Chiesa di San Bartolomeo

The origins and history of Galliano with its parish church of San Bartolomeo are closely connected to the presence and feudal activities of the Ubaldini in the western part of Mugello. Descending into this area of Tuscia after the fall of the Roman Empire, they occupied a vast territory at the foot of the Apennines, extending deeply into the Romagna region as well. They probably arrived in the Galliano area well before the year one thousand, building their fortified residence there, the present-day Palazzaccio, in a dominant position overlooking the Tavaiano plain. According to historians, the construction of the fortified village of Galliano took place in the first half of the 11th century, favored by the Ubaldini themselves who recognized its significant strategic and economic importance. The settlement emerged as a control point on the route to and from the Apennines, along a difficult and dangerous itinerary, over which the Ubaldini exercised total control, imposing heavy transit tolls. Like any other fortified village of the time, it had its place of worship, initially located outside the walls, in a place called Ricavata. Adonaldo degli Ubaldini built the original church of San Bartolomeo in 690, probably not far from the small chapel of Castelluccio, still visible just outside the village today. The complex of San Bartolomeo in Galliano consists of the church, the rectory, and the oratory, articulated around a cloister that seems to confirm the monastic origin of the site. Initially a female monastery and then Basilian, the complex expanded in the 12th century with the construction of the church and in the 18th century with the addition of the oratory. Over the centuries, the use and adaptation to changes in taste, long periods of abandonment, and the earthquakes that deeply marked the history of Mugello have led to a transformation of the complex, particularly evident in the church. The current church was built at a later time, probably on the foundations of the ancient oratory of the monastery, and tradition has it that it was consecrated on May 19, 1163, by Saint Thomas of Canterbury during his journey to Rome. For centuries, the Ubaldini were the patrons of the church and the adjacent monastery, which became a convent of Basilian monks in 1364. Inserted in the parish of San Gavino Adimari, it obtained the title of priory in 1548 by concession of the bishop of Florence, Niccolò Ridolfi. Important restoration and consolidation works of the building date back to the first half of the 18th century. By episcopal decree of September 4, 1837, the priory of Galliano was elevated to a parish church with the annexed parishes of San Lorenzo in Croci, Santa Maria in Collebarucci, San Michele in Cintoia, and Santo Stefano in Rezzano. However, the church was in need of urgent restoration, lacking the patronage care of the last Ubaldini. Between 1845 and 1847, it was completely demolished and rebuilt with a sober and compact architecture, equipped with a bell tower on the left side and a linear facade that still retains much of its original appearance today, except for the circular oculus added in the 1930s to replace the lunette. Inside, the single nave is covered with trusses and illuminated by narrow arched windows with polychrome stained glass. The raised presbytery, characterized by a triumphal arch delimiting the choir, stands out. Among the preserved works of art, the white marble Baptismal Font from 1314, a panel from 1257 attributed to Margaritone d'Arezzo depicting the Madonna and Child, 19th-century frescoes, and an Annunciation traditionally attributed to Davide del Ghirlandaio stand out. The mural decoration of the presbytery dome, executed in 1922 by Tito Chini, and the 13th-century sepulchral plaque in the cloister, recalling the Ubaldini family, testify to the long history of the complex. It is said that by carefully observing the relief depicting a deer's head (symbol of the Ubaldini), a hidden human face can be distinguished among the stone details. According to some scholars, it could be an ancient stylized portrait of a family member, while for others, it is just an optical illusion created by time and erosion. In 1963, the church ceiling collapsed, destroying the frescoes created by Tito Chini. These decorations, which adorned the vault with floral motifs and religious scenes, were completely lost.

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