Abbey of San Galgano, Italy: Off The Beaten Path
One of Tuscany’s most famous monasteries lies in beautiful ruins: the San Galgano Abbey. Sitting in a golden field with cypress trees dotting the property, the Abbey of San Galgano holds onto its Italian Gothic-Cistercian architecture, if only by the bones. With soaring archways and sweeping views, this ancient monastery is a picturesque spot to explore and reimagine history.
As history tells, Italy’s noble knight Galgano Guidotti left his life of wealth to live as a Cistercian monk in 1180, following a series of dreams and religious visions. To signify the abandonment of his status, Guidotti struck a rock with his sword, creating a real-life Excalibur. The sword-in-rock is preserved in a chapel at the nearby Montesiepi hermitage. Four years after his death, Guidotti was named Saint Galgano for his life of charity.
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In honor of Saint Galgano, the Cistercian monks built the Abbey of San Galgano in Siena, which was later devastated in 1300 by Giovanni Acuto’s troops. By the end of the 14th century, the abbey was the only structure left of the monastery.
Today, with it’s roofless walls and 13th-century style, the abbey is a breathtaking piece of architecture. From the tall nave with its soaring windows to the addition of the rose window still standing, the ancient structure is a vista to behold.
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