La Gerusalemme dell’eremita [The Hermit’s Jerusalem]Maurizio Becherini (1859 – 1932)

In 1918, Becherini, a barber and tailor, moved to the Forra woods near his birthplace of Gambassi to live as a hermit. In just over a decade, he built his own Jerusalem, creating walkways, carving bas-relief sculptures in his cave, and creating a small chapel that was adorned with bas-relief and fully three-dimensional figurative statues made of concrete, stone, and recycled materials. Becherini’s Jerusalem became a pilgrimage destination for locals.

After his death, the works started to disintegrate, primarily resulting from inclement weather and vegetation growth. Today it is very difficult to access and find the site, but a few works remain. It is likely that they, too, will disappear over time.

~Emanuela Iovino

www.costruttoridibabele.net

Florence, Tuscany, 50122 it
Latitude/Longitude: 43.7707592 / 11.2594643

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