HISTORICAL BUILDINGS
Martellini family has got two mansions: the first one, restored in this century, is in Rome
square and on its wall the family's emblem
is still visible: two hammers crossed over a fifteenth century portal. The
second one is in Cappucci street, here we see Martellini's coat of arms which is
a sixteenth arm next to that of the Montinis, the present owners, made up of a
mountain with three stars. In the palace entrance there is the only surviving
fresco dating back to late
eighteenth century. Finally, an Italian style garden, located behind the mansion
is noteworthy.
This mansion is in Cappucci street near Martellinis'. There is a characteristical small cloister with a stair ushering you into remarkable rooms, like a beautiful salon.
Cardinal Bernardo
Dovizi, called "the Bibbiena" wanted the building of this mansion in 1498,
creating therefore the more important
architecture of Bibbiena. It is made up of three floors,
in Florentine Renaissance style. Its façade, once covered by plaster,
today has a rural appearance with insertions of stones mixed to terracotta. The
main door
and windows have round arches with a facings pointed to smooth rusticated ashlar all
ending in a portico divided by architraved columns. Inside an imposing
main stair, with only one flight, leads to sitting room preceding the Cardinal's apartment,
where you find a remarkable coffered ceiling and a
wonderful fireplace.
SAINT LAWRENCE
CHURCH and CLOISTER
It was built on a previous oratory and it tooks its present aspect in 15th century when it was enlarged, in the same period of Franciscan friars Convent. It has a façade with two rose windows which has been recently restored. Inside there are one nave and two side aisles. The choir behind the altar dates back to the 17th century, whereas the shrine dates from the 18th and it contains two remarkable glazed terracottas at opposite sides. There are also a "Nativity" by Andrea della Robbia on the right and "Deposition" on the left. The Convent’s cloister, built in the first half of 17th century, has got slender shapes with slim columns partially worn away by the weather; also most frescoes in the arches have been damaged.
In its main façade, looking into "XXVIII Agosto" street, there is Medicean coat of arms, while on the side of Poltri Square we can see the family's emblem. Given many ownership changes, the façade of Poltri mansion has been restored many times: the balcony has been added later for example. Moreover, the entrance hall with its sober structure and stone stair which leads to upper floors, is noteworthy.
NICCOLINI MANSION (Town Hall )
Right in the center of Berni street it was built, beyond the medieval boundary wall, in the first half of XVII century, likely in 1645. In the entrance stair ceiling they are some notable paintings: two puttos leading in the sky a shield with silver chains which represents an example of Lorraine period painting. A wide stair leads to the first floor where there is a big salon which overlooks Berni street. Inside you find a fireplace, frescoed walls, smaller rooms decorated as well and a chapel with a rocaille taste altar.
It is located in Berni street next to Niccolini Mansion and it represents one of the most important buildings of Bibbiena. In its decorated façade there are old owners' coat of arms (six graduated dices) just above a fogginian portal and masks, which adorn the first floor windows, dated from the 17th century. On the contrary, the ground floor, which includes an Italian style garden, has preserved 18th century Medicean emblem and frescoes. Climbing steep stairs, you arrive into the first floor rooms, surely the most attractive and better preservated. On their walls and ceilings there are mythological frescoes, dating back to the first half of eighteenth century. Besides, given the musical instruments painted these rooms were surely used as music halls. Thanks to their perfect preservation and evocative polychromies these environments are extremely interesting and full of glamour.
It was built in 1580 by the Sacred Stigmata Company on a house belonging to camaldolese monks. The Oratory present appearance dates back to works strarted in 1736 and finished in 1782. Church today is an exceptional example of pure rococo style in architecture and decoration. Thanks to the last restoration carried out by Monuments and Fine Arts Office in 1991 today it is perfectly preserved. It has got a neoclassical façade with four columns sustaining a small tympanum. Inside, it is wonderfully decorated by gilded leaves, small roses and delicious volute patterns. There is a coffered ceiling with wood carvings and gold decoration, dating back to the XVII century. In the centre there is an oval made up by a frame in wood and canvas, which represents S. Francis who receives the Stigmata. Moreover, there are four big frescoes describing some Jesus's life episodes. Above the entrance door you see an attractive choir accuratly worked and a 18th century organ. A marble altar with a fine tabernacle dates from 1756. Behind this altar there is a small coffin in golden wood dating from the end of the 17th and the beginnings of the 18thI century, which is kept with care and used to carry the Christ dead in procession during Holy Friday evening.
At the end of Berni street it stands out for its façade with three lines of windows. The more interesting rooms are at the first floor: in their ceilings there are frescoes representing feminine figures which dates back to the first ten years of the 19th century.
SAINTS IPPOLITO AND DONATO CHURCH
This church was included in Bibbiena provostship in 1744; it was built in early XIIth century as a big chapel inside Tarlati Castle (the lords of Bibbiena). It has Romanesque style with a very simple façade presenting a beautiful stone portal. Inside you can admire extraordinary works of art: a triptych representing “The Virgin on Throne with Child and Saints” by Bicci di Lorenzo; a Tuscan School wood carving on ”The Virgin on Throne with Child” dating from 14th century which comes from Giona's church (a place near Bibbiena); an oil on canvas on “The Virgin on Throne with Child and Saints Michele and Antonio Abbat” dating from XVIIth century by Jacopo Ligozzi; a XVth century tempera painting on ”The Virgin on Throne with Child and Angels” by Arcangelo di Cola from Camerino; an oil on canvas dating from the second half of XVIth century by Giovanni Calducci called "the Cosci"; finally many other tuscany school frescoes and other excellent works.
In the picturesque Pier Saccone Tarlati Square (the ancient Parade ground) also called "The Big Square", in addition to various sober renaissance buildings and some Eighteenth century features, you can admire the Podestà's ancient palace whose façade is fill of coats of arms. Moreover, there is the Clock's Tower, what remains of the ancient castle destroyed during Campaldino Battle in 1289. Further on you find the "Smiths' Gate" with a donjon guard tower attached.
It is located in the homonymous street and it standing out for its sober façade with three lines of windows. A wide paved entrance hall opens on eighteenth century inner locals. An hige stair leads to the first floor unchanged rooms which show ceilings decorated with frescoes and stuccoes. Other rooms have been restorated in the late nineteenth century, maybe for the marriage of the youngest child of Rosa's family with knight Scoti. This mansion has a terraced garden from which you can see S. Francis' Oratory austere façade.
It was built in 1942 following Niccolò Matas' plan, the architect who designed also the neighbouring S. Francis' Oratory neoclassical façade. Dovizi Theatre had many Nineteenth century typical features with some classical elements at the beginning. Then it has been recently restored in Galli's baroque style, “The Bibienesco”, from the name of these stage designers and architects also called “The Bibienas”; the Gallis have contributed, for more of five generations, to built theatres and churches in many Europeans courts.
It is located between Berni street and Scoti Franceschi street, catching the eye for its fogginian portal. The entrance hall leads to a coffered salon and then to another one entirely decorated with mythological frescoes. A small room on whose ceiling is represented Jupiter is noteworthy too. A eighteenth century restoration has changed the original ceilings looking into Berni street.
its principal front overlooks Borghi street and has a portal above which you find a Bellini's coat of arms, dating back to the first half of the seventeenth century. In its shorter side, the mansion has got a small balustraded terrace with a decorated rocaille in wrought iron. Inside, the rooms have still their VIth century simplicity: you will appreciate a kitchen with original furnishing made up of a stone washbasin and a big fireplace showing Bellini's coat of arms.
This building is between Marcucci street and small Pierazzuoli square; its façade dates from the VI° century with two windows lines of Florentine architecture. All inner locals are clearly in VI century style as well, except for three frescoed adjoining rooms covered by wooden ceilings. You should note also the terraced garden which overlooks Cappucci street with its old boundary wall signs.
It has always belonged to the Vecchietti Poltri and it is located in Tarlati Square next to the tower. In the second half of the 18th century the Municipal Authority ordered to built the ancient Chancellery on the mansion ground, therefore it partially acquired this building from Poltri family. At the last floor there are many rooms with frescoes landscapes and a canvas showing the old owner, noble Andrea Vecchietti Poltri, in a stern expression denoting its social position.
In the historical center of Bibbiena, beside numerous mansions, you can admire two characteristical medieval alleys: Borgarino and Fondaccio. Once inhabited by artists and craftsmen, they are still full of life; incidentally in Borgarino there is the Gallis' birth house.
SANTA MARIA DEL SASSO SANCTUARY
At one kilometre from Bibbiena there is S. Maria del Sasso Sanctuary, an architectural structure of considerable historical, artistic and religious value. It represents the only Renaissance example in Casentino, actually proclaimed national monument in 1899. The place takes its name from a big boulder on which, in 1347, the Virgin appeared to a little girl called Caterina. Originally it was a simple pilgrims hostel, but in 1495, thanks to father Girolamo Savonarola, it turned into a Monastery. The new church was then consacrated in 1507. Next to the main entrance there is a bell tower which keeps an ancient bell dating from 1362. The Sanctuary is in Renaissance style with a simple façade and an arcade on the right. In the portal lunette there is a 1486 fresco representing Saints Dominick and Peter the martyr. Inner premises are in Latin cross with a cupola and an apsis chorus. In the centre of the Basilica you find an small Corinthian temple built by Bartolomeo Bozzolini from Fiesole which contains a Madonna del Sasso fresco by Bicci di Lorenzo. Moreover, you can enjoy many works by Jacopo Ligozzi, Giovanni del Brina, Brother Paolino from Pistoia and some interesting Della Robbia's. There still survive a very attractive VIth century cloister, the only example of this kind in Casentino, with arcs and capitals none like each other, a beautiful well dating back to 1502-04 and many frescoes about the miracle of "Madonna del Buio", unfortunately deteriorated by time.