MADONNA DELLA CARITA’:
One of the most important and spectacular building in Seggiano is the magnificent “Santuario della Madonna della Carità”, unique sienese example in its kind.Dedicated to the end of the famine, the Santuario was built between 1589 and 1603 in the Renaissance and it is located at the foot of the hill. Immersed in secular olives groves. It was restored in a second time.This church is important for the trachyte façade in Baroque-style and is characteristic for its Dome in red bricks. On the principal wall, the church has a fresco representing the “Annunciazione” and the interior hosts seven different kinds of altars. Behind the high altar there is a fresco that represents Our Lady with a child. Tania Pera
ORATORIO DI SAN ROCCO:
“Oratorio di San Rocco” built in 1486, is situated outdoors “Porta del Mercato”, that also today allows the entrance in to the historical centre.This building is a typical countryside chapel with a only nave and barrel vault in presbytery. The façade is simple with a small lunette at the entrance. This church has two elegant Renaissance cippus on the sides.The exterior is simple, but the interior is characterized with different frescoes designed by a famous painter: Girolamo di Domenico.He started his works in 1490 and finished three years later.His frescoes represent God with four followers , Our Lady with Saints, another a group of Saints and one of these is Saint Bernardino with a monogram of Christ.The style is typical of sienese picture of that time (1400). Tania Pera
CONVENTO DEL COLOMBAIO:
A few kilometres from Seggiano and Potentino castle, in a fascinating mix of woods and small villages, is situated the beautiful “Convento del Colombaio”.Here you can find some ruins of the franciscan monastery.It dates back to the XI century, and was a place where Saint Francesco with his followers used to pray.This monastery hosts a chapel with a big picture representing the “ Annunciazione”.In a second period, this building was rebuilt by a rich man: Niccolò Buonsignori.This monastery has hosted different Saints such as Filippino di Castiglia, Guido da Selvena, Giovanni Colombino and Onofrio di Seggiano.This monastery is important also because from 1402 became the place where Saint Bernardino did his novitiate. Here Saint Bernardino said his first Mass and remained for 9 years. This building came repressed in 1764 while the church not, but in 1827 it became a deserted place. Here today you can admire the ruins of this magnificent building and it is a place that you can’t miss. Tania Pera
CHIESA DI SANTA MARIA IN VILLA: The church of Santa Maria in Villa, is situated near Seggiano in to the property of Santa Maria.This building has Medieval origin and was remodeled considerably during the 15 th century. At the end of this century, the church became the patronage of the Ugurghieri .The interior is simple but there is a magnific picture representing Our Lady with a child designed by Andrea Vanni.Of that period remained only this picture, but in 1669 Francesco Nasini replaced it with other pictures such as Angels, Saint Giovanni, Caterina d’Alessandria, Antonio da Padova and Giuseppe. Tania Pera
THE CHURCH OF SAN BERNARDINO-Deborah
The church is located in the central square of the town near the medieval tower of the cassero and inside the holy relics are conserved.It was built in 19th century and it was completely restored in 1869 and its stone façade is on the right of that bell tower.The interior is full of pictures that represent: Saint Bernardino, Saint Caterina, Saint Maria Maddalena and Saint Cristoforo with a child and other Saints and Angels.Near other altars you can see a picture on canvas by Francesco Nasini representing Saint Sebastiano. Outside this church you can admire a beautiful fountain that contains the coat of arms of Seggiano. Deborah Pezzi
THE CASTLE OF POTENTINO - Deborah
Another splendid monument is the Castle of Potentino on the right hand side of the Vivo River, about a km and a half from the centre of Seggiano, just across Valle degli Ulivi.The first documentation of the Castle dates back to 1042. In the course of its history it had many owners: Bishop of Chiusi in 1209 and then a series of senese Families as Bonsignori, Tolomei, Salimbeni, Bindi, Venturini, Venturi. This castle had a close relation ship with the Abbey of San Salvatore of Monte Amiata and the important fact is that Santa Caterina stayed there during her travel to Monte Giovi.In ‘600 hundred it passed to Marchese Borbone del Monte and remained in the Family for three centuries under the protection of the Gran Duca di Toscana. The last owner was the Swiss Antonio Hemmler.In the Middle Age the castle life was parallel to that of Seggiano and in XIV it had no more a military role so Potentino became a place of relax and agriculture company going from hand to hand with senese Families.It is difficult try to see the original urbanistic structure: the castle was transformed and amplified in XIV century by Venturi’s.Through the central gate we find a large square with an “L” shaped palace with its monumental façade and in front there is an attractive renaissance travertine well. On the left hand side there is the church of Sant’Antonio da Padova and above the door there is the crest of the Marchesi Borbone del Monte.Above the main floor there is a series of quadrangular windows which follows around the perimeter of the whole building. In the atrium there is a monumental stair case. On the main floor we can admire a series of beautiful baroque fireplaces.The present owners have restored the castle and created in the surrounding area a magic place where we can also taste the Sacromonte wine of Potentino.
THE CHURCH OF SAN BARTOLOMEO- Deborah
The first documentation we have about the church of San Bartolomeo is a “Bolla” of Onorario III in 1216 under the protectorate of the Abbazia of Sant’Antonio. Only a few elements remain of the original medieval church which had a single nave with seven alters, six of them are in stucco and the main one was built in 1689 and made of grey marble from Castelnuovo dell’Abate, in the middle there is the sculpture of the Saint Patron. The most important work of art is a “Polittico” figuring a troned Virgin whit child and others Saints, an important testimony of senese painting of XIV century. The polittico has been attributed to Matteo Bulgarini better known as Maestro Davide Ugolino Lorenzetti. One of the original parts of the politico is missing probably lost when it was moved in 1752. Replaced by a large painting of Arcangelo Michele, that the visitors can admire it on the first part on the left.There is also a beautiful XIV century Crucifix, a scene of the birth of the Virgin and in the presbytery is situated an interesting renaissance tombstone.Recently a local sculpture has made a tufo baptistery font.The church was transformed in 1938 by the architect Egisto Bellini, he built a style façade and made a Latin cross plan.
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