Church of San Regolo

In the heart of the historical center of Montaione, the Church of San Regolo overlooks onto the Piazza della Repubblica.

The first documents attesting the existence of the church inside the castle of Montaione, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, date back to 1369, when the montaionese citizens gathered in this church decide to subdue to Florence.

In 1816, the church of San Bartolomeo succeeded (taking its title) to the ancient Pieve di San Regolo (African saint who died in 781 and buried in the cathedral of Lucca), which was located just a kilometer outside the town walls.

An ancient legend tells that at San Vivaldo's death the church bells rang on their own,  so the saint was buried here under the main altar, where he remained until the early twentieth century.

From the architectural point of view, on the outside of the church there is a facade framed by two buttresses (1765) among which a sculpture depicting the radiant host of San Bernardino is placed at the top.

Next to the church is the bell tower which still has the shape dating back to 1795 by Tommaso Tofani. Once this was the ancient tower of the Municipality and at the base there was a lodge that was demolished in 1845.

In 1787 the Grand Duke of Tuscany Leopoldo rebuilt at its expense the Canonica located at the back of the church, which retains discrete decorations of neoclassical taste.

On the right side of the façade a tombstone recalls the burial of Francesco Chiarenti, montaionese scholar of medicine and agriculture. On the side of the church that overlooks Via Roma, the side shows a series of buttresses joined by arches, among which are the remains of an ancient brick arch.

Inside the church there is a sixteenth-century reconstruction (1635) thanks to the contribution of Scipione Ammirato il Giovane, which was then buried under the altar as seen from the plaque placed outside under the “Arch of Pieve”.

The counterfaced façade is neoclassical and in the same period it was made the decoration at the bottom right of the baptismal font. Continuing from this side, on the first altar there is the Madonna del Buon Consiglio (Florentine School of Cimabue XIII century).

In the "Compagnia" at the side of the church you can admire a beautiful table by Francesco Rosselli with "Virgin in throne with San Regolo and St. John the Baptist" and another beautiful picture with Tobia and the angel (dating back to the XVII century of the Flemish area) ; both paintings are related to the two chapels wanted by the Ammirato.

The "Madonna dei sette dolori" placed on the altar and dating back to 1773 is brought to procession every Good Friday.

Holy Mass

Church of San Regolo

Piazza della Repubblica
MONTAIONE
Saturday - at 18,00pm
Sunday - at 11,30am