Chiusi della Verna @ Spiritual Oasis on the Mountains of Casentino
Many archaeological finds testify that the territory of
Chiusi della Verna was already inhabited in Etruscan-Roman times. However, the most ancient written document speaking of the town dates back to 976, when the German Emperor Otto I granted the castle of Chiusi and the surrounding land in fee to Goffredo Cattani.
The remains of Cattani`s castle, dating back to the 10th century, and the church of San Michele Arcangelo, that the Tarlati family - the new rulers of Chiusi - built in 1338, are worth a visit.
In 1213 Count Orlando Cattani offered the mountain of Verna to Saint Francis of Assisi, where Francis built lived as a hermit and in 1224 received the stigmata.
Chiusi della Verna
The
Sanctuary of La Verna, where Saint Francis lived and received the stigmata, is a few kilometres away from Chiusi. The Sanctuary consists of various churches.
The most ancient one is the
church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, which was built in 1216 and has been restored more than once. It houses interesting terracottas by the Della Robbias. A collection of sacred objects is on display in the
Museo del Santuario (Sancturay Museum), inside the church.
The
chiesa Maggiore, or Basilica, was built in the 14th-15th centuries. It houses some terracottas by Andrea Della Robbia, the most important being an
Adoration of the Child and an
Annunciation.
Chiusi della Verna
Particularly interesting is also the
church of the Stigmata, which was built in 1263. Here, a
Madonna with Child by Luca Della Robbia and a
Crucifixion by his nephew Andrea are on display. The stone covered with glass on the ground indicates the place where Saint Francis received the stigmata.
The convent, the cave representing Saint Francis` first cell in La Verna and the
Sasso spicco - an overhanging rock under which Saint Francis liked to meditate on the Passion of Christ - are worth a visit.
