Church of Sant’Agostino

The church of Sant’Agostino is the most magnificent example of Gothic architecture in Massa Marittima and in most towns in the Maremma.

It was built in 1299 at the request of bishop Orlando Ugrugieri. You will find it in the new part of the city, beyond Porta Monumentali and Piazza Matteotti, and on Corso A.Diaz

The whole church is beautiful, but it’s the apse that really takes your breath away.

With its long, thin windows and crenellated roof, the apse has an elegance that you don’t normally get from other ostentatious Gothic buildings.

The beauty of this section of the church is amplified by the simple austerity of the rest of the facade, where the only decorative touches are found around the entrance door.

To the left of the apse are the cloister, built in 1410 with its large columns, and the bell tower, added in 1527.

Inside the church, attention is immediately drawn to the stained glass windows in the apse behind the altar. This is the most beautiful section of the interior. The bright colors of the windows are a vibrant complement to the bare stone arches that adorn the rest of the church.

Most of the paintings are from the Sienese or Florentine school of the 15th and 16th centuries. There seems to be a preference for light, colorful works, and each piece has a certain majesty that seems to fit the grandeur of this church.

The most famous works here are by the Florentine master Lorenzo Lippi who painted the Flight into Egypt, which is on the right side of the church; and the Madonna with Child and Saints by the Caravaggio painter Rutilio Manetti.

Also keep an eye out for the 14th-century carved marble tabernacle.

Photo: Sailko via Wikipedia Commons.