The Chiesa Del Poggio at Guzzano, the next but one village to Longoio is a quite large and beautiful building. The church is easily missed as it’s hidden by a thick forest on top of the little hill (poggio) which gives the church its name. Here are some photos I took of it in 2008 when it was always locked up and quite neglected.
On January 25th 2013 the church was extensively damaged by an earthquake. As a result much of the ceiling above the altar fell down, damaging the floor and benches. Fortunately, no-one was in the building at the time, else they could have been seriously injured or even killed.
I felt that the vaulting, which is a later 1537 addition, did not need to be restored but that the uncovered roof beams should be left exposed as they are more in the spirit of the original mediaeval construction and are also interestingly decorated.
Happily, thanks to local efforts, the church was restored and reopened for church service in August 2014. Fortunately it was hardly touched by the great storm of March 8th 2015, a tribute to its restorers.
A thing of beauty is a joy for ever and the church certainly has its own special beauty features.
First, is its position in the centre of a thick wood and at the top of a hill which (for me) evokes passages from Malory’s Arthurian romances.
Second, is its size: there are aisleless bays separated by five beautiful arches, the one nearest the altar flanked by gorgeous classical Tuscan columns in Pietra Serena – part of the ceiling here still retains its mediaeval lozenge-painted beams,.
Like so many churches and chapels in our part of the world the church, dedicated to the Madonna of Succour, is rarely open. The best time to visit it, however, is during May, the month dedicated to the Virgin.