Morning: Sanctuary of La Verna and mount of San Francesco

The Franciscan Sanctuary of La Verna, located a few kilometers from Chiusi della Verna (Ar), is famous for being the place where St. Francis of Assisi received the stigmata on September 17, 1224. Built in the southern part of Mount Penna at 1128 meters above sea level. height, the Sanctuary hosts numerous chapels and places of prayer and meditation, as well as several points of considerable religious importance. In fact, La Verna has become a place of spirituality immersed in a mystical and fascinating context, a context created in part by the Franciscan friars through the architecture and art of the convent, but mostly donated by the pre-existing natural environment, that is the particular conformation rock of the mountain and the beautiful nature that surrounds it. The shape of the Sacro Sasso de La Verna, a sort of large “tooth” on the Apennine ridge, appears unmistakable from the entire Casentino valley. Once we get close to it, the cliff at the top of which the Franciscan Sanctuary was built will appear even more fascinating. It is the so-called Cliff of the Stigmata.
This rocky “tooth” emerges from wonderful beech and fir woods, woods that frame the entire Sanctuary and accompany us on beautiful walks. The most beautiful and most popular is certainly the climb to the Penna, the apex of the mountain. From here a spectacular panorama opens up over the whole of Romagna.
At La Verna you can see very particular naturalistic works of art: the sculptural roots of the majestic beech trees that cling to the ground, but especially to the rocks.
In a few lines it is certainly not possible to describe a place like La Verna and even more to communicate its mysticism, its charm, the complexity and beauty of its architectural structure, the refinement of its works of art, the incredible views it can offer. .

«I have in Tuscany a very devoted mountain which is called Monte della Vernia, which is very solitary and savage and is too well suited to those who want to do penance, in a place removed from the people, or to those who want to lead a solitary life. If you liked him, I would gladly give you to you and your companions for the health of my soul. ”

(Count Orlando di Chiusi della Verna before donating the mountain to St. Francis of Assisi, 1213.)

Afternoon: visit to the city of Sansepolcro

Arriving from the south or north, the bell towers of the Church of San Francesco and of the Badia, the current Cathedral, welcome the visitor who, in a moment, retraces an imaginary journey through the architectures painted by Piero della Francesca in his works. The town of Sansepolcro, which developed around the great Benedictine abbey, has kept its medieval urban layout almost unchanged and has, over the centuries, been enriched with fine Renaissance and Baroque buildings. Birthplace of Piero della Francesca, it preserves the memory of the Biturgense master in the Civic Museum. Works such as the complex and symbolic Resurrection, the Polyptych of Mercy, San Giuliano and San Ludovico testify to the genius of the early Renaissance artist. In the Cathedral of considerable interest is the “Holy Face”, a wooden crucifix from the Carolingian period. Next to the Cathedral is the Mannerist-style Palazzo delle Laudi, today the seat of the Municipality. Other artistic testimonies of the city are visible through its historic center: Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Church of San Francesco. Do not miss a visit to the Church of San Lorenzo which houses a panel by Rosso Fiorentino depicting the Deposition. The heart of the historic center is the Torre di Berta square, where the traditional Palio della Balestra takes place on the second Sunday of September – the costumes worn by the extras are inspired by the paintings of Piero della Francesca.