XIII Giornata Nazionale del Trekking Urbano Arte e Fede

XIII National Urban Trekking Day – Art and Faith

The XIII National Day of Urban Trekking – Art and Faith – scheduled for the October 31, 2016 proposes a fascinating and stimulating theme. For the year of Jubilee in fact the trace The richness of our historical, artistic, and cultural heritage, interpreted through the lens of the sacred and religious, will be explored in our cities and beautiful regions. Thus, in the 17 regions and 53 municipalities involved in the initiative, we will walk through the places of faith, religious works of art and the national and local hagiographic tradition, in a journey that is both physical and spiritual. But it will obviously also be a journey into History, which through architecture and art always shows, in every historical period, its own characteristics and mindset of a company.

Also Grosseto responded to this stimulating invitation, choosing for you two itineraries of Art & Faith, one in the heart of the historic city centre, the other which extends the view to the Maremma area and the nearby village of Montepescali.

In the morning (Meeting point: 10:00 am, Piazza del Duomo) will be dedicated to Grosseto, its churches and its art treasures which are perhaps often too little known.

From the colourful stained glass windows of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, full of stories to be discovered, and from Our Lady of Grace by Matteo di Giovanni, a canvas dear to the devotion of Grosseto and a splendid example of the elegant Sienese painting school of the mid-fourteenth century, our urban walk will lead us to the discovery of the top floor of the MAAM, Archaeological and Art Museum of MaremmaAnyone who has never seen the collection of Sacred Art of the Diocese of Grosseto will be surprised by its little jewels and will be enchanted by the powerful Last Judgement to the delicate Virgin of the Cherries.

Entering in Saint Francis we will discover the tradition of Tuscan painted crosses thanks to the wonderful and enigmatic Crucifix which overlooks the altar. We will be intrigued by the stories of the characters depicted in the frescoes that have survived to this day, including the tender image of the Madonna of the Milk, the good giant Christopher and the chapel dedicated to Saint Anthony.

The second stage of the Art&Faith journey (Meet at 2:00 pm at Ximenes Street for coach departure) sees the village of as the protagonist Montepescali, a rich castle and free municipality of the Maremma region in the Middle Ages.

We will start from Fontanelle Spring Source, stop for the pilgrims of the Jubilee of 1300, to reach the church of the Saints Stephen and Lawrence and the Church of San NiccolòSilent and proudly simple treasure chests, they hold precious and well-preserved testimonies of Siena's art in Maremma.

The stop at the church of San Niccolò will be an opportunity to discuss the delicate restoration underway and the precious cycle of 14th-century frescoes, where Sienese refinement is expressed in a simple yet vital and concrete language. Within these frescoes, the figures of the Virgin, Mary Magdalene, Saint Lucy, and many other sacred figures tell not only their own story but also the pride and wealth of a peripheral yet formidably strategic center of the Sienese territory.

We will pull a red thread with the morning visit meeting again Matteo di Giovanni, refined author of a Madonna on the throne where we will recognize, among other protagonists, Saint William of Malavalle, one of the most beloved Saints and charismatic figures of our territory in the Middle Ages.

We bet you're already fascinated by all these stories, preserved in canvases, panels, stained-glass windows, and paintings on ancient walls, unknown or often overlooked, yet patiently waiting to be revealed and share their stories with you. We look forward to seeing you, then, to set out and discover them together.

Route Info:

Travel time: Grosseto 2 hours

Travel time: Montepescali 3 hours

Length: 1 km Grosseto route

Length: 2.5 km Montepescali route

Difficulty: low

Starting point: Piazza del Duomo - meeting point for Grosseto (10:00 am)

Starting point: Via Ximenes - meeting point for Montepescali (2:00 pm)

Reservation required

For information:

Municipality of Grosseto - Tourist Office

Tel.: 0564 48 85 73