Badia a Coneo

Badia a Coneo is a Romanesque abbey church in the countryside near Colle di Val d'Elsa. Its three apses, carved capitals and octagonal crossing tower preserve the austere character of a medieval monastic complex.

Why it matters

The abbey stood near the routes of the Via Francigena and Via Volterrana. Benedictine monks established the community around the year 1000; it later joined the Vallombrosan reform. Its church is a rare surviving Romanesque monastic building in the Valdelsa.

What to notice

The church has a single nave, projecting transept and three apses, with the central apse rising above the flanking pair. An octagonal tiburio crowns the crossing. The façade's arched portal is decorated with rosettes, and carved capitals show human and animal figures. Inside, the nave retains a timber roof while the transept arms are barrel-vaulted. The adjoining monastery is arranged around a cloister.

Context and history

The abbey was consecrated in 1124, after the community joined the Vallombrosan order between 1073 and 1076. Its prosperity declined in the later Middle Ages, and in 1576 the church became a rural parish. Restoration work in 1920–22 removed later Baroque additions and recovered the Romanesque appearance visible today.