Pieve di San Lorenzo a Pietramala

The Church of San Lorenzo in Pietramala, in the municipality of Firenzuola, has ancient origins that intertwine with the history of the locality. Already in 1220, there was a place of worship, as attested by historical documents. In the Geographical Physical Historical Dictionary of Tuscany by Repetti, it is indeed stated that Emperor Frederick II confirmed to the Ubaldini family the curia of Pietramala, where a church already existed. In 1257, Cardinal Ottaviano degli Ubaldini mentioned it by the name of San Lorenzo, a dedication that has endured over time. Pietramala came under Florentine influence in 1403, but the church remained under the diocese of Bologna for almost four centuries. During this period, it was a small chapel served by a priest from Scaricalasino, now Monghidoro. However, with time, its importance grew, and in 1717, Cardinal Malvezzi, Archbishop of Bologna, ordered its restoration, rebuilding the bell tower and equipping it with three bells. Malvezzi himself promoted further expansion, entrusting the project to the architect Leopoldo Baldi Dalle Rose, a member of a very influential family in Pietramala. In 1785, the church became part of the diocese of Florence, obtaining the rank of parish church in 1786. By the end of the nineteenth century, due to the precarious conditions of the building, the parish priest Don Innocenzo Zagni initiated a complete reconstruction. The work was entrusted to Giuseppe Baldi Dalle Rose, who drew inspiration from the model of fifteenth-century Florentine churches, using live stone and filaretto. The construction began in 1882, the first stone was blessed on October 4, 1884, and the building was completed on October 30, 1900. The new church, characterized by a Greek cross plan and a majestic octagonal dome, was inaugurated on July 4, 1902, with celebrations that lasted several days. The building features an imposing facade, enriched by a precious polychrome terracotta panel made by the Chini workshop of Borgo San Lorenzo. The interior impresses with its brightness and the harmony of spaces, combining simplicity and solemnity. The altars, made of precious marble, are enriched with elegant ciboria, donated by Cristina Baldi Dalle Rose. The choirs were crafted by local artisans, keeping alive the artistic tradition of the place. During the Second World War, the church suffered serious damages: the stained glass windows were destroyed, the statue of the Madonna was shattered (the current one dates back to 1955), and the left lateral wing was severely hit. Bomb fragments also damaged the San Giovanni Battista of the baptismal font, attributed to the Tuscan school, and ruined the vaults of the small chapel below the sacristy, as well as the door of the sacristy itself.

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