Sagginale: Sieve Loop and Church History

Sagginale is a small hamlet in Borgo San Lorenzo. A distinctive view of the area unfolds along the ecotourism route beside the Sieve; its architecture and food culture add their own stories to the picture. When planning a trip, different interests can take centre stage: the river landscape, a building with distinctive features, or the Mugello tortelli tradition.

Walking or cycling along the Sieve

In Sagginale, the ecotourism route along the Sieve crosses the Ponte di Annibale and then continues along the old municipal road towards Vicchio. In the section near Sagginale, it follows the riverside path around the Sieve loop. Several streams are crossed via wooden footbridges there—a specific detail that defines this part of the route.

The route can be used on foot, by city bike or by mountain bike. You can therefore choose between a walking tour and two cycling options. When planning this section, you can take into account both the route over the bridge and the onward path towards Vicchio, as well as the riverside stretch around the loop.

The Church of the Sacra Famiglia in Sagginale

The present-day Church of the Sacra Famiglia in Sagginale was built in 2015 to a design by architect Giuseppe Ulivi. The rectangular building has a gabled form. Brick and terracotta clad the building, while the east wall is made of roughly worked stone. These different materials give the architecture a distinctive, readily described character.

Different scales and materials are also juxtaposed inside: the apse features a large onyx wall, alongside a small altar made of pietra serena. The furnishings also include a tabernacle dating from 1528, attributed to the late period of Giovanni della Robbia’s workshop. A marble sculpture of the Holy Family is by Enrico Savelli. The church’s construction date and the date of the tabernacle mark two distinctly different historical periods.

An older story surrounding the Sieve bridge

The area’s history also includes the period before the present-day church: until the 1960s, Sagginale had no church, only a chapel. It had originated from a hospice for travellers dedicated to Saint Blaise, located at the bridge over the Sieve. In this historical account, the focus is on travellers and the bridge—a different way of approaching local history from looking at the design and furnishings of the present-day church.

Tortelli and grilled dishes at the festival

The traditional Sagra del Tortello takes place at Sagginale’s sports ground. It offers traditional Mugello tortelli, as well as steaks and mixed grilled dishes. The festival thus combines a regional speciality with other hearty fare. If you include the Sagra in your travel plans, check the dates for the relevant edition in advance: future event dates may vary, and the menu may also change from one edition to another.

Discover more destinations: Ronta, Luco Mugello, Gricignano, Grezzano, Faltona.

For the main travel overview: Borgo San Lorenzo.