Between architecture and religion: 6 churches in northern Maremma

The church of San Leopoldo, built between 1823 and 1841 on the initiative of Grand Duke Leopold II, is one of the few examples in the world of buildings with important elements of the structure made of cast iron, testifying to the historical relevance of this material for the Maremma area. In fact, even some elements of the interior decoration are made of cast iron, such as the base of the pulpit, the balustrade of the presbytery, several columns and the candelabrums of the high altar.

The most recent restoration, carried out in 1998, has allowed the church's ancient splendor to be enhanced to a greater extent, enabling it to deserve the title of "National Monument".

The building, probably designed by the famous architect Antonio da Sangallo the Elder, is located in the town of Gavorrano and is a magnificent artistic example of Tuscan 16th-century. Its imposing façade, composed of eight pilasters with Ionic capitals at the top, Doric capitals at the bottom and a large central rose window, blends perfectly with the surrounding natural and architectural landscape. Inside, the church has a single nave and a fine marble baptismal font.

The monumental Cathedral of San Cerbone in Massa Marittima represents an interweaving of different architectural styles that testify to the artistic vivacity of the Maremma area. Built in the 11th century in Romanesque style and enlarged in later centuries with Romanesque-Pisan and Gothic additions, it dominates Piazza Garibaldi, the town's central square, from above. The façade is decorated with an imposing architrave with a bas-relief depicting scenes from the life of St. Cerbone, bishop of Vetulonia and patron saint of Massa Marittima. Inside, the Cathedral is divided into three naves separated by columns culminating in important capitals that closely resemble the style of Giovanni Pisano.

In the town of Monterotondo Marittimo is the Church of San Lorenzo, originally built during the Middle Ages, but then heavily renovated during the 16th and 17th centuries. The building has a Latin cross plan with a single nave and features a barrel vault with lunettes that are connected with pilasters in Ionic order. The interior also contains fine paintings, such as the panel of the Madonna and Child Enthroned and Angels, the work of an early 16th-century master known as the Master of Monterotondo Marittimo or Pomarance.

The original building was built around the 12th century while, what can be seen today is the result of a reconstruction carried out at the end of the 18th century by integrating the walls of the fortress into the construction, as attested by the ancient masonry of the bell tower made of square stone blocks. The interior, on the other hand, is divided by pillars into three naves with two side altars in stucco and plaster. As for the facade, which is shown tripartite crowned by small arches, it is the result of a 1927 restoration, as attested on its architrave.

The church has a gabled facade and a low arched brick entrance. It possesses a single nave with two side altars made of plaster and stucco; while, as far as pictorial works are concerned, there is a 19th-century painting depicting a "Madonna and Child with Angels" inside a wooden frame placed on the altar. The church also houses the separated fresco of St. Michael the Archangel, St. Andrew the Apostle and the Madonna and Child in Glory.