Parish church of Saint Hippolytus and Saint Cassian in Lastra a Signa

An ancient church that lies on via Chiantigiana, a road that connects Ginestra Fiorentina to Montelupo, was for centuries the main religious and spiritual centre of the community in the Lastra a Signa hills. The building, first recorded in documents dating back to 1003, is dedicated to the Christian martyrs, Saint Hippolytus and Saint Cassian.

The church is located on the banks of the Pesa river, near a road that once connected Santa Maria di Pulica to Malmantile. Forgotten and regretfully reduced to ruins, the church underwent extensive restoration work during the 1960s which reduced the surface area of the building, however also found traces of the ancient building that preceded the church.

Today the church is closed to visitors and is completely removed of its interior furnishings and decorations. Its exterior, however, features a façade made of bare Alberese stone with a small archivolt entryway and a large central window which feeds the entrance with light. The simple layout of the building and the surrounding area makes the church a place of great charm and an obligatory stop for art and nature enthusiasts walking through the Lastra a Signa hills.