territory
  • End of the 14th century: the panel of the Madonna del Parto is placed inside, attributed to Antonio Veneziano, a masterpiece of fifteenth-century sacred art
  • 1461: official election to the rank of parish church in the archiepiscopal registers, with full liturgical and administrative autonomy for Montefiesole
  • 1998: general restoration which consolidated and enhanced the original Romanesque layout with three naves, restoring the Parish Church to its medieval splendor

Architecture

The building speaks the Romanesque language, made up of round arches that mark the five bays and compact volumes without frills. The walls, made with carefully laid square blocks of local stone, convey a sense of ancient solidity, while the narrow single-lancet windows let a soft, muffled light filter through. Above, a double-pitched roof, supported by exposed wooden trusses, recalls the construction simplicity of the Tuscan Middle Ages. The central nave, slightly higher than the lateral ones, guides the gaze towards the semicircular apse, ideally closing the east-west axis along which the building is oriented. The profile is completed by the salient façade, punctuated by a few, carved stone details, and the bell tower, which fits discreetly into the rhythm of the whole. In this space the architectural structure and materials speak together of function and beauty, blending compositional rigor and harmony with the hilly landscape.

Works of Art

 

  • “Madonna del Parto” (late 14th century): wooden panel portraying the Virgin in a state of grace, with a tense belly and two vases of lilies on the sides, located near the central apse.
  • “Deposition of Christ from the Cross” (16th century): wall painting in the head of the left side nave, which recounts with emotional intensity the moment in which Jesus is taken down from the cross.
  • Marble main altar: carved table with lateral columns and Renaissance tabernacle, liturgical fulcrum of the hall along the east-west axis.
  • Altar of the Madonna: small piece of plastered masonry furniture, crowned by a niche, located to the right of the entrance and dedicated to the Marian cult.
  • Altar of Saint Anthony of Padua: located on the left side, made of masonry with stone arches and columns, still a destination for popular devotion.

Information for the visit

Opening hours & rates

The Pieve is accessible to the public in conjunction with liturgical celebrations: the Holy Mass is celebrated every Sunday at 9:00 am, after which it is possible to stay inside for the independent visit until 11:00 am. On the occasion of particular holidays (patronal feast of San Lorenzo, five-year Jubilee) extraordinary hours are organised.

Entrance is free, with the possibility of offering a free contribution for maintenance. No reservation is necessary for the independent visit.

Requests and guided tours

For additional information, guided tours or special needs, you can contact the municipality of Pontassieve or ask us directly!

How to get there

By booking a stay at the Agriturismo Tassinaia, you will find the Parish Church of San Lorenzo just a 2-minute walk from the farmhouse.

Just follow the short shaded path that starts from the entrance of the farmhouse and goes through olive trees and cypresses, up to the small churchyard.

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