The church, erected as a shrine, was consecrated in 1060. The fame and fortune of the Basilica lie in the cult of an image of the Madonna traditionally believed to have been painted by Luke the Evangelist himself: the panel, kept inside the Chapel of the Madonna, and visible to the public only on special occasions, will be on display during the opening hours of the exhibition. It will be possible to admire, still inside the Chapel, the splendid works by Luca della Robbia, among which are two small bas-reliefs depicting the Madonna and Child, the ceiling decorations and the majolica statues of Saints Paul and Luke.
The section of the exhibition on the Renaissance Masters is held in the premises of the Basilica itself in Buondelmonti Hall with a barrel ceiling and dating back to the 12th century, which may be reached by crossing two cloisters where the section of the exhibition on The Excellence of Handicraft is held. The first cloister is in Michelozzo-style whereas the second, dating from the 14th century, offers a view of the basilica’s bell-tower.

The museum, housed in the rooms adjoining the Basilica, displays illuminated codices, silverworks, liturgical vestments and hangings as well as other sacred furnishings connected to its history.
A place of honour is given to the 15th- century bas-relief depicting the rediscovery of the Madonna’s image, that evokes the episode which gave birth to the devotion for the Madonna of Impruneta.

The Pellegrino Loggia represents one of the testimonies of the great flux of the faithful due to the construction of the Impruneta shrine of Santa Maria.
It is located to the side of the basilica and was built between 1643 and 1670 with the pilgrims’ donations.

visit to the Impruneta kilns

On the occasion of the exhibition, there will be a special Sunday opening of the historical Impruneta kilns following a rotating schedule, that will show the daily work of today’s kiln men, often still carried out using the original techniques.

Every Sunday, a kiln will be open to the public.

March 29th MITAL 01
April 05th F.lli Masini 02
April 19th Alessandro Corsiani 03
April 26th Ugo Poggi 04
May 10th Mario Mariani 05
May 17th Massimo Carbone 06
May 24th Sergio Ricceri 07
May 31st Giorgio e Figli Pesci 08
June 07th Alessandro Corsiani 03
June 14th MITAL 01
June 21st Giorgio e Figli Pesci 08
June 28th Massimo Carbone 06
July 05th Ugo Poggi 04
July 12th Mario Mariani 05
July 19th F.lli Masini 02
July 26th Sergio Ricceri 07

The kilns will be open
from 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m.
and from 3.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.