One of the town’s peculiarities is the Ciuffenna river, which runs through a canyon and was used for centuries to power mills that produced chestnut flour (a traditional product in the area). Here, you can also find the oldest functioning water mill in Tuscany, most likely built around 1100.
Art lovers have the opportunity to learn about the work of one of Italy’s most innovative artists, the Venturino Venturi, an illustrious Loro Ciuffenna local. Shortly after his death in 2002, his home was opened to the public, where the works are located in different rooms, like his studio, the original appearance of which has been preserved. Casa Venturi is also home to the Documentation Centre for 20th-Century Italian Sculpture. The Venturino Venturi Museum is not actually here, but is instead in the town hall, which displays 92 sculptures and drawings.
Lastly, 1 km from Loro Ciuffenna, you can find the unique Parish Church in Gropina, located on a hill along the ancient via Cassia Vetus. This is not your average country church. This is one of the oldest, best preserved Romanesque parish churches in all of Tuscany, and is widely considered a masterpiece. It has a rich and ancient history: during restoration work in the 1960s, the ruins of a Lombard church and a 4th-century BCE temple were discovered beneath it. More importantly, however, the church is famous for the wealth and variety of the images and symbols carved into its pillars. The interior has three naves with two rows of pillars and columns, each of which has a capital that depicts a symbolic story.
