The Jerusalem of S. Vivaldo

This particular shrine, also known as Tuscan Jerusalem, can be found just a few kilometres from Montaione in the middle of a large woodland area where, at the beginning of the 14th Century, Friar Vivaldo Stricchi of San Gimignano retreated to the life of a hermit choosing to live in the hollow of a chestnut tree.

In this spiritually rich place, between 1500 and 1515, Fra Tommaso da Firenze ordered the construction of a series of chapels and temples decorated with terracotta decorations inspired by the life and Passion of Christ and arranged in such a way as to reproduce a scaled down layout of Jerusalem as it was. Thanks to a seal of Pope Leone X which granted indulgence to those who visited San Vivaldo, this shrine immersed in nature became the destination of a substitute pilgrimage for those who were unable to manage the journey to the true Holy Land.

Today it is still possible to admire the chapels in the classical style with their extraordinary terracotta tiles of the Della Robbia tradition and to enjoy a moment of reflection in the peaceful haven of this timeless place.