REFUBBRI
The Oratory of the Visitation of The Virgin Mary to Saint Elizabeth
History
The Oratory of Refubbri in the present state dates back to the year 1621. It replaced one that was not much larger than a newsstand in today’s cities.
The first one was destroyed by the floods of 1578. The parochial community of Pieve di Controne had always held their meetings and religious celebrations in this small church.
On July 2nd each year the village community celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary to Saint Elizabeth. The oratory is located not far from the main old road of the Controneria that was a favourite walking and hiking route for many of the visitors from Florence, Pisa , Lucca and, of course, the English that were staying in Bagni di Lucca.
One of the attractions that Bagni di Lucca
offered to its visitors were the Baths, which, in those days were famous and
well-patronized. An Englishman who was in Bagni di Lucca at that time was Robert
Browning with his wife Elizabeth Barrett Browning. On day in 1849 they took
"a great exploit-ridden a donkey for five miles deep into the mountains
"to find this little chapel", as described by
By going to the photographs page you will find words taken from the poem by Robert Browning called "By the fire-side" which recalls this journey in part and the corresponding pictures illustrating passages from his poem.
The Oratory fell into disuse during the depopulation of the Italian countryside in the years of the "economic miracle" of the fifties and sixties. In 1971 it was despoiled of a considerable part of its furnishings as a result of a burglary. Today it represents a very neglected appearance with a large part of its roof having collapsed and with overgrown walls. The costs of restoring it now are containable but if something is not done soon to stabilise the fabric the future restoration costs will become much more, if not even prohibitive.