Montesiepi Chapel is a small Romanesque rotunda on a hill above San Galgano Abbey, around 35 kilometres southwest of Siena. At its centre is Tuscany’s own sword in the stone, traditionally said to have been driven into the rock by the knight Galgano Guidotti when he renounced violence for a hermit’s life. After his death in 1181 and subsequent canonisation, the chapel was built over his hermitage.
The sword remains embedded in the stone beneath a protective cover, but the building is just as compelling as the legend. Alternating rings of pale stone and red brick draw the eye up into the dome, while a side chapel contains fragments of frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, a leading painter of the Sienese school. Two mummified hands are also displayed here, traditionally linked to an attempted theft of the sword.
Most visitors combine Montesiepi Chapel with the roofless ruins of San Galgano Abbey below, whose grass-covered nave opens to the sky. A path connects the two sites in roughly ten minutes; visit the chapel first for a quieter look before exploring the abbey.
A car is the simplest way to reach the site from Siena, as public transport is limited. Spring and autumn offer comfortable walking weather, and early morning or late afternoon can be calmer than summer midday. Check seasonal opening hours before setting out, and dress modestly for the chapel.