Impruneta

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Comune di Impruneta
Municipal coat of arms
Country	Italy
Region	Toscana
Province	Florence (FI)
Mayor	Ida Beneforti Gigli (since May 25, 2003)

Elevation	275 m
Area	48 km²
Population
- Total (as of December 31, 2004)	14,682
- Density	304/km²
Time zone	CET, UTC+1
Coordinates	43°41′N, 11°15′E
Gentilic	Imprunetini
Dialing code	055
Postal code	50023
Frazioni	Bagnolo, Quintole, Le Rose, Pozzolatico, Mezzomonte, Baruffi, Tavarnuzze
Patron	St. Luke the Evangelist
- Day	October 16
Location of Impruneta in Italy
Website: www.comune.impruneta.fi.it

Impruneta is a town and comune of the province of Florence in the Italian region of Tuscany. The population is about 15,000.

[edit] Main sights

The most important feature of Impruneta is the Sanctuary of Santa Maria. The basilica dates from 1060, being probably located over an ancient devotional site of Etruscan times (6th century BC). It was an important site of pilgrimage during the Middle Ages.

The basilica was bombed during World War II and now few of the original decorations can be seen. The façade is preceded by a portico by Gherardo Silvani (1634), built by the Florentine people as vow for the liberation from the plague, and by a bell tower from the 13th century. The interior has a single nave; artworks include a Nativity by Domenico Passignano and a Vocation of St. Peter by Jacopo da Empoli. The presbitery is flakned by two niches by Michelozzo decorated by Luca della Robbia, housing the relics of the Holy Cross and the Madonna's image to which the sanctuary is devoted and, which, according the tradition, was painted by St. Luke himself.

The current Madonna's image is a heavy restoration by Ignazio Hugford from 1758.