Cripta di Giugnano

Situated in a valley in the Tuscan countryside, the striking vaulted interior of this crypt is hiding in  plain sight. Records show that a monastery has existed on this site for more than 1,000 years. The space passed through various religious orders over the centuries, including the Carthusian monks of San Galgano at Monte Siepi in the 1400s and later the Augustine Order.

The crypt itself most likely dates all the way back to the Benedictine Order in Giugnano, which occupied the area around 1075. This burial ground was passed over in later iterations and has decayed spectacularly with the passing of time. Traces of frescoed walls can still be seen, as can the four original naves and the remnants of ornate stone carvings.