Top of the World
The church of Loro Ciuffenna is located high up in the village, there is a very practical and simple explanation for this location. Originally, the sacred building dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta was the chapel of the Guidi family and was located inside the castle. The Counts put it at the disposal of the people, so much so that it was already cited as a parish in 1275. The XIV century was a period of strong development for Loro Ciuffenna and its population. The noble chapel was no longer enough and therefore, a strong enlargement was carried out to include also the tower of the castle walls. More than an enlargement, since the building will also change direction, it will be a real rebuilding. Today the church has a single nave with a roof covered by trusses. The narrow single-lancet windows on the sides give little light to the building which, besides being interesting for its architecture, preserves valuable works of art of various periods and types. Inside, fragmentary frescoes from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, including the Visitation of St. Elizabeth and a Holy Martyr attributable to Mariotto di Cristofano. Also interesting are the two panels with the Annunciation (1555) and the Pietà (1561) by Carlo Portelli.
