Santi Pietro e Paolo Parish Church in Coiano
An ancient building located along the Via Francigena
This Parish Church dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul is found along the Via Francigena in the municipality of Castelfiorentino, between San Miniato and San Gimignano.
Sigeric mentions it in his diary (“Sancte Petre Currant,” or “Saint Peter in Coiano”) as a place to stop along the Via Francigena, just as he did on the return journey to his episcopal see in Canterbury between 990 and 994 AD.
The Parish Church was the main hub of communal life for the rural populations of the area during the Early Middle Ages, shaping the community’s spiritual life through prayer and celebration.
The building has a Basilica-style layout, with 2 distinct sections corresponding to different periods of construction: the 1ˢᵗ phase in sandstone is the oldest and comprises the lower part of the façade, while the upper part was built of brick at a later date (likely following a collapse), giving the Parish Church a unique and striking appearance.
The apse dates from the 1ˢᵗ phase of construction, in perfect Lombard-Romanesque style. The interior of the Parish Church is divided into 3 naves separated by 2 rows of 6 columns supporting round arches.
