Who would have thought that this unassuming corner of Florence, home to the Sant’Antonino a Bellariva church, was once a countryside idyll? Before the urban sprawl of the 1950s, this area known as Bellariva was a sprawling landscape of green. It was characterized by fields and farmhouses. Right here, where the church now stands, artists like Silvestro Lega and Telemaco Signorini would set up their easels. They captured the rural beauty of the “sea of green,” as Bellariva was fondly called. The name “Bellariva” itself means “beautiful shore,” a nod to the verdant banks of the Arno River that once defined this area. Imagine their paintings, filled with the soft hues of the Tuscan countryside, the gentle flow of the Arno, and the vibrant life of the “Casaccia” nearby. The Sant’Antonino a Bellariva church, built in the 1960s, stands as a testament to the changing times. Inside, it houses a fascinating collection of art. You can find a large fresco by Raffaellino del Garbo, “Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes,” dramatically salvaged from a destroyed monastery. And look closely for the sinopia, the preliminary sketch, of the tabernacle of the “Madonnone.” This delicate drawing, attributed to Lorenzo di Bicci and his son, offers a glimpse into the artistic process of the Florentine masters. The Sant’Antonino a Bellariva church may be a modern addition, but it stands as a guardian of history. It preserves not just art, but also the memory of a bygone era when Florence’s beauty extended far beyond its city walls.
Santa Lucia alla Castellina
“A sanctuary of art and faith””. You might say that about many places, but here at Santa Lucia alla Castellina,