The church of San Romolo in Settimo is located on the highest hill of Lastra’s environs and affords sweeping views of the Apennines, Florence and even the hills of Siena.
Tradition has it that the village of San Romolo was home to a retreat for the monks of the Badia a Settimo around the year 1000. However, the earliest records confirming the existence of a religious building on this site reach back to 1200.
Recent restoration work carried out on the walls of the 16th-century portico has uncovered the original medieval masonry. The square-planned apse was instead added in the 18th century, as suggested by the year inscribed on the step at the entrance (1710). In fact, the original plan of the church was rectangular and ended with a semi-circular apse, typical of medieval rural churches.
One of the altars was adorned with a painting of Our Lady of Humility, by Lorenzo Monaco, now displayed in the Museum of San Martino a Gangalandi. The interior’s Gothic-revival decoration – showing scenes from the life of Christ, saints and music-making angels – were discovered during restoration works carried out in 1912.
Mappa