Vacation in Impruneta
The name Impruneta has now long been synonymous with Chianti Classico wine, handicraft of “Cotto” (= a special terracotta) and Spa. Just 20 km from Florence, Impruneta offers to its visitors an ancient winemaking tradition together with the craft of clay, in a very attractive landscape. The proximity to Florence makes it an ideal place to enjoy a holiday of relaxation, nature, but also great art.
The town of Impruneta is built around the Sanctuary of Santa Maria of Impruneta, which preserves a depiction of the Virgin that, traditionally, is attributed to the first iconographer, the Evangelist Luke, and was found, by chance, in a field. The icon has always been venerated and invoked against floods and famine. It was often carried in procession to Florence, too, but always kept veiled with religious respect.
In 1700 the regent of Lorraine, the Count of Richecourt, asks to see the image that is so ardently venerated by the people. The priest of the Sanctuary lifts the veil that covers the icon and realizes with regret that actually there is only a dark piece of wood, almost illegible. Fearing that, seeing the icon like this, the regent of Lorraine would have dissuaded the popular cult of the Virgin of Impruneta, quite profitable for the Sanctuary, he entrusts the painter Ignacio Hugford to restore - in fact repaint - the icon. The Count of Richecourt is satisfied and the cult of the Virgin of Impruneta is able to continue to this day.
The apex of this devotion is today the Fair of the Madonna of Impruneta in October, but the Sanctuary of Santa Maria is beautiful to visit at any time, given that it also gathers many other works of art.
Moreover, in the surroundings of Impruneta, you can visit the Church of San Lorenzo alle Rose, dating back to year Thousand, where you can admire “The Annunciation” by Ghirlandaio, the Church of San Pietro a Montebuoni which contains a fresco of Giotto’s school depicting the “Virgin and Child”, the Church of San Lorenzo a Colline and the Church of San Miniato a Quintole.
As we said, the cultural and economic feature that marks the tradition of Impruneta is the craftsmanship of terracotta. The high value clays that can be found in this area and the availability of forests – necessary in the past for the working of the furnaces - give great impetus to this activity, which sees its peak right in the Renaissance. The terracottas of Impruneta were much appreciated, so that even Brunelleschi employed them to cover the cupola of the Dome and the Baptistery of Florence. There is no church, monument or historic building in Florence without any flooring or decoration made of terracotta from Impruneta. If you love this kind of objects you can find really beautiful souvenirs here!
On the site https://www.fabbricaimpruneta.it you can find a tourist route designed by the municipality of Impruneta to know and appreciate better this craft tradition, so characteristic for the local culture.
And finally, let’s say something more about the Spa ... in fact the Romans had already discovered the strong healing properties of these two sources: the Fonte Antica (= Ancient Spring) and the Fonte Celeste (= Sky-blue Spring). These are cold sources - unfortunately! - but their mineral water has got recognised healing properties, useful for many diseases. The thermal plant, in a location called “Terme of Florence” has been completely renovated in the 90s.
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