San Leonardo in Arcetri, Romanesque church in Arcetri district, Florence, Italy
San Leonardo in Arcetri is a church with simple appearance and medieval original features located near Florence. The building displays a rustic stone facade, a round window at the top, and a hemicircular apse at the back that clearly shows its Romanesque heritage.
The church building was established in the early years of the 11th century and underwent comprehensive reworking several centuries later. This major renovation after 1800 removed later additions and returned the structure to its original medieval character.
Visitors can admire a 13th-century piece that originally belonged elsewhere and now finds its place here. The work displays religious scenes rendered in finely carved relief panels.
The church sits on a hillside southeast of the city, surrounded by ancient olive trees and near a research center. The path there leads through a quiet rural area where visitors can feel the silence of the place itself.
The main altar displays an artwork from the 15th century with three panels showing the Virgin with Child and four saintly figures. This work by a notable local artist often goes overlooked even though it ranks among the most precious artistic treasures of the place.
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