Discover Castelnuovo D'elsa – Holiday Apartment for the Via Francigena, Art and Theatre

Castelnuovo d’Elsa combines a hilltop setting, religious history, works of art and open-air theatre. The Via Francigena passes through the hills, more precisely through the village of Coiano. At the same time, churches and historic institutions preserve traces of various centuries.

Via Francigena through the hills of Coiano

The Via Francigena passes through the hills of Castelnuovo d’Elsa, more precisely through Coiano. A special connection with the history of this route can be seen at the Pieve dei Santi Pietro e Paolo di Coiano: it is one of the 79 stations on the official Via Francigena route described by Sigeric in 990. Thus, the landscape of the hills and the route’s recorded history meet directly in this place.

Behind the Pieve dei Santi Pietro e Paolo di Coiano there is an equipped rest area for people taking a break while travelling along the Via Francigena. The history of accommodation and care is also present in the village: the older hospital dedicated to Saint James stood on the same road near the southern entrances to the castle of Castelnuovo d’Elsa. From the 15th century onwards, the Ospedale dei Santi Lorenzo e Barbara also operated in Castelnuovo d’Elsa as a reception facility.

Churches and art in Castelnuovo d’Elsa

Several sacred buildings with distinct artistic and architectural-historical associations shape the townscape. The Chiesa dei Santi Barbara e Lorenzo in Castelnuovo d’Elsa contains a fresco cycle by Paolo Schiavo. The church and the Canonica di Santa Maria Assunta also preserve an Annunciation by Neri di Bicci. For your stay, this concentration of specific works of art means that a walk through Castelnuovo d’Elsa can be combined with individual, clearly identifiable sights.

The history of the Canonica di Santa Maria Assunta dates back to the last quarter of the 13th century, when it was already mentioned in the Rationes Decimarum. Despite extensive renovations, the Canonica preserves some sections of the original masonry. Thus, written history, preserved structural elements and a work by Neri di Bicci stand side by side in the same building.

References to the surroundings of Castelnuovo d’Elsa can also be found outside the municipal area. The Tabernacolo della Madonna della Tosse stands just outside the municipality of Castelfiorentino on the road to Castelnuovo d’Elsa. The building dates from the 19th century and is designed in the Neo-Gothic style. Together with the churches in the town, this tabernacle broadens the cultural view of the routes and places around Castelnuovo d’Elsa.

Open-air theatre on Piazza Santa Barbara

The Castelnuovo d’Elsa Theatre Festival reached its 37th edition. It takes place as an open-air theatre week from 20 to 27 June. Every evening, the festival offers a different performance. The venue is Piazza Santa Barbara.

For the overarching travel overview: Castelfiorentino.