Parish of Santa Maria Assunta in Cellole

Surrounded by the Valdelsa countryside, the Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta is considered the little treasure of Cellole, a town not far from San Gimignano and the route of the Via Francigena. The name derives from the Etruscan cela meaning "small sacred place." The earliest evidence of the ancient church dates from the 11th century, which underwent various modifications until it was consecrated in 1238, as indicated by an inscription walled on the facade. In the same period the parish assumed the function of a leprosarium, that is, a hospital established to treat and keep isolated leprosy patients. Considered one of the most important 12th-century Romanesque parish churches in the area, its rectangular-plan structure consists of three naves, double-arched arches and a semicircular apse. The pieve also features a travertine baptismal font, while on the outside the facade, in addition to depicting the engraving with the date of consecration of the pieve, features a human head carved in stone. Arriving at the parish church, a charming grove of cypress trees surrounds the bright complex, preparing the visitor to marvel.