Church of San Bernardino

This small stone church, with its sober and understated elegance, rises among the buildings lining the main street of the village of Asciano, like a hidden gem nestled among the historic streets of the town.

Dating back to the early 14th century, the church carries the memory of a time when it was an integral part of the now-vanished Hospital of the Knights of St. John, which stood next door. This institution provided refuge and care for the needy, and was partially demolished in 1868 to make way for the present-day Piazza Garibaldi. The church survived, carrying with it its spiritual legacy.

Originally dedicated to St. John, the church took on its current name thanks to the lay confraternity that took it under its protection at the end of the 18th century. Upon entering, one could admire a precious panel of the monogram of the "Name of Jesus," now housed in the Museum of Palazzo Corboli, which was likely created by St. Bernardino for his famous sermons. This monogram, with the three letters "IHS," also appears in a stone bas-relief placed on the church's façade.

Today, the church is privately owned, and although its doors are no longer open for worship, it retains the charm of a place that has witnessed centuries of history pass under its stone arches. From 1953 to 2003, the church housed the archaeological collection that later found its home in the Corboli Museum, a place of memory and beauty in the heart of Asciano.