"San Casciano dei Bagni: A Journey Through Nature, History, and Tranquility"

Hello friends! In the month of December, I visited San Casciano dei Bagni again, and some of you may recall that I had already talked about this interesting village located in Tuscany.

Today, I virtually take you with me to a stunning place where nature and history intertwine fascinatingly. Unfortunately, I realized that I haven't fully discussed its important history.
Sometimes, I discover that the more I visit these places, the more I learn new things about their lives, enriching my knowledge. Here, nature has left a beneficial gift that did not escape the watchful eyes of the ancient Romans. It is now our responsibility to protect it.

These areas have been famous since ancient times for their thermal springs, numbering more than forty. Characteristic is the covered washhouse, also fed by thermal waters.
After a period of decline, leading to a decrease in the number of inhabitants and the disappearance of some urban areas, in the medieval period, the settlement came under the feudal rule of the Visconti di Campiglia.
Starting from the 13th century, it prospered due to its proximity to the Via Francigena, which passed nearby. This important road was part of a network of routes that allowed thousands of pilgrims and crusaders from all parts of Europe to easily travel to Rome and potentially continue south towards Puglia, from whose coasts they could embark for the Holy Land.

These long pilgrimages required travelers to make stops, generating significant economic activity in the places along their route. This led to notable financial and consequently urban, demographic, and cultural progress. This also happened in this village, even mentioned by Boccaccio in a tale from his famous Decameron, recounting the abduction of the abbot of Cluny by a bandit while the pious man was heading to Casciano dei Bagni to treat his stomach and liver ailments.
From this misadventure, the abbot obtained lasting healing from his ailments and a loyal friend and servant of the Church, as he was cured and released by his captor, albeit in exchange for a plea for grace that the clergyman had to make to the Pope in person. Grace was granted, a nobleman was rehabilitated in the eyes of society, and on that occasion, the healing thermal waters were entirely unused.

Unfortunately, the Renaissance period was politically turbulent due to rivalries between Siena and Florence for control of the area. However, between the 17th and 18th centuries, San Casciano dei Bagni became one of the most popular thermal destinations among the nobility of Europe. They came here to rejuvenate their bodies and spirits, admiring the enchanting landscapes, contributing to the future centuries' imagery of Italy as a land of natural and artistic wonders, as well as good food—a perfect place to rest and perhaps spend the winter, away from the cold and damp climate of central and northern Europe, preferably immersed in a crystal-clear thermal bath that maintains a constant temperature of forty degrees.

You know that I enjoy thermal experiences, but once again, I preferred to take a nice walk on foot, enjoying the tranquility and silence of this village, which also offers enchanting views within it. Despite the view of the settlement from afar, with these stone houses leaning against each other and its two towering structures magically emerging like a mirage from the surrounding centuries-old forests, it is truly suggestive.

Yes, Italian villages, when viewed from the outside, provide an overall and impactful look at their unique architectural structure, immediately recognizable as Italian. However, each village is like a treasure chest, hiding jewels made of stone, wood, pigments—different for each one, and only in that precise place can they be admired; there are no other copies on the face of the Earth.

For example, the Collegiate Church of Saints Leonardo and Cassia, a place of worship built on the site of an ancient parish, so named because from 1618 it was entrusted to a chapter of seven priests. The gray facade is illuminated by a depiction of the Madonna with the Child and two Saints, placed above the entrance door, framed by a pointed arch decorated with vegetal motifs. Inside, there is the central altar with a fifteenth-century altarpiece depicting the Coronation of the Virgin surrounded by Saints and two finely crafted wooden angels solemnly holding their candles.

And with this mystical image, I invite you to visit a place that promises to regenerate the body and spirit, waiting for you immersed in the hills and valleys of one of Italy's most iconic territories.

Thank you for reading, and I can only invite you to my next post, wishing you all a good day in advance!

Sources:
https://www.sancascianoliving.it
https://it.wikipedia.org/