"Abbadia a Sicille" is an old village in the hills around Siena, one of the richest historical and artistic regions,
on the ridge that separes the Chiana and the Orcia valleys.
The church and the monastery have a long history: the first records of "Badia di Santa Maria a Sicille" date back to around 1000 AD and the inscription above the church door reads 1263.
From the maltese crosses decorating the door frame it can be deduced that the convent was of the Templari order and so was used by pilgrims in search of shelter; it then passed to the Olivetani who were the owners until 1810.