The Romanesque parish church of Santa Maria a Chianni stands just outside the town of Gambassi Terme and served as an important waystation on the Via Francigena, the great medieval pilgrimage road from Canterbury to Rome. The church is a fine example of the austere Romanesque style common to this part of Tuscany — simple stonework, clean proportions, and a modest bell tower. Its importance was not aesthetic but practical: it provided shelter, food, and spiritual comfort to the thousands of pilgrims who passed through each year.
Today it remains an active church and a meaningful stop for walkers tackling the Via Francigena on foot or by bicycle. The trail passes directly through Gambassi Terme, making the town a natural rest point on a longer journey.