Talciona: Church, Routes and Tuscan History

Talciona between Church, Routes and History

Talciona combines historic routes with a remarkable history of churches and the locality. Talciona lies at the meeting point of the Via Francigena, the Via Salaiola and the Cassia. As early as the 12th century, Talciona, near the Cassia and the Via Francigena, was home to a community of canons. In 1104, an arbitration ruling defining the boundary between Florence and Siena was documented in Talciona. A castle has been documented in Talciona since the 11th century. Those wishing to discover Italy away from the major cities and connect historical contexts directly with a place will find several points of reference here.

The Chiesa di Santa Maria a Talciona

The Chiesa di Santa Maria a Talciona is at the centre. The first documented mention of the church dates from 1156. The canons completed the Chiesa di Santa Maria a Talciona in its present form in 1234. The church has a single nave, preserving a clearly recognisable, concentrated spatial form that can be readily connected with the historic stages of its development.

The exterior view also tells of different building phases and materials. The Chiesa di Santa Maria a Talciona has a late Romanesque façade with a gabled roof. It consists of parallel-arranged blocks of travertine, sandstone and Pliocene limestone. The campanile, or bell tower, dates from the late 16th century. It is made of bricks and has alternating blocks of hewn stone at the corners.

Art and Historical Context

The Chiesa di Santa Maria a Talciona contains a glazed terracotta tabernacle attributed to Giovanni and Andrea Della Robbia and dated to the first decade of the 16th century. The church's historical context also includes its later affiliation: in 1508, the Chiesa di Santa Maria a Talciona and its properties were affiliated with the Spedale di Santa Maria Nuova in Florence. Architecture, furnishings and local history can therefore be considered closely together here.

Visits and Hiking

The Chiesa di Santa Maria a Talciona can be visited free of charge by prior arrangement. This arrangement is suitable for an individually planned visit, allowing you to incorporate the church specifically into your exploration of Talciona.

A further perspective is offered by the guided hike “La leggenda di Strozzavolpe”. It includes a visit to the Chiesa di Talciona along the “via delle grucce”. The guided hike also leads through the Riserva di Sant'Agnese. This means that the offer combines a visit to the church with a route that incorporates historic places and a protected natural area.

Staying Overnight in Talciona

The Borgo di Talciona is also part of the local character. The main house comprises two fully renovated apartments and preserves the original features of a Tuscan farmhouse. Those who value historic architecture and the character of a rural place when planning their trip will therefore encounter not only the church in Talciona, but also a preserved rural building form.

For further orientation, you can also discover Staggia.

For the overarching travel overview: Poggibonsi.