Bagno Vignoni

This is Bagno Vignoni, a village in Tuscany, Italy, known for its thermal waters. It is also a filming location from Andrey Tarkovsky's "Nostalgia" (1983). The most prominent part of the village is Baths of St.Catherine, where a few scenes were shot. In the film you can hear the name of St.Catherine, but other interesting facts about this location are between the lines… Besides St.Catherine baths and chapel there is also a church of St. John the Baptist, known for baptising Jesus in water springs close to the Jordan river. St. Catherine (of Siena) was a mystic, activist and a writer who influenced the Catholic Church and the Italian language. She had a vision of St.Dominic who had a lily in his hand which was in flames but didn't burn. She also came to Bagno Vignoni a few times but bathed in the hottest spring that others didn't risk to try.

In the film, Andrey, the main character, is a writer who came to Italy to write a biography of a musician. He meets a madman, Domenico, who gives him a candle and asks him if he will cross the bath for him with the flame. If he does it, he will save the world.

Moreover, the room in a hotel where Andrey stays, was the real room where Tarkovsky lived himself. Unfortunately, the room wasn't preserved but the hotel "Le Terme" remained. In fact the whole Bagno Vignoni remained unchanged since medieval times despite wars and devastations.