Sanctuary of the Santissimo Crocifisso in Buggiano

The Sanctuary of the Santissimo Crocifisso is located in the hamlet of Borgo a Buggiano in Valdinievole. The religious building takes its name from a 14th-century work preserved in the church, which is the centre of a miraculous phenomenon. History has it that in 1399 an old woman saw that the crucifix on the high altar was bleeding and, shouting the news of this miracle, distracted the citizens from their prolonged and turbulent struggles between factions.

The sanctuary, most likely a hospital originally, was built in the 18th century. The structure, which has a single nave, was enlarged in the 11th century and then significantly rebuilt in 1773. On the façade, you will find the symbols of the municipalities of Buggiano, Monsummano, Montecatini and Montevettolini, placed there in memory of a 15th-century victory over the municipalities of the Lower Valdarno. Inside, there are preserved terracotta statues depicting the Virgin and St. John the Evangelist, along with creations by Fra Paolino da Pistoia, such as a 17th-century Saint Catherine, a Virgin and Child with Saints Dominic and Francis, and Madonna Enthroned.