
Oratory of Sant'Antonio Abate, a small treasure trove of medieval art and history. Founded in 1361 by a local noble family, the building initially served as an oratory and hospital for the care of the sick and pilgrims, in keeping with the charitable vocation linked to the cult of the hermit saint.
The most valuable element is the extraordinary 14th-century polychrome wooden sculptural group: the Deposition, better known to the people of Pescia as the "Santi Scacciati." This curious name derives from a historical event in 1785, when Grand Duke Peter Leopold's reforms led to the suppression of the oratory; the statues were temporarily removed, only to be returned to their original location thanks to the devotion of the citizens.
The intimate and evocative interior also preserves an important cycle of frescoes attributed to Bicci di Lorenzo (15th century), which decorate the walls with scenes from the life of Saint Anthony and other saints. Despite its small size, the oratory represents a fundamental step towards understanding the medieval spirituality of the Valdinievole, uniting in one place the excellence of wooden sculpture and late-Gothic Tuscan painting.
