Loro Ciuffenna

The town preserves intact its medieval architecture, of which the most obvious signs are the bridge and an old mill, the real attraction of the small village: a water mill still active, the oldest in Tuscany, still used when grinding chestnut flour, a typical local product. Built around 1100, it is characterized by the fsct that is built on a cliff along the Ciuffenna stream, right in the center of the village. 

Another attraction of the village is the Town Hall building, whose rooms house the Museo Venturino Venturi (Venturino Venturi Museum), where the works of the artist, born in Loro Ciuffenna in 1918, and donated by him to the municipality are preserved: a collection of bronze, wood and ceramic sculptures. 

About 2 kilometers from the village, on the Strada dei Sette Ponti, is the striking Pieve di San Pietro a Gropina (Parish church of San Pietro a Gropina), built around the year 1000 and one of the highest examples of Romanesque culture in Tuscany. The interior is divided into three naves, with bizarre capitals full of signs and symbols: in the columns on the left, episodes from the Old and New Testaments are recounted; in the columns on the right, figures recall pre-Christian, Etruscan and Oriental art. 

The territory of Loro Ciuffenna is located in the Valdarno Aretino, an area rich in charm and of considerable natural importance. Between the Resco and Ciuffenna streams, the Area Naturale Protetta delle Balze (Balze Natural Protected Area) was established to protect the striking rock formations typical of this area, a delicate and fascinating landscape that has inspired the likes of Leonardo da Vinci. 
We are on the slopes of Pratomagno, which trekking and mountain lovers can enjoy exploring with a stop at the tiny hamlet of Anciolina, at an altitude of 933 meters, and then continuing to climb until reaching the Cross of Pratomagno, at an altitude of 1592 meters. 

The territory of Loro Ciuffenna is devoted to agriculture and is best known for the production of one of Tuscany's food and wine excellences, the Zolfino bean: pale yellow in color, precisely like sulfur, it is related to the toscanelli beans, but differs from them in that it has a thin, very fine skin, making it easier to digest.