Discover Querce: the sanctuary, forests and history
Accommodation in Querce
Querce brings together the Santuario della Madonna della Querce, the woodland landscape of the Cerbaie and a rich local history. The sanctuary, also known as the Santuario di Querce, is located in Querce, in the municipality of Fucecchio. It lies in the green forests of the Cerbaie, a few kilometres from Fucecchio. If you are looking for a hotel in Querce, you can plan your stay around whether you are most interested in the history of the sanctuary, the memory of the area’s past or the woodland landscape.
The sanctuary and layers of history
The Santuario was built between 1637 and 1639. A medieval church dedicated to the martyr Nazarius is documented at the site of the Madonna della Querce as early as 866. In 1639, the painting Madonna di Viterbo was transferred from the small building that previously stood there to the main altar of the new church. Local history thus encompasses both an early ecclesiastical connection and the construction of the Santuario in the 17th century.
La Cellina and the pilgrimage tradition
The small sanctuary of La Cellina was built over a spring and soon became a place of pilgrimage. On 18 May 1637, a register was begun to record graces attributed by the faithful to the Virgin Mary. In 1876, Bishop Pio Alberto Del Corona declared the water of La Cellina miraculous by episcopal decree. La Cellina can be reached from Via della Cellina along a road reserved for pedestrians, which begins behind the Santuario and the cemetery.
Remembering the Padule di Fucecchio massacre
Querce was among the districts of the municipality of Fucecchio affected by the Padule di Fucecchio massacre. The massacre took place on 23 August 1944. Alongside its religious traditions, the area’s history also includes the memory of an event from the Second World War.
Woodland landscapes and walks
The Sentiero della Beatitudine is considered a short walking trail through the forests of the Cerbaie, shaped by nature, history and legends. The trail was associated with a walking and stargazing event on 5 July 2025. In 2018, a walk led through the oak forests around Lago della Cellina. Another walk in 2018 went from Querce through the Cerbaie forests to the edge of the Padule di Fucecchio. A walking programme for autumn 2024 described the Anello di Crocialoni e Docce circular route. It led from the Antica Cellina delle Querce to several lakes between the Cerbaie hills and the Padule di Fucecchio. These examples differ in their landscape: the oak forests by Lago della Cellina, the route from Querce to the edge of the Padule, and the circular route to several lakes. If a particular walk is a deciding factor in your trip, check in advance whether it is scheduled for your travel dates.
Discover more destinations: Galleno.
Return to the main travel overview: Fucecchio.
