Abbadia San Salvatore

Abbadia San Salvatore between Abbey, Mining and Beech Forest

Abbadia San Salvatore combines a significant monastic complex in its historic centre with the history of mercury mining, traditional festivals and paths through the forests of Monte Amiata. This provides a trip with different interests with clearly distinguishable focal points: religious art, local history, regional cuisine and experiences in the landscape. The Abbazia di San Salvatore was founded in 743 by the Lombard King Ratchis. The complex includes a Romanesque church with frescoes and works of art, a cloister and an abbey museum with historical and archaeological artefacts. The crypt is particularly impressive; it probably dates from the 7th century and has 32 columns with intricately carved capitals. In the recently reconstructed eastern wing of the abbey, the Museo Arte Sacra displays numerous reliquaries made of gilded wood, a gilded bronze bust of Pope Mark, a chasuble attributed to him and a Scottish-Irish reliquary from the 7th or 8th century. The town centre itself also complements this cultural focus. The Chiesa di Santa Croce on Piazza Santa Croce was consecrated by Abbot Rolando in 1221. The former Palazzo del Podestà also stands on the piazza; it formerly served as the courthouse of Castel di Badia. Thus, on a walk, religious art and the town’s historical administrative history can be connected without presenting the individual buildings as having a shared origin story. The history of mining is documented at the Parco Museo Minerario di Abbadia San Salvatore. There, mercury mining in the mines of Abbadia San Salvatore from 1899 to 1972 is the central focus. Underground, the Galleria Livello VII shows mining faces with cinnabar and explains the development of mining work systems from the 1920s to the 1950s. In addition, the signposted Percorso della Miniera, approximately 4.3 kilometres long and taking around 50 minutes, leads past former mining sites, the Laghetto Verde viewpoint, the old chimney and the powder magazine before returning to Abbadia San Salvatore. Different routes are available for experiences in the landscape. The Percorso del Capomacchia passes through the centuries-old beech forest and reaches an altitude of 1,530 metres, a few hundred metres from the mountain summit. A cycling tour from Abbadia San Salvatore to the Vetta del Monte Amiata runs through chestnut woods and the impressive beech forest. In addition, a variant of the Via Francigena reaches Abbadia San Salvatore by branching off from Stage 36 between San Quirico and Radicofani. The festivals give the town another clearly seasonal character. The tradition of the Fiaccole is renewed every year on 24 December: in each terziere of the medieval town, pyramid-shaped wood piles up to seven metres high are built for the occasion. The Festa d’Autunno takes place on the second and third weekends of October in the medieval town centre. Food stalls offer roasted chestnuts and mushrooms, along with dishes such as chestnut polenta, Castagnaccio and mushroom preparations. For information on transport, opening hours, local routes, accessibility, historical, artistic and natural resources, as well as events, contact the IAT of Abbadia San Salvatore. If you would like to broaden your selection of destinations, you can find more places here: [Castiglione D'orcia](Castiglione D'orcia), [Chianciano Terme](Chianciano Terme), [Campriano](Campriano), [Pienza](Pienza), [Presciano](Presciano), [Scrofiano](Scrofiano), [Trequanda](Trequanda).

For the higher-level travel overview: Siena.

More about the destination

Relevant information for planning your trip:

Abbadia San Salvatore – travel and accommodation in Tuscany (Italy).