The architectural complex stands on the left bank of the Arno, on a hill at the edge of the aforementioned medieval marshes, along an ancient route that connected the valley floor to the hill of Rimaggio (meaning ‘greater stream’), where the Cassia Nuova road passed. It was perhaps, since ancient times, a sacred site dedicated to the river deities and the nymphs of the springs, and it still retains a special charm, marked by solitude and stunning panoramic views over the lush valley.
In 1198, the church, dedicated to Mary, already existed and was a subsidiary of the parish of Saints Hippolytus and Cassian in Campavena. Here, a miraculous panel depicting the Madonna and Child was venerated.
During the 1640s, the complex was radically rebuilt.
Externally, the sanctuary is partly enclosed along the front and left side by a loggia, dating back to 1678, with elegant Doric columns made of sandstone, which originally supported the vaults, of which only the springing stones remain (currently supporting a pitched roof).
The portal, featuring a broken triangular pediment with the Bernardine symbol in the center, dates to 1644. It is flanked by windows with wrought-iron grilles, framed by simple yet elegant moldings, the right one bearing the inscription: “LIMOSINE”.
The interior, with a single nave covered by a trussed roof, features the main altar, erected at the expense of Ippolito Maria Busatti in 1675. The altar is framed by two Doric columns supporting a broken triangular pediment, surmounted by two original, though rigid, shell-shaped valves. Inside a sort of ‘tabernacle’ made of stone, distinguished by a small broken triangular pediment, within which is the dove of the Holy Spirit and a cherub’s head beneath, originally only the head of the 13th-century image of the Madonna and Child was visible. This has now been replaced by a photographic reproduction.
The altar is flanked by two ovals, each enclosed within refined gilded white stucco frames, featuring two mural paintings of mediocre quality. On the left, the miraculous discovery of the image of Mary is depicted, while on the right, a panel is shown being carried by four flying angels.
The lateral altar on the left, also characterized by Doric half-columns and a broken triangular pediment with the Bernardine emblem in the center, was erected by Giovan Battista Busatti in 1697. It features a refined reredos and two predellas, or steps, in inlaid hard stones, depicting the Busatti family crest.
On the opposite wall is the wooden choir loft, adorned with an elaborate cartouche topped with a cherub’s head, indicating that it was built at the expense of the sanctuary’s works. Above it is the organ.
