One of the oldest hermitages of the Pisan Mountains is located near Calci. It stands at 300 meters above sea level in a valley characterised by many rivers and springs from which the place name derives. The hermitage of Saint Jacopo and Saint Verano was built around the year 1000 and was later dedicated to San Bernardo. In fact, a mass is held annually on August 20 in his honour. The small structure is in Pisan Romanesque style, features a single nave, the apse is not present and the bell tower is replaced by a bell gable.
Many pilgrims and hermits came together here throughout the centuries. However, in 1200 the concept of religious retreat came into crisis and here was no exception. This was accentuated by the papacy, which preferred collective worship over individual retreats. This gave rise to a new religious order, called the Hermits of Saint Augustine.
Due to its state of neglect, the Archbishop of Pisa desecrated the Hermitage towards the end of the 19th century. It was later restored and reopened for worship on August 20, 1880, the feast of Saint Bernard.
