The Way of St. Francis in Tuscany begins at Santa Croce
An ancient pathway crosses the region, touching on the main sites associated with St. Francis and passing through mediaeval hermitages, castles, churches and villages. Not everyone is aware, however, that this exploration of the region’s beauty can begin (or end) at Santa Croce, which was founded over 800 years ago and is still considered a beacon of the Franciscan spirit in Italy and throughout the world today.
Anyone wishing to explore the story of St. Francis in greater depth can set out on their “journey” by visiting the monumental complex of Santa Croce and, in particular, the Cerchi Chapel, which has been rekeyed to allow you to learn about Francis’s spellbinding human and spiritual experience through the works of art in Santa Croce that were inspired by the saint’s two most important biographies, Tommaso da Celano’s Life of Saint Francis and St. Bonaventure’s Legenda Maior. The chapel houses several precious works of art devoted to St. Francis, for example the glazed terracotta works of Andrea and Giovanni della Robbia and a number of superb frescoes such as St. John the Baptist and St. Francis of Assisi painted by Domenico Veneziano in the mid-15th century. Modern touchscreens in the chapel also allow you to find out about the other works of art linking Santa Croce to St. Francis such as the celebrated Bardi Altarpiece which illustrates the most salient moments in the saint’s life, and to ‘virtually’ explore all the various stages along the pathways known collectively as the Way of St. Francis.
It is also worthwhile hiring the official audio-guide to Santa Croce, which we have expanded with a wealth of references and links to stories of pilgrimages and of the sites associated with St. Francis.
At the entrance to the Basilica, you can pick up some general information and a free map entitled Atlas of the Tuscan Pathways which will allow you to follow in the saint’s footsteps in the region under your own steam.
This project, which enjoys the support of the Tuscan Regional Authority, aims to encourage leisurely, sustainable tourism by proposing an itinerary designed to allow you to interact in an innovative manner with the region as a whole and to explore unusual and culturally fascinating sites off the beaten track.
