La Verna

The Sanctuary of La Verna in Tuscany, the mount of Saint Francis

La Verna, located on the Apennine ridge connecting Casentino and Valtiberina, is first of all the focus point of Faith and devotion to Saint Francis. So said, this Holy Mount is, after Assisi, the most famous and notorious Franciscan place , known worldwide. This is because at La Verna, the Poor Man of Assisi spent there many hours of praying and penitence, and there he received the Stigmas, the 17th September 1224. After this miraculous event, even many years later, La Verna became a focal point of increasing pilgrimage, that brought the place to become the big religious destination loved by tourists.
But this "raw rock between Tevero and Arno" so called by Dante Alighieri (Divina Commedia, Paradiso, canto XI) is also a place of suggestive and addicting architecture , emotional art, and a beautiful natural and geological landscape that appears to be miraculous. In ancient times, people couldn't explain how this beautiful place came to be, so the legend was born, that the rocky Mount Alvernia was created by a strong earthquake, with the eruption on the ridge of the mountain, that happened when Jesus died on the cross. Then the geologists explained that this big rock was a piece of wandering Liguria, when the earth was still chaotic and not yet solidified, exactly like the neighbors Mount Simone and Simoncello.
La Verna, for Casentino, is also a symbol, a geographical landmark. From any point of in the valley you can see the spur on the Apennine ridge. Particularly suggestive is the dawn of the sun and the rise of the moon behind this mount, which was given to Fra Francesco d'Assisi from the Count Orlando Catani in 1213 after hearing him during the speech to San Leo di Romagna.
The sanctuary is a high point of interest under many aspects. As soon as you approach it, you will be enthralled by the view from the base of the cliff called "delle Stimmate" (of the Stigmas), on which the sanctuary is located on the top.
The images of this web section, completed with captions, want to be a journey that starts from Casentino and leads to the beauties of this Franciscan "raw rock", but they also want you to invite you to physically meet this location, beautiful, religious, artistical historical and natural gathered here:
The square of La Verna, with the big wooden cross e beautiful view; the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, built by Saint Francis and his followers; the Basilica Maggiore, built between the XV and XVI century; the Corridor of the Stigmas, where 22 fresco of Baccio Maria Bacci tell the story of Saint Francis and where every day at 15 the Processione dell'Ora IX takes place; the cave, known as "Bed of Saint Francis"; the Stigma's Chapel, built around the 1260 from the Counts Guidi di Poppi on the exact point where Saint Francis obtained his Stigmas; the small but beautiful walk on the precipice of the cliff: the suggestive Sasso Spicco. La Verna, as it was alredy said, is also a place of art. Particoularly, it is rich of sophisticated robbiane's pottery. The Basilica holds one of the masterpieces of Andrea Della Robbia: l'Annunciazione (the Annunciation). In a suggestive zone, inner the sanctuary, it is located a very interesting museum where in seven beautiful saloons are preserved, other than the amount of holy, cultural and scientifical material, plenty of objects of everyday use in the life of a Franciscan Monk.
During the year, there are two main celebration at La Verna: the 17th of September, Holyday of the Stigmas and the 4th of October, Saint Francis Holyday.
In Summer, during the period between the 10 and 20 of August, on the Wednesday evening at 21:15 there is the International Music Festival of the Pipe Organ. An occasion to listen to the voice of the Basilica, the famous Pipe Organ, sang by the masters and an occasion to enjoy the Franciscan Sanctuary during the beautiful nocturnal vibe.
La Verna is also synonymous of amazing naturalistic environment, where it is possible to go for excursions or relaxing walks. The most famous climb is at la Penna, the peak of the mount (1283 meters o.s.l.), from where you can enjoy an incredible view at 180 degree on Romagna. This and other beautiful itineraries are here carefully described