Pieve di Santa Maria Novella in Chianti

The Pieve di Santa Maria Novella stands in open country between Radda in Chianti and Panzano. Known historically as the Pieve of Chianti, it preserves a three-aisled Romanesque structure and works of glazed terracotta associated with the Della Robbia tradition.

Why it matters

As a rural mother church, the pieve served settlements across the surrounding countryside. Its Romanesque plan and artistic holdings reflect the religious organisation and cultural links of the Chianti region.

What to notice

The church's three naves and carved Romanesque capitals remain legible despite later changes to the interior. Its artworks include an altarpiece associated with the Della Robbia workshop and a baptismal font decorated with glazed terracotta tiles of the Robbian school.

Context and history

The church's origins are traditionally placed around 900, though the exact date of its foundation is uncertain. Its importance in the medieval parish network gave rise to the name Pieve di Chianti. The interior was remodelled in the eighteenth century, while a later restoration revealed parts of the Romanesque structure beneath those changes.