Talciona: Church, History and the Via Francigena

Talciona combines a long-documented local history with a church whose architectural and artistic history can be traced over several centuries. It is also located at the meeting point of the Via Francigena, the Via Salaiola and the Cassia. For planning your trip, the town therefore offers two specific points of interest: the Chiesa di Santa Maria a Talciona and its connections to historic routes. If you are interested in these topics, you can consider a church visit and a guided walk as separate activities.

Chiesa di Santa Maria: Architecture and Art

The first confirmed mention of the Chiesa di Santa Maria a Talciona dates to 1156. The canons completed the church in its present form in 1234. Its single-nave plan and late Romanesque façade give the building a clear architectural layout. The façade has a gabled roof and is built from parallel rows of blocks of travertine, sandstone and Pliocene limestone. Its architectural form and specifically identified combination of materials are therefore central points of interest if you are interested in architecture.

The campanile dates from the late 16th century, is made of brick and has alternating blocks of dressed stone at its corners. The church also houses a glazed terracotta tabernacle attributed to Giovanni and Andrea Della Robbia and dated to the first decade of the 16th century.

The church took its present form in 1234; the tabernacle is dated to the first decade of the 16th century, and the campanile dates from the late 16th century. The medieval church’s architectural form and these later works mark distinct historical periods.

Talciona between History and Routes

A castle in Talciona is documented from the 11th century. By the 12th century, Talciona, near the Cassia and the Via Francigena, was home to a community of canons. These routes provide a geographical context for the town’s ecclesiastical history. In 1508, the Chiesa di Santa Maria a Talciona and its properties were incorporated into the Spedale di Santa Maria Nuova in Florence. The town’s history thus encompasses both its ecclesiastical roots and a later institutional affiliation.

Talciona is located at the meeting point of the Via Francigena, the Via Salaiola and the Cassia. A guided walk called “La leggenda di Strozzavolpe” includes a visit to the Chiesa di Talciona along the “via delle grucce” and also passes through the Riserva di Sant’Agnese. For orientation, this means that the route junction describes Talciona’s general location, while the guided walk refers to a specific tour that includes a church visit.

Plan Your Visit and Tour

The Chiesa di Santa Maria a Talciona can be visited free of charge by appointment. Arrange your visit before you travel. The guided walk has its own schedule, which you should also confirm in advance.

Discover more destinations: Staggia.

Return to the main travel overview: Poggibonsi.