The History...

Guidoni Galgano was born in 1148 to noble parents home in the village of Chiusdino Salic, a small town that lies west of the abbey compact. The events of his life were partly transfigured by poetic legends which hide a historical basis. A legend believes his almost miraculous birth: parents, Guy and Dionisia, they would have had after years of infertility, through the intercession of Saint Michael, much venerated in the area, especially in small towns of the surrounding hills. Galgano grew beautiful, carefree, proud and arrogant. His youth frivolous and libertine somewhat recalls the history of near-contemporary Francis of Assisi as these, Galgano often felt the futility of his dissipated life and felt the torment of not having a purpose to live, his coveted title of Knight intoxication caused him not that he expected. And this anxiety slowly reached the decision to change, to live alone in contact with God and nature. Recommended by various hermits, many in the area, and particularly by William Malavalle, founder of a famous monastery in the Maremma, Galgano retired on or Cerboli Montesiepi Hill, not far from Chiusdino, direction Monticiano, where he lived for twelve months in a circular hut, built of twigs.

It was December 21, 1180.

This vocation of hermit Galgano is attributed by legend to insistent calls of the Angel Michael, who appeared in dreams and the place where to build the cell. In response to the insistence of his mother Dionisia and his fiancee Polyxena of Civitella Marittima because it falls within the city, and the jeers of the other riders, he stuck his sword into the slot of a rock that emerged in the hut, a sign of surrender to perpetual war and use of the weapon as a cross before which to pray. The sword upright in the soil for the knights of the Middle Ages had a profound spiritual significance: it represented and symbolized the cross, a sign of faith and aspiration to the crusade. This custom, confirmed by songs and stories of chivalry, was worth not only to express a public rejection of violence, even to pray during breaks religious and was often stuck in front of the bedside of a dying knight. Do not forget that the sword was blessed by the bishop just before being handed over to the new knight which s'intimava solemnly to use it only to defend the faith and justice. According to some, perhaps, the rock in question was to be the center of a most ancient holy place where we often gathered for solemn oaths; future explorations under the pavement of the Church, built around the rock, could reveal some more news. Several episodes show legendary San Galgano well integrated into the wild, some wolves frequented his hut, the people of the county visited him often for advice and healing. His solitary life at Montesiepi was not, nor he nor the neighbors, which is considered an escape from the world and its problems, but a freedom from man-made superstructures bulldoze the next and in this sense, San Galgano, the knight who turns with a symbolic sword on the cross, can be considered a courageous, not worrying about the warrior mentality of his century, asserted the supremacy of peace and faith on sterility of violence. He was a man "modern" for all time. Undoubtedly, the hermit's life was not easy, so that at 33, 3 December 1181, he died. An ancient tradition were present at his burial, the bishops of Volterra, Siena and Massa Marittima, in addition to Cistercian abbots Fossanova, wanted to highlight the good relations with the three neighboring dioceses of the Abbey and the union of the hermit with the Cistercian monks would have appeared a few years later.

EREMO DI SAN GALGANO IN MONTESIEPI

original core of the complex Cistercian Abbey of San Galgano is the small Romanesque church built as a mausoleum over the grave of the young hermit who just a few years later he was canonized in 1185 by Lucius III. Should first talk about the Rotonda di San Galgano, as it presents a singular plant and almost unique. Its construction was begun around 1182 and consecrated in 1185 by the Bishop of Volterra Pannocchieschi Hildebrand. It was conceived as a "mausoleum" for safekeeping the venerated tomb of the saint and had custody of the precious stone with the sword, however grave the round destination Montesiepi is closely related to the architecture that surrounds the ancient Roman tombs and Etruscan. In reality, the unknown architect was inspired by Castel S. Angelo, the Pantheon and the tomb of Cecilia Metella on the Appian Way, while the dome reminiscent of the tombs of Vetulonia and Volterra, the exterior is well outlined in the circular, it is built with stone base up to 4 meters and then stone alternating confile brick, the top, added in 1300, is cooked with a lower ring sawtooth and a ring top stone lantern was added in the seventeenth century. Probably in the thirteenth century, the original building was leaning against the porch with a cornice, invoice archaic and country, adorned with five small sculptures The Medici coat of arms is clear from the Baroque period. Another building added in the fourteenth century with little delicacy interrupted the harmony of the Round: the arched brick chapel, which has the advantage however of keeping a cycle of frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti. Another addition is considered the fourteenth-cam paniletto brick, mullioned windows to two sides overlapping niches blind children. Much worse happened to the small monastery, the cloister disappeared several times mentioned in the documents, the arches and windows were blinded, and the lower floors transformed into stables. The church is circular, interrupted only eastward from a delightful semi-circular apse mo-nofora double conch and is surmounted by a bold semi-spherical dome. In the outer wall, thick and forty feet, opening the ground floor three doors, one axis of the apse, at the porch and the two sides of the apse. A fourth gate drawn halfway up the wall, now reached by a wooden staircase leads to the rectory, the steeple and outer dome.

The chapel was built in rows of blocks of white stone mt. 3.75 from the base alternate with strips of brick in the dome, separated from the drum circle of travertine, the bicolor pattern continues in concentric rings, giving the illusion of infinity. In the outer wall there are four windows with double conch and above the four frame eye. Around 1340 began the Chapel Fresco, square-shaped, resting on the north side of the Rotunda, and Gothic quadripartite vault. Soon after it was painted by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, with the help of pupils. The frescoes suffered over the centuries many addresses: men and reduced them to bad weather condition. Some are completely gone.

In the upper lunata shows a Majesty the Virgin Mary on a throne, surrounded by a host of Angels and Saints at his feet lies Eve a scroll explaining the theological content of the allegorical scene: the contrast between Eve, the cause of death and Mary, Mother of Christ - the source of Life. The figure of Eve recalls two famous characters of "Good Government" by Ambrogio Lorenzetti in the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena: the Peace and Security, the same draperies and nobility of expression.

Among the characters represented, we see the first floor: St. Peter, St. Paul and the two St. John, in the lower deck: the Pope Lucius III, two hermits who lived nearby, and a holy bishop. The two figures dressed in white represent the two Cistercian Saints: St. Robert and St. Bernard, the woman who has a heart to the Virgin symbolizes the ideal love, while the woman with the basket, charity practice. The lower end there is an unusual Annunciation. The painter in his own version he had represented the Virgin withdraws DellAngelo frightened at the sight.

Conception perhaps logical, but not acceptable to his contemporaries, accustomed to more static and hieratic representations of the Madonna, so a follower of the Lorenzetti Virgin remade the traditional position, as is still visible. The primitive figure that remains is a vague outline at the bottom. The lunette of the left wall are still visible about two thirds of the composition "St. Michael Galgano invites the heavenly court."Right, the young saint offers the rock with the sword in S. Michael, a sign of consecration of the shrine of Montesiepi, Gospel, in turn, invited him to watch the "Majesty" of Mary, source of peace. Are well-modeled figures of two bishops of Volterra Hugh Saladini Pannocchieschi and Hildebrand, founder of the Rotunda. Immediately below is a panorama of Rome on sinopia. It's a good job in the sense of depth, the buildings are arranged at an angle, toward each other, and represent the Castel Sant'Angelo (idealized version) and the old basilica of S. Peter. The episode depicts the appearance of an angel on the castle and puts his sword in token of forgiveness. Below, another sinopia where two churches are represented: one Gothic and the other circular.On the right side, top, a large group of Saints and Angels journeying toward the Majesty of Mary, the fresco is largely lost. However, there are recognized S. Stephen S. Fabian, Ursula and King David. In the lower two were placed sinopias Annunciation. Do not exaggerate those critics who have called the sinopia of the Virgin, the real Lorenzetti, a masterpiece of movement and feeling.

LA GRANDE ABBAZIA

few years after the death of San Galgano came from the Abbey of the Cistercians in Ciociaria Casamari, south of Rome. We do not know the exact year and certainly the late thirteenth century the monks had settled on the hill Montesiepi, absorbing the last galganiani hermits. In early 1200, the superior of the monastery is adorned with the title of abbot and his name is Bono, probably of French origin.
The monastery where the monks lived, still exists, was small, but the hill did not allow any extension easy. The monks, recommended by the Bishop of Volterra Pannocchieschi Hildebrand, Earl overlord of the place, decided to go down to the 1218 in the valley below, a wide and fertile. The complex took many years and was built according to the most stringent criteria of art and customs of the Cistercians. These belonged to a Benedictine monastic order, founded in 1098 at Citeaux (Latin Cistercium) Abbot Robert of Molesme order to restore the rule of St. Benedict somewhat misrepresented by other branches of the monastery. Special thanks to Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), the order spread throughout Europe, giving great impetus to the agricultural economy and spreading the art of "Gothic-Cistercian renowned for its efficient simplicity. Donations and papal privileges, imperial bishops, the Order made powerful and numerous possessions scattered through Tuscany created a good economic situation that made possible the long construction of the imposing abbey. Especially these monks are part of the territory of the Republic of Siena in various fields, from law to technology, economics and architecture. Were notaries and judges, appointed by the popes and the Republic of Siena to ambassadors of peace. In fact they were often called upon to direct the work of the Siena Cathedral. Monaco to name a nightingale was appointed to investigate whether water from the Merse could be channeled to the gates of Siena, and many mills were built along rivers. Often they were called to take an interest in mines around the monastery near the river Merse there are still traces of walls and cinder mining, evidence of active smelter. Economic ties with the government of Siena were excellent: the monastery was near the center of the state and a lot of traffic coming from the pastures, from sea mines and stood there under the protection of the monks who often organized important exhibitions. It was not just the monks in charge of "Bicherna" as "treasurers", ie managers and ministers of state treasury, positions of extreme trust.
But all this splendor spiritual, cultural and economic underwent a rapid decline. In 1364 there were several raids of mercenaries in the service of Florence. But the worst evil was never so deprecated Commando, real plague that brought ruin to many monasteries.
From the mid-fifteenth century Commendatory, abbots holders who received rents of the abbey, only concern is to exploit the goods at the expense of the monks, the monastic discipline and buildings, more and more abandoned. Girolamo Vitelli decline around 1550 left the farms, alienated valuables and even sold the lead roof of the two churches, the primary cause of slow but inexorable disintegration of the church.
This situation was to suffer the life of the monks, who in 1550 had been only five. In 1600 there was only one old and Monaco, so shabby as to arouse the indignation of a visitor at the time.
After several attempt to bring other monks, even of different orders, in 1789, being declared the Rotunda Hermitage Parish, was sent a diocesan priest. The church was completely abandoned and Betti passed in perpetual lease to a noble family in the area.
With the dispersal of the archive of the Abbey of San Galgano many stories are lost, as has happened to date was the year when construction began on the great Abbey with its outbuildings. The strong resemblance to the Church in southern Lazio Casamari suggests that 1218-1220 was the beginning of the foundation. The project was completed in 1268 when it was consecrated by the Bishop of Volterra, Alberto Solari, but some assume that only around 1285 came their substantial completion. Often referred to as the architect of the abbey was a Curtius Chiusi, but this claim was rejected as never supported by any valid document. In the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth most of the construction of monasteries and convents had asked, as architects and leaders of the workers, the same monks who followed the traditions learned in schools in their respective orders.