Della Robbia works of art (Robbiane)

 The church of Santa Maria Assunta was built in the XII century over one previous church, there's a nave and two sides aisles with marvellous capitals, real museum of sacred art with works of Bicci di Lorenzo (1373-1452) opening: 7.00-19.00.

 The sanctuary of Saint Maria delle Grazie (Stia 4 km) has been erected around 1428 after the apparition of Mary to one woman of the place. An elegant building of the renaissance that conserve two Robbiane of wide regard. Other wash drawing works are made on golden background attributable to Lorenzo Gerini (disciple of Guido Monaco) and a fresco of Mary with Baby. Opening: Sunday 15.00-18.00 on reservation 0575.581300

 The church of Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo has a nave and two side aisles with apse in the centre. Remembered in the Bulls of 1103 the building has a similar structure like other churches of Casentino. Original is the disposition of the columns and the pillars that are plastered and fresco with subjects that were commissioned from the faithful. Today, of its frescoes remain only some traces, with the exception of that one of the Virgin. Notable the Mary with the baby attributed recently to Rossello di Jacopo Franchi (1377-1456) and the one terracotta with Mary and the baby, work of Benedetto Buglioni (1461-1521) OPENING: 7.30-19.00

 Camaldoli is one of the alive truths of the Italian monasticism, linked to the order of San Romualdo it is distinguished in two parts the monastery in Fontebona and the sacred eremy at 5 km away. Camaldoli, which is situated in the national park of forests of Casentino, attract visitors for the majesty of forests of firs and beeches that encircle these holy places. The monastery was built in order to safeguard the atmosphere for receiving pilgrims, poors, sicks. In 1500 the structure was widened to become the monastery of today: one powerful construction with irregular shape with concern the monastery, the church of SS. Donato and Ilariano, with an elegant cloister, guestrooms and ancient Pharmacy. Inside you can find works of master Domenico of Ghirlandaio (1449-1494) Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574) Bernardo Pocetti (1548-1612) Santi Pacini, Stefano Veltroni. Info 0575-556012 0575-556123. The monastery is in the middle of two different lifestyle, coenobitic (own communitarian life of the Benedictines) and the anchoretic (typical solitary life of the middle east) realizing therefore an equilibrium between loneliness and life in common. The church in Neapolitan baroque style, conserve valuable works of master Andrea della Robbia (1435-1525) a bas-relief of Fiamberti, paintings of a student of Passignano, Candido Sorbini (1786- 1875) Adolfo Rollo, from the school of Guido Reni (1575-1642), Antonio Rolli (1643-1696) G.Maria Rolli (1645-1727) Elio Giovannozzi. Evocative is the whole of the twenty cells called Laura, insert in the green of the grass. Info 0575-556021

 The church of San Matteo (memmenano) that conserve a terracotta of Andrea Della Robbia, a great altarpiece in white and blue that represent the Pentecost. Memmenano is a small village where you can admire Arno's valley and the castle of Fronzola. In the church of San Lorenzo you find the beautiful terracotta attributed to Luca Della Robbia il Giovane.

 The sanctuary of Santa Maria del Sasso is the fulfilled expression of the renaissance of Casentino and is one of the more important sanctuaries linked to the Mariano's cult. The reputation of the sanctuary is attributed of the apparition of Mary in 1347 to a child, sitting on a white limestone. The monastery was built on this place behind the request of Lorenzo il Magnifico and on commission of Giuliano da maiano. Inside you can admire Mary with the baby, work of brothers Paolino da Pistoia, a little temple of the renaissance with Mary and the baby work of Bicci di Lorenzo, the choir with the marvellous Assunta of brothers Bartolomeo and brothers Paolino, the altar-piece in polychrome represent Jesus with Juan Baptist attributed to Giovanni Della Robbia, the inferior church with a wood sculpture known as Mary of the Darkness, Camaiani 's chapel and the cloister. In the church of Natività di Maria Vergine at Capraia there's a beautiful statue of Mary with Jesus, polychrome work, unique in its category.

 The Sanctuary of Verna is one of the most known places of Christendom, closely linked to S.Francesco's story, where in 1224 he received stigmata. Situated on a lime stone cliff, in the middle of Appennino between Tuscany and Umbria it is a big fascinating building full of precious art works and natural reserve. The sanctuary is made from a whole building belongs to different periods: Church of S.Maria degli Angeli with terracotta of Della Robbia, the major church or basilica di Santa Maria Assunta with two master-pieces of A. Della Robbia (Natività and Annunciazione). Visiting the chapels of Niccolini and Brizi 's family you can admire altar-piece made from terracotta, inside the Ridolfi chapel there are three terracotta of A. Della Robbia, the aisle of Stigmata with frescos of the life of the Saint, the church of stigmata built in XIII century and in the heart of sanctuary you can see an huge terracotta "Crocifissione Alessandri" of A. Della Robbia situated behind the altar and another one over the door "Madonna con il bambino benedicente" of store of A. Della Robbia . Inside the sanctuary there are works of Graziano Collina da Faenza, F.Collina Gerino di Antonino Gerini, brothers Leonardo Galimberti, Ferdinando Folchi e Mario Bertini di Pisa and Baccio Maria Bacci (1888-1974). After passing through a descent full of enormous rocks, you arrive at Sasso Spicco, a big stone in a peculiar position where S.Francesco was used to pray. Opening: always open -info 0575.534210. We recommend an excursion through the forest of beeches and pins, climbing until Monte Penna (1283 mt), which offer a wide view on Arno's valley and tevere.

Il Borgo di Ombretta Stoppioni Via di Caiano 66/b Caiano - 52018 Castel San Niccolò - Arezzo - Tuscany - Italy

 Tel. +39 0575 553027 - Fax +39 0575 553002 - email info@borgocaiano.com - Partita IVA 05150970480