The Pieve di Santa Maria Novella
The most important Romanesque parish church in Chianti
Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, the Pieve di Santa Maria Novella is one of the oldest Romanesque parish churches in the territory of Chianti.
A few kilometers from Radda in Chianti, on the road leading to the delightful village of Volpaia, it is also known as Pieve di Chianti and, although it was remodeled several times during the 19th century, it still retains the original perimetral base dating back to the Middle Ages.
The bell tower itself, on the left side of the parish church, is a 19th-century remodel, but retains its Romanesque-era base.
Inside the parish church is a gilded copper Processional Cross - dating from the 12th century - and two terracottas from the workshop of Santi Buglioni: the Madonna and Child with Saints Peter, Lawrence, Stephen and Paul, and the hexagonal baptismal font.
A really interesting detail are the three columns supporting the arches of the three naves: the capitals - a unique case in Chianti - are decorated with lions, eagles, angels, floral motifs and gospel symbols. Similar decorations dating back to the same period, in fact, are found only in Valdarno and Casentino.
