The secret treasures of Barberino Tavarnelle

Take a virtual reality tour of the secret treasures of Barberino Tavarnelle, a realistic and immersive experience designed to expand access to artistic heritage normally closed to the public, breaking down physical and sensory barriers.

The Municipality of Barberino Tavarnelle, within the framework of the “CITTÀ D'ARTE E BORGHI” (ART TOWNS AND VILLAGES) project, has carried out this and many other interventions to improve the enjoyment of its artistic heritage, extending access to all categories of users in a sustainable and inclusive manner.

Through this page you can access a virtual tour of four remarkable but little-known sites. To continue the tour of the area and find out more about the project, visit the website btfinearts.it

Barberino Val d'Elsa

Church of San Bartolo

The parish church houses a coat of arms decorated with three “Tafani” (horse-flies). This insect shares a name with and constitutes the symbol of a noble family, later called “Barberini”, so as to recall their place of origin after moving to Florence and Rome. The property, called “Tafania”, was the birthplace of Maffeo Barberini, the illustrious descendant who became Pope Urban VIII in 1623.

Vico d'Elsa

Majnoni-Guicciardini chapel

17th century chapel adorned with frescoes by Giovanni Mannozzi, a painter from the Arno valley known as Giovanni da San Giovanni. The space is an architectural jewel that holds a treasure trove of sacred art. The works were produced by the great Renaissance artist in 1621 and depict scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary set in an environmental context dating back to the classical period.

Badia di Passignano

Corridor of Saint Benedict and reliquary of Saint John Gualbert

Within these walls lived Saint John Gualbert, a monk and founder of the Vallumbrosan monastic order, who found eternal rest here around 1000 AD. The reliquary dedicated to the saint includes a bust worked in silver dating back to the 15th century. On the upper floor of the cloister are frescoes painted by Filippo di Antonio Filippelli at the turn of 1400 AD depicting scenes from the life of Saint Benedict.

Badia di Passignano

Abbey of Passignano Library

The abbey houses a historic library founded around the mid-15th century. It was housed in a frescoed room together with an archive that held 6,010 scrolls and ancient books, later transferred to the State Archives in Florence to ensure their proper preservation. Currently, the library contains about twenty editions, mostly dating back to the 18th century, works of a religious nature and written by Vallumbrosan monks.