Entertaining family means lots of vigorous activities. And so it was that last weekend, after many tries, we finally conquered the mighty Mount Labbro.
It helped that we drove a good portion of the way.
The route was a bucolic Tuscan paradise lousy with flowers, butterflies, and suspicious farmers.
After lots of marching we came to the summit.
A startling discovery awaited. Mount Labbro was/is the headquarters of a full blown CULT!!! They call themselves La Fratellanza Giurisdavidica. Nineteenth Century socialist-Christian type thing. Very bizzare.
The ruins of their temple/monastery remain on top. The complex includes a lookout tower:
Bee-infested chapel (not pictured, couldn't stand still long enough to document)
Tomb of the founder, one David Lazzaretti: zealot, revolutionary, madman.
And, best of all, English-Patient-esque grotto complete with altar!
The cult apparently continues to exist, as evidenced by this list:
I must say, it is not really surprising to discover a cult in Maremma. Kind of explains a lot, actually. Certainly this will have to be the site of some future frolics.
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