Ambra: Medieval Traces, Church Art and the Palio

You can get to know Ambra through several distinct themes: its ancient town center, art in two churches and the Palio della Palla Tonchiata. Medieval remains shape the townscape, while the churches combine different architectural styles with artworks that can be precisely dated. As you plan your trip, you can decide whether to focus on local history, church art or a special event.

Medieval Traces in the Townscape

The ancient town center of Ambra lies on a small hill between the left bank of the Ambra River and the ravine of the fortress moat. The medieval fortifications are still clearly visible in the townscape of the historic center. The remains include fragments of the eastern defensive wall, which have been incorporated into houses. In the northern part, there are a gate and a tower, as well as traces of houses dating from the late 12th or early 13th century. Here, you can encounter various signs of the town’s earlier layout, from its fortifications to evidence of homes.

The lane known as “gli sportici” also leads into this older layout: it runs to one of the ancient entrances to the Castrum of Ambra. The specific entrance and the surviving fortifications offer two different clues for understanding the historic townscape.

Two Churches, Different Building Histories

The parish church of Santa Maria Assunta was built in the late 16th century, replacing a medieval church that had been destroyed by the 1558 earthquake. Inside is a large painting of the Birth of the Virgin, created in 1600 by Michelangelo Vestrucci, who was from Montevarchi. The church’s history and the painting thus connect a new beginning after the earthquake with a precisely dated work of art.

The Church of the Compagnia di Santa Croce is located on what is now Via Duddova and was probably built in the 1570s. Its floor plan is in the shape of a Latin cross; other features include a gabled façade, pilasters along the side walls and a circular oculus. Behind the altar is a 17th-century painting depicting the Finding of the True Cross. In contrast with the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, the focus here is on different architectural forms and a different subject in the painting.

The Palio and the Sentiero: Different Travel Interests

Every year since 1998, Ambra has commemorated the theft of the tonchiata ball with a test of strength and skill at the Palio della Palla Tonchiata. Teams of two push tonchiate balls weighing 80 to 90 kilograms twice around the village. The weight of the balls and the repeated circuit vividly illustrate the physical demands of the competition. If you would like to include the Palio in your trip, check the event dates in advance.

Another point of interest is the Sentiero dell’Alta Valdambra. Ambra is one of the stops along this route, which can be explored on foot, by mountain bike or on horseback. This offers different interests to consider when planning your trip: the visible traces of the fortifications and the church art on the one hand, and the three ways of exploring the route on the other. If you are looking for accommodation in Ambra, you can first consider which of these aspects will be the main focus of your trip to Tuscany.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Solata, San Leolino, San Pancrazio, Pogi, Pietraviva, Cennina, Levane, Capannole.

For the overview of the wider area: Bucine.