Museum of Sacred Art

Just outside Tavarnelle stands the church of San Pietro in Bossola; its well-preserved interior, featuring the baptismal font, and its charming cloister are well worth a visit.

A particularly beautiful treasure can be found in the rectory: the museum of sacred art housed there features religious paintings and liturgical objects dating from the late Middle Ages to the early modern period.

The collection of paintings impressively illustrates the development of the Florentine style. For example, the oldest piece, a Virgin and Child on a gold background, demonstrates the influence of Byzantine art dating back to the 13th century: this work is attributed to Meliore di Jacopo (1255–1285). The works on display by the Sienese painter Ugolino di Nerio (1280–1349) and the Florentine Neri di Bicci (1418–1492) are also significant as examples of the styles of the period.

Artistic treasures

Anyone interested in handicrafts will be delighted by the intricately decorated processional crosses and other gold and silver works. Visitors can also admire exquisite wood carvings, all of which bear witness to the importance that liturgical life has held in the region for centuries.