San Romano: Sanctuary, Nativity Scene and Torre Giulia

San Romano combines religious traditions with visible traces of its history. In the upper part of the town stands the Santuario della Madonna di San Romano. Torre Giulia and other remains recall the Battle of San Romano. In the town, sacred art, living festival traditions and an art-historical connection to Florence come together.

The Sanctuary and the Nativity Scene Tradition

The Santuario della Madonna di San Romano is associated with a special Franciscan nativity scene tradition. The artistic nativity scene has been created there since 1922. Since 1995, it has been set up outdoors in the cloister and covers 300 square metres. Its creators change the nativity scene every year. As a result, the tradition remains connected to a new artistic design each year over the course of time. The town’s festival calendar is also closely connected to the sanctuary. The solemn feast celebrating the birth of Mary takes place every year on 8 September. The preceding celebrations begin as early as the end of August. They include a solemn procession that passes through the main streets of San Romano. The festival connects the town’s religious centre with public space and a fixed date in the annual calendar.

Torre Giulia and the Battle of San Romano

Torre Giulia was built by Giovanni Acuto in 1391. At the site of the Battle of San Romano, several ruins and the base of the medieval tower are still visible alongside Torre Giulia. The surviving structural elements therefore belong directly to that historic setting associated with the battle. The tower, ruins and tower base together form an ensemble of visible testimonies to the town’s history. The battle is also connected with a significant work in Italian art history. The painting of the Battle of San Romano in the Uffizi forms the central episode of the narrative series of paintings. The connection thus extends from the visible traces in San Romano to a work in a Florentine museum collection. The sanctuary also contains a painting by the Franciscan friar Antonio Jerone, donated as an ex voto in 1945. An ex voto is a religiously donated image; the work connects the sacred space with a specific testimony from the 20th century.

The Sanctuary and Giardini Poggio Sole

The Santuario della Madonna di San Romano is located in the upper part of San Romano. The Giardini “Poggio Sole” are located on Via Friuli. Together with Torre Giulia, the ruins at the site of the battle and the sanctuary, several named points are therefore distributed throughout the town. San Romano presents its religious history, its medieval traces and its connection to art history at different locations.

For the overarching travel overview: Montopoli In Val D'arno.