abbazia di san galgano

We loved our visit to San Galgano, loved wandering about the ruins of the old abbey and learning about is place in the community. We had visited Fountains Abbey in England and so wanted to see the ruins of this old abbey as well. Both inspire a feeling of deep respect for those who worked and prayed and lived lives of faith in these places, centuries ago. One feels they are in a hallowed, holy place. Lovely, quiet, serene...and uniquely Italian!

a powerful architecture resisting the injuries of time and men, a testimony of the time when monasteries like these were centers of peace and culture in troubled ages. And a beautiful tale to tell your children about the giant killer who realizes no one loves him and plants his sword in the rocks (the concrete is a little too obvious for the grownups). In summer you can spend an enjoyable evening with music under the stars and in the nearby villages you can have excellent cheese, ham, local herbs and honey. well worth the trip.

We're not architecture buffs so the Abbey was nothing special to us. It is in a very scenic area and likely would be even better in Spring and Fall. There is a large parking lot about 1km from the Abbey, but since we only saw two other small groups of visitors we parked at the end of the driveway in front of the Abbey. From the Abbey you walk about 500 meters up a fairly steep path to the Chapel where the sword is embedded in a rock. There is a small parking lot near the Chapel at the top of the hill if you don't want to walk. There is a wine bar about 100 meters from the Chapel, but it was closed the day it was there. Unfortunately the sword is under glass so there is no chance to get a picture trying to pull it out. From Siena we had to drive about 40km on twisting turning roads to get here. It is a fairly scenic drive.

We visited this ruined abbey on a sunny but windy day in Dec 2014. It is in a beautiful location and the abbey itself is on the level so accessible for buggies and wheelchairs. We also took the opportunity to climb up the nearby hill to the associated church. The visit took about 1.5 hr in total and was very enjoyable - also helped by the local trattoria which served good, inexpensive local tuscan food and is well worth a visit too!

It is a wonderful place to sit and absorb nature. The abbey is in ruins but must have been a magnificent building. The hermitage a few metres away is also worth visiting. An amazing place .

This is a church that no longer has a rooftop but the walls are still standing. Now that is about all you will see is the walls of the building. However, the countryside that it sits in and the sky as the rooftop of the church to me is magnificent! The windows are gone too but you see where they were in the wall. Then you can hike up a trail next to a vineyard to see where a man, San Galgano, took his sword and stuck it in a rock after giving up his former ways of knighthood to follow Christ and serve Him. This is in a chapel on a hill that you will see from the abbey. There is plenty of parking which is paved and then you walk to the abbey and chapel hill from the parking lot which is free. Some park along the road which is a lot closer to the abbey. There is also limited parking up on the hill for the chapel. It was about 2 euro per person.

South of Sienna lies the roofless, first gothic style, abbey of San Galgano, build around 1218-1288, when in 1786 lightening struck the bell tower which collapsed the roof. It is still in an amazing state, not harmed by weather like the ones in Great Britain. 500 m uphill is the Hermitage of Monte Siepi, a round chapel built in 1148 where San Galgano, a knight, retired to live as a hermit, embedding his sword in a stone as a symbol of peace. Any photographer will go wild there as there is a lot to photograph!

It is a marvellous ancient site oozing history. The church is in Norman archiecture and has a unique atmosphere to it. At best you must visit when a choir is singing Gregorian chants!

We were staying in San Gimignano and took the hour long drive through the Tuscan Hills to the Abbey! Great views. The Abbey itself is well worth the visit. It is off the beaten path and not overrun with tour bus and after tour bus. The ruins of the Abbey are beautiful in their own way...very serene location. The short walk up the hill to the small chapel is also worth it. We stayed on and had lunch at the small restaurant at the end of the drive way. Food was excellent and reasonably priced.

Drove here from Siena and sooo glad we did!! If you are a photographer, amateur or pro, don't miss this abbey. Amazing architecture in a beautiful setting. It was a little foggy on the morning we visited which lent to the mysterious atmosphere. We did climb the hill to see the sword in the stone but can also drive. That was interesting, but the abbey is the reason to go!! There is also a nice little gift shop and restaurant. There is also a vineyard and a wine bar.

This is a beautiful, serene abbey to spend an hour or so at. I loved the abbey - found it peaceful and as one other reviewer said, mysterious. It is easy to envision what it would have been like to be here as a monk. You must climb/hike a somewhat steep hill to the chapel to see the sword. While the chapel is lovely, I was disappointed with the sword. It is covered with a plastic dome that is scratched and cloudy, much like a headlight cover on an old car! Go here to see the abbey and you will not be disappointed.

It was very difficult organizing to get there as there is only one bus daily that connects the place with Siena (nr 122) departing at 13.45 and no return. As a result we had to call a taxi from Siena to return us back on the same day which cost around 65 Euro. BUT it was completely worth it! The place is very peaceful and mysterious at the same time. I would return to the area just to stay there for 1 or 2 days! Highly recommended!

Little hidden treasure! Pictures are great, no matter which angle you take them from...Lovely Sunday Catholic Mass in the chapel next to the abbey!

having wandered around this 13th century Abbey you then climb up to the unique domed chapel on the hillside above where legend has it that a 12th century soldier plunged his sword into a stone to mark the end of his warrior ways. This was after St. Michael appeared to him, ordering him to renounce his warlike ways and become a holy hermit. And there it is- a sword half buried in a stone. The Ambrogio Lorenzetti frescoes of 1344 illustrate the holy vision that triggered the incident

We visited this place for the second time. The abbey is beautifully laid out in fine Tuscan scenery and a definite "must visit" along with the Albergo/Agriturismo next to it that serves some fine local snacks. Feels like a paradise.