Madonna Annunciata by della Robbia

The church of San Francesco on the main San Quirico square holds a secret: inside, it has a Madonna Annunciata by della Robbia worth seeing. Above the main altar sits Andrea della Robbia’s Madonna Annunciata, dating back to the 16th century, and conserved in the Chapel of Vitaleta until 1870 when it was moved to the centre of San Quirico for its protection against earthquakes. In 1553 the statue of the Virgin Mary by Andrea della Robbia was introduced into the small chapel. According to legend, the statue is linked to a story. The Virgin Mary appeared near the chapel to a shepherdess asking that the faithful go to a shop in Florence where they would find the statue to be brought to the church of Vitaleta.