Hi my friend !! I'm sure that at least once in your life you've heard of the "Sword in the Stone", either having read the famous novel by T.H.White or you've seen the Disney animated film that tells the story of Arthur and Merlin the Wizard.
So today I want to share with you the place that maybe inspired this legend because the sword in the stone really exists!!!
Did you know that?
The real sword in the stone is located in central Italy, precisely in Tuscany in the municipality of Chiusdino and I'll tell you about the weekend I spent in these areas!!
To see it you have to go to the monastery located on the hill of Montesiepi in the province of Siena.
According to the most accredited thesis, the sword that is today stuck in the rock inside the Montesiepi building belonged to the knight Galgano Guidotti. After leading a dissolute life, the man arrived in the Montesiepi area where he radically changed his life. Once he retired to the building, he thrust his sword into the rock to create a cross in front of which to pray every day.
This same thesis, however, has been questioned for years by many scholars who have hypothesized that the weapon was a fake. Most of the research done over time, however, has confirmed that the making of the sword dates back to 1100, the very period in which the Galgano knight lived.
Arriving in the province of Siena along the road to the north you can find the indications for this place, the area includes several places to explore such as the Cathedral of San Galgano (which I will show you in the future).
You can easily park your car and continue for about five minutes on foot up a slope that will take you to the entrance of the monastery if you go from the side of the cathedral otherwise you can arrive directly near the entrance of the monastery.
In the vicinity of the parking lot, places to eat or drink are also open to welcome tourists.
The monastery itself is fascinating and the sword is covered in a glass case after many people have tried (unsuccessfully) to extract it over the centuries.
Inside the monastery are housed the remains of the body of Saint Galgano who lived in the twelfth century and from which this monastery takes its name, whose full name is "Monastery of San Galgano in Montesiepi" and also the arms of a desecrator who he tried to remove the sword and failed, according to studies the bones date back to the 12th century.
ARMS OF THE PROFANATOR
This is the oldest building in the area, more precisely the innermost part consisting of the small hermitage to which the external church and other masonry parts have been added over the centuries.
Beautiful are the paintings inside the church which experts have said date back to around 1330.
The painting depicting the Saints carefully carrying the sword on a cushion is very beautiful, also painted from the 14th century which makes us understand the history of this find.
PAINTING OF SAINTS WITH SWORDS
From the photos it is not clear the charm of the sword, seeing it up close I can assure you that it leaves you speechless to see a sword that is stuck in the rock and that around it bears the marks of scholars who over the decades have gradually removed small pieces of rock to see if it was only a handle attached to the rock and instead they were amazed to remove the rock and see that actually there is also the blade of the sword that continues inside the rock that wraps it.
Another beautiful curiosity: Every year a very interesting fact happens for one day a year; on June 21 of each year, at the summer solstice, at sunrise a ray of light penetrates the hermitage from the lancet window behind the altar forming a luminous circle on the wall which slowly moves until it touches the sword and the sepulcher of San Galgano.
My friend I recommend you to visit this place, it is truly magical
All the photos were taken by me during a leisure weekend of mine some time ago and the things I tell are part of my personal experience in this magical place 😀😉