Today’s motto is “Rise and shine and be inspired!”
The abbey of San Galgano in the Tuscan countryside
Have you ever dreamed about your wedding? If the answer is ‘yes’, where would you like it to take place? In a magnificent church, or perhaps in a medieval castle, or rather on a Caribbean beach? To me, the perfect place for such a day is the Gothic abbey of San Galgano in the rolling Tuscan countryside.
San Galgano, the Montesiepi chapel and King Arthur
But before explaining why this could be the ideal setting for the so-called ‘most important day of one’s life’, let’s start from the very beginning. The year was 1181 AD. A man named Galgano died. After living as a dissolute knight, he had become a hermit and embraced poverty. A few years passed, and tales of miracles on his behalf spread from the medieval town of Chiusdino. On the site where Galgano spent his last year, the ‘Montesiepi chapel’ lies. Built in 1185, this Romanesque rotunda treasures the sword that the saint thrust into a stone. According to some, the legend of King Arthur originates from here.
San Galgano: the ideal venue for a wedding
Not far from here, during the 13th century, the Cistercian monks founded the abbey of Saint Galgano. Here, the Italian Gothic architecture still retains some Romanesque features. On the one hand, the vertical structure, less accentuated than in Northern Europe, symbolises the human aspiration towards God. On the other hand, the heaviness of the walls implies solidity. Both characteristics (the ability to lift oneself above one’s individuality and a sense of stability) are ‘good ingredients’ in a relationship! But this is not the only reason for San Galgano to be the ideal venue for a wedding.
San Galgano abbey: where nature embraces art
As you can see from a distance, this abbey has something peculiar: the sky is the roof (and the ground is the floor). From the 15th century, the Cistercian monastery began to decline. Famine and plague were two of the causes. During the 16th century, only one monk remained in the convent! To make matters worse, the Republic of Siena had the lead removed from the roof for ammunition making. And finally, bad weather did the rest. But not all evil comes to harm. Indeed, the beautiful blend of art and nature adds a unique charm to the imposing monument and is kind of a good metaphor for a union, don’t you think? That’s all for now.
Whatch our recommended video on San Galgano
