Florence's Chartreuse

The monument is located on the summit of Monte Acuto, also called the “Holy Mountain”, a conical hill located near the village of Galluzzo, a town south of Firenze.Il monastic complex was built by Niccolò Acciaioli (1310-1365 ), a leading figure in the political and economic fourteenth. Belonging to one of the richest banking families of Florence, reached the pinnacle of power in the Kingdom of Naples, at the Angevin court. Here he was appointed Grand Seneschal of the Kingdom and Viceroy of Apulia, and checked the business and politics of the state for a long tempo.Il site was chosen because the elevated position of the monastery and the presence at the foot of the hill of the two streams, the Greve and the ‘Ema, ensured the isolation necessary to the rules of life of the Carthusian community. Also, since the top of the hill dominating the surrounding valleys, was an ideal place from the defensive point of view: the building, perched at the highest point, would have been easy to defend from the frequent incursions of armies engaged in constant wars that claimed Florence against the city and neighboring states. The pictorial heritage and decoration, once abundant as evidenced by archival research, it is relevant today, because of repeated looting and robberies. In fact, the Certosa remained the property of the Carthusian order until October 1810, when by order of Napoleon, were moved fifty French soldiers. After the restoration of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany (1819), the monks were able to return to the monastery and obtained that various works of art were put back in their seats primitive. From this moment began a new period of construction projects aimed at the restoration and preservation of the monument, which intensified after 1866, when the Italian government came into possession of the Charterhouse. The restoration works were carried out in two major periods: the late nineteenth century, following the earthquake of 1895, which destroyed part of the cloister; and at the end of the fifties, when the Superintendence of Florence organized a general and complete restoration, followed by arch. G. Morozzi, the entire complex. This last action was also favored by the departure of the Carthusians, who took over the Cistercians of the congregation of Casamari. This community, thanks to their monastic rule, could make the monastery more accessible to the outside world and to lovers of culture and art.