Church of San Lorenzo - 22

500 frescoes

Country church certainly to be safeguarded.

There is a view of extraordinary Florence in a tiny medieval village

Wonderful view of Florence, quiet and fresh air. The noise of the birds is heard more than the cars

Very nice place, in the countryside.

The church of San Lorenzo in Vicchio di Rimaggio is located on the slopes of Poggio dell 'Incontro at about 170 m. altitude on the hills of Bagno a Ripoli near Florence, in Vicchio di Rimaggio (from which it takes its name). Of very ancient origin, perhaps prior to 1100 AD. the building has undergone various modifications and renovations over the course of its long history and it is still possible to recognize the areas of the different construction phases and subsequent interventions to this day. The façade is preceded by a portico with two arches supported by octagonal pillars with neo-Gothic decorations. Initially the portico had three arches, but in 1890 the third arch was closed to obtain a room to be used as a school. In this room, with a Venetian ceiling, there is a large stone fireplace, with coats of arms and ribbons from the 16th century. Other restorations carried out in the early twentieth century have tried to recover and highlight the ancient fourteenth-century characters. On the entrance portal there is a valuable frescoed lunette with "San Lorenzo and two angels" of the fifteenth century, the work of an artist close to Cosimo Rosselli. The interior has a rectangular plan with a single nave, a roof with wooden trusses and a scarsella that acts as a presbytery, preceded by an arch supported by two columns in pietra serena. In addition to the remains of various frescoes now lost, the church houses: a beautiful panel by Cenni di Francesco, depicting "The mystical wedding of Saint Catherine", a fresco by the same painter, with "Franciscan stories" both from the 1300s and still on wood, by the Master of Vicchio di Rimaggio, a splendid “Madonna Enthroned with Child” also datable to around 1300; finally on the right side of the presbytery, there is a small tabernacle in pietra serena with a cantilevered copper plate depicting "Sant'Elena" (around 1460). The church does not appear to have had patrons, but it was the local families (especially the Biliotti di Aldieri and the Altoviti) who helped to embellish it and adorn it with works of art. This small church can be reached by walking up the steep slope of Via "Vicchio e Paterno" in a truly suggestive hilly context, from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Florence; after visiting the church, I therefore recommend a peaceful walk through the neighboring country lanes and perhaps a refreshment / dinner stop in the nearby restaurant "La Gargotta". [05/01/2022]