(Two interesting churches just outside Colle Val d'Elsa on the way to Volterra)

Le Grazie

From Colle, follow the signs to Volterra. About a kilometre after passing the great mediaeval gate into the upper city of Colle, you will see in front of you the tiny brick facade of the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, with an attractive terracotta festoon of fruit and pine cones around its circular window. Inside it is a miniscule renaissance church with several interesting l6th century frescoes - there are fact-sheets describing them in English and German just inside the door. On the right wall near the door, there is a Madonna and Child with St Anthony Abbot (painted in 1524), and next to it St Sebastian and St Rocco (or St Roch, a 14th century saint who caught the plague and, as here, is usually depicted showing the plague sore on his leg). On the left the Madonna and Child are accompanied by St Catherine of Alexandria, who was renowned for her learning - she disputed successfully with 50 philosophers who were called in to convince her of the errors of Christianity, and is shown here with an appropriate collection of highbrow books on rhetoric, music, metaphysics etc. She appears again on the wall on the left transept, this time with St George and his dragon. At the end of the same transept (being restored) is a 15th century Circumcision, the best of the works in the church. The fresco over the altar is the locally venerated 'Madonna delle Grazie'.

Abbazia di Coneo

Just beyond Santa Maria delle Grazie, take the left fork towards Casole d'Elsa. A little further along, turn right at the sign to the Abbazia di Coneo (or Badia a Coneo). Follow the signs to 'Abbazia', 'Badia' and 'la Chiesa'; the church is behind a farmhouse on the left. It is a beautifully simple, grey stone romanesque building set in lovely countryside. It was consecrated in 1123. The facade is decorated with blind arches; the interior is single--aisled; and there are three apses. It was once part of an abbey, and the doorway into the farmyard to the right of the facade originally led into cloisters and other abbey buildings. Both inside and out a variety of carvings have been made in the stonework. Inside there are carved capitals with intricate patterns and primitive little men in Atlas-like poses appear to hold up the roof (with a snake above them on the left side). Outside, there are further good carvings on the facade, on the gateway into the farmyard, and around the apse and the hexagonal lantern above the vault.
(1993)