San Jacopo al Girone – Church, Art and Paths Along the Arno
Accommodation in San Jacopo Al Girone
San Jacopo al Girone represents a stage of a journey where church art, remembrance culture and paths along the Arno set important accents. For you as a traveller in Italy, this creates a destination with several points of interest: the Chiesa di San Jacopo al Girone brings architecture and art together, while the Florence War Cemetery and the riverside paths offer other ways of discovering the surroundings.
File:Fiesole, vecchia chiesa di san jacopo al girone 03 monumento ai caduti.jpg
Photo: Francesco Bini via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Church, Architecture and Works of Art
The Chiesa di San Jacopo al Girone was consecrated on 26 February 1989. At the same time, a rectory church called San Jacopo al Girone already existed in the 13th century. The church building was constructed from exposed concrete using reinforced-concrete construction. Medieval local history and a clearly recognisable modern structure are thus closely connected thematically.
Inside the Chiesa di San Jacopo al Girone is a panel by Francesco Granacci dating from 1520/1530. It comes from the church of San Pietro a Quintole. The Chiesa also houses a wooden crucifix attributed to the school of Giambologna (1529–1608). This gives you a concentrated introduction to different periods and artistic forms of expression, without tying the site to a single historical chapter.
A Place of Remembrance by the River
The Florence War Cemetery contains 1,632 Commonwealth graves from the Second World War. The cemetery is located on the banks of the Arno near Il Girone and complements the cultural impressions of the Chiesa with a place of remembrance. A hospitium for travellers and pilgrims was mentioned in Girone in 1201. This historical trace is one of the older chronological references associated with San Jacopo al Girone.
Walks and Paths Along the Arno
The combined cycling and walking connection between Piazza delle Gualchiere and Via dell’Arno is approximately 700 metres long. On a walk along the banks of the Arno, participants can discover the Gualchiere, the surrounding river landscape and old water-related knowledge.
A walk along Via del Loretino leads to the Gualchiere del Girone, which are known for fulling woollen cloth. In this way, the riverside landscape has, in addition to its natural character, a connection to the artisanal use of water. For cyclists, the “Intorno a Firenze in bicicletta” route runs downhill from Fiesole to the town of San Jacopo al Girone and then continues along the cycle path on the right bank of the Arno.
Arrival and Choice of Location
From Florence’s main railway station, Santa Maria Novella, bus route 14A runs to the terminus at Girone. The Florence War Cemetery is approximately 100 metres from this terminus. When planning your stay, this connection provides a specific point of reference if you want to compare the location of your accommodation with cultural destinations, walks or a cycling tour along the Arno.
If you are looking for other places to visit during your trip to Italy, you can also explore Ellera from San Jacopo al Girone.
For the higher-level travel overview: Fiesole.
