Montesiepi - Eremo di Montesiepi (PiP)

On the hill, neighbouring to the former "Abbazia di San Galgano" just seen, is the "Eremo di Montesiepi", erected over San Galgano´s tomb.

Legends tell, that the knight Galgano Guidotti (later "San Galgano") had visions. In one vision he arrived accompanied by archangel Michael on top of the Monte Siepi, where he met Jesus and the twelve Apostles.

Galgano Guidotti decided to live a pious life as a hermit and planted his sword in the ground, from where nobody could remove it. The handle of this sword can actually still be seen inside the rotunda. It is said, that many people have tried to steal the sword. There is even a mummified hand of a thief that tried to remove the sword.

A few years after Galgano Guidotti had died in 1181, he got canonized. A pilgrimage started soon after - and the construction of the rotunda started.