The abbey of St. Galgano

Situated in valley of the river Merse to few kilometers from Siena this Circestense abbey was erect edited by St. Galgano from Chiusdino in the 1200. the sword in the rock hammered in the Hermitage of the Hedges is still there from the 1200.

Strange history that of St. Galgano, but very similar to that of most known St. Francesco.

Born to Chiusdino in the 1148 has a dissolute life until at twenty o'clock years when he is converted and begins to preach for Siena and environs.

He retired on the Mountain Hedges and where he built a small hermitage.

He meet with the Pope Alexander III that blesses it (he could put it also to the pyre!) and he encourage him to build an abbey in proximity of the hermitage.

He return to the hermitage and completes the only known miracle: hammers deeply a sword in the rock so that realize a cross with the hilt.

He dies to 33 years in the 1181 (year of the birth of St. Francesco).

The Abbey had ample glory and one wide from Siena to Volterra arriving to possess ample territories. But the so much wealth provoked the end of it.  It was devastated more times in the 1300 and within in a slow decadence until at 1800