Discover 5 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Certaldo (Italy). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Chiesa dei Santi Jacopo e Filippo, Palazzo Pretorio o dei Vicari, and Chiesa di Santa Maria a Marcialla. Also, be sure to include Chiesa di San Tommaso in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Certaldo (Tuscany).
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Chiesa dei Santi Jacopo e Filippo
The church of Saints Jacob and Philip is located in the upper, medieval part of the town of Certaldo, in the province of Florence, diocese of the same city.
It is a Romanesque-style building: inside, in addition to numerous works of art, are the mortal remains of the great 14th-century writer Giovanni Boccaccio and Blessed Giulia Della Rena, his contemporary and patroness of Certaldo.
Adjacent to the church is a cloister with the Augustinian convent complex, where the local Museum of Sacred Art is now housed, with works also from this church.
Address: Piazza S. Jacopo e Filippo, 50052 Certaldo
Palazzo Pretorio o dei Vicari
The Praetorian Palace or Palazzo dei Vicari is located in Certaldo Alto, in the province of Florence.
It is the most important building in the medieval town and one of the symbols of Certaldo. With the adjacent church of Saints Thomas and Prospero it forms a single museum itinerary. It is one of the three most important museums in the town along with the Museum of Sacred Art and Casa Boccaccio, for which a single admission ticket can be purchased.
Today it has a brick facade, topped with battlements that are the result of 19th-century restorations, with a tower on the right with a clock placed here in 1484.
The coats of arms in glazed terracotta, marble, pietra serena, etc., that dot the facade represent its peculiarity: made by the various Vicars who resided in the palace from the 15th to the 18th century, they bear the Vicar's coat of arms and an inscription with the dates when he held office. In some of the glazed terracotta coats of arms that came out of the Florentine Della Robbia and Buglioni workshops, one can sense the hand of the workshop masters themselves, such as in the Guasconi Coat of Arms, 1499, and the Gondi Silvestri Coat of Arms, 1491, both by Andrea della Robbia. Another splendid coat of arms, placed in the center of the facade, is that of Vicario Altoviti, 1525, traceable to the hand of Girolamo della Robbia. In front of the palace stands a loggia transformed during the 19th century into a private residence by plugging the spaces between the columns.
Address: Via Giovanni Boccaccio, 50052 Certaldo
Chiesa di Santa Maria a Marcialla
The church of Santa Maria is located in Marcialla, a hamlet divided between the municipalities of Barberino Tavarnelle and Certaldo, in the province of Florence, diocese of the same city: the church falls within the municipality of Barberino Tavarnelle.
Address: Piazza Antonio Brandi, 25, 50021 Marcialla
Chiesa di San Tommaso
The Propositura di San Tommaso is the main Catholic place of worship in Certaldo, in the province of Florence, the seat of the parish of the same name belonging to the Archdiocese of Florence; it is located in the central Piazza Boccaccio, which is also overlooked by the town hall.
It was inaugurated in 1885, although work on its construction began in 1840.
It was restored in 2017.
Address: Via XX Settembre, 6, 50052 Certaldo
Tabernacolo dei Giustiziati
The Tabernacle of the Executed is a small masonry building located in Certaldo, in the province of Florence, diocese of the same city.