Via Francigena | From San Gimignano to Monteriggioni | Podere Santa Pia, Holiday house in the south of Tuscany

Hidden secrets in the Tuscan Maremma \| Podere Santa Pia


Podere Santa Pia, garden	Podere Santa Pia	Abbadia d’Ombrone and Monastero d’Ombrone near Castelnuovo Berardenga.


Badia di Sicille, Trequanda	Colle di Val d'Elsa	Pienza

Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore	Sansepolcro	Certaldo

The Val d'Elsa
The Val d’Elsa lies between the provinces of Florence and Siena. Divided by the river Elsa, this area of Tuscany is one of the region’s most beautiful sections of countryside, rich in vineyards and olive groves that produce wine and oil renowned throughout the world. Hardly, in another part of Italy, history is present as in Val d'Elsa: not only for the architecture that resists intact in at least three conspicuous places: San Gimignano, Monteriggioni and Colle di Val d'Elsa. The strategic importance of the Val d'Elsa lies in its paths and roads. It is both the passageway to the sea and a sacred path. Its development was due to the Via Francigena and its propensity towards a sustainable economy is thanks to its wine and olive oil production, as well as crystal, mechanics, paper, electronics, ceramic and furniture production.
Barberino Val d'Elsa
Barberino Val d’Elsa, situated high up above the valley from which it takes its name and halfway between Florence and Siena, on the north-western borders of the Chianti area. The town is still characterised by a historic medieval centre set out in an oblong or shaft-shaped form. Historically Barberino was tied to Florence for its important strategic location overlooking both directions of Florence and of Siena. For this reason the surrounding area is full of castles and fortified buildings. The Pieve di Sant’Appiano is built on a pleasant hill, surrounded by cypresses, just a few kilometres from Barberino Val d’Elsa. The complex includes a Romanesque parish church, the ruins of an octagonal building, a cloister, a presbytert and a group of houses which constituted the village. The natural beauty of this area offers a suitable resting place for the relics of Saint Appiano. Etruscan tombs have been discovered near the parish church. The Parish church is documented as early as 990 CE and parts of the left nave, the apse and the crypt are pre-Romanesque. The parish church of Sant’ Appiano is the oldest medieval pre-Romanesque church in Tuscanys. It has retained its original apse and part of the north aisle, neither of which were damaged when the bell-tower collapsed in 1171. The remainder of the church was rebuilt soon after. Opening hours: Summer: Saturdays and Sundays, 4pm-7:30pm Winter: Saturdays and Sundays, 3pm-6pm Frazioni: Cortine, Linari, Marcialla, Monsanto, Petrognano, San Filippo a Ponzano, Sant'Appiano, Tignano, Vico d'Elsa Casole d'Elsa The Casole area was originally inhabited by the Etruscans. The first written evidence of the town dates back to 896 when Adaberto, a Tuscan marquis, conceded the town to the Bishop of Volterra. The diocese of Volterra ruled over the town for a long time, as confirmed in an 1186 document in which the emperor Enrico VI renewed the concession to the Bishop. At the start of the thirteenth century, Casole gained its independence and became a free town able to elect its own town council. For many years the territory was fought over by Sienese, Florentine and Volterran forces. In 1259 the town was occupied by the Florentine army but following the battle at Montaperti and the Castelfiorentino treaty of 1260, it was definitively brought under Sienese rule. The town’s defensive walls were built by the Sienese during this period. The fortress and the defensive walls are still visible today, although the town gates have unfortunately been destroyed. The southern gate was destroyed by German mines during the Second World War. Main attractions are the church of Santo Spirito and Palazzo Pretorio (the ancient seat of the town council) which is decorated with the terracotta family crests of the town’s various mayors over the centuries. Also of interest are the Palazzo Casolani-Berlingheri-Scheggi, the Collegiata of Santa Maria Assunta and the church of San Pietro and San Niccolò. The Collegiata is home to an important fourteenth century funerary monument belonging to Bishop Tommaso d’Andrea. This sculpture is the first example of its kind of a similar sculpture resting on a ‘shelf’ and belongs to afourteenth century Tuscan school of sculpture.		Barberino Val d’Elsa Pieve di Sant'Appiano

		Casole d’Elsa
Castelfiorentino
Castelfiorentino is situated in an optimous position on the Chianti hills, in the heart of Tuscany. Far back in 1149 the name of Castelfiorentino was given to a castle erected along Via Francigena, on the site where the Roman settlement of Timignano once stood. Enclosed within the fortified castle, set upon a hilltop, was the parish church of Sant' Ippolito (the ancient parish of San Biagio); erected within a second ring of the walls were Borgo d'Elsa and Borgo Nuovo. Frazioni: Cambiano, Castelnuovo d'Elsa, Coiano, Dogana, Fontanella, Granaiolo, Petrazzi
Certaldo
Like many other Tuscan towns. Certaldo is divided between its medieval walled town on a hill and the modern residential and industrial suburb spread out below. Certaldo was the home of the family of Giovanni Boccaccio, who died and was buried here in 1375. Boccaccio's house, of red brick, like the other old houses here, was restored in 1823 and furnished with old furniture. A statue of him was erected in the main square in 1875. The charming medieval upper town, reached on foot in 10 min or by cablecar from the station in the main piazza (2min). built almost entirely of brick, is well preserved despite some damage during the Second World War. All the principal buildings, as well as some attractive houses, face onto Via Boccaccio. Half-way up on the left is the Casa del Boccaccio (rebuilt in 1947). with a tower and loggia, which was bought and restored in the early 19C by Marchesa Carlotta dei Medici Lenzoni. Facing onto the little piazza is the church of Santi Michele e Jacopo. The simple brick facade dates from the 13C and the interior has been restored to original Romanesque appearance. In a niche is an urn containing the body of Beata Giulia. Next to the church is a small cloister which gives access to the Museo d'arte Sacra inaugurated in 2001 (open daily 10.00-19.00). The museum has some fine and rare works which include: a monumental 13 C Crucifix; paintings by Meliore, the Bigallo master Puccio di Simone and Ugolino di Nerio most of them removed from churches in the countryside around Certaldo. At the top of the street is Palazzo Pretorio, or Vicariale, the residence of the Florentine governors, recently restored to its original condition, has a picturesque facade adorned with ceramic coats of arms, and in the interior are various frescoes dating from the 13th to the 16th century. A terraced garden and a walkway overlooking the town walls provide a splendid view stretching from the hills of the Val d'Elsa to San Gimignano. Frazioni: Fiano, Sciano, Bagnano, Marcialla (in parte)		« Certaldo, come voi forse avete potuto udire, è un castello di Val d'Elsa posto nel nostro contado, il quale, quantunque picciol sia, già di nobil uomini e d'agiati fu abitato » (Giovanni Boccaccio, Decameron-VI,10) Ugolino di Nerio, Madonna col Bambino e Santi, Certaldo, Museo di arte sacra
Colle di Val d'Elsa - Dometaia Archeological Park - Etruscan traces along the Via Francigena
Colle Val d’Elsa is a town on three levels: Borgo, which is accessible through the majestic Porta Nuova and is made up of beautiful 16th and 17th century patrician town houses; Castello, or Colle Alta, which still retains its original Medieval appearance and is the town’s religious and political centre; and Piano, or Colle Bassa, which is composed of the ancient hamlet of Spugna, where the town’s wool weavers, paper manufacturers and glass craftsmen made use of the nearby river Elsa. In 1592 Colle Val d’Elsa was made a bishopric. Along the main street of the Colle section of town, Via di Castello, stands the tower that was once the home of the great architect Arnolfo di Cambio, born in Colle Val d’Elsa. Other important buildings that line this street are the 14th century Palazzo dei Priori – which today houses the Museo di Arte Sacra and the Museo Civico –, and the Baroque Duomo, with a Crucifix attributed to Giambologna above the high altar. In Piazza Duomo stands the 14th century Palazzo Pretorio, which contains the Museo Archeologico. Outside Porta Nuova it is well worth stopping for a look at the Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie, which contains Senese School frescoes from the 15th century. Still a major industrial centre, Colle is known for its fine quality, hand crafted crystal ware. Among the most important monuments to see in Colle di Val d'Elsa we point out here the Duomo (Cathedral), the Abbazia di San Salvatore (Saint Salvatore Abbey), the Chiesa di Sant'Agostino (Saint Augustine Church), the Chiesa di Santa Maria a Spugna (Saint Mary Church in Spugna), the Castello (Castle), the Palazzo Pretorio (Praetorian Palace), the Palazzo Campana (Campana Palace), the Casa-Torre di Arnolfo Cambio (Arnolfo Cambio's House-Tower) and the Baluardo (Bastion). Palazzo Campana was built from 1539 by Giuliano di Baccio d'Agnolo, but its construction was not completed, the building is in the Mannerist style and its door leads into the picturesque Via del Castello where are some interesting buildings including the Palazzo del Capitano (16th century), the tower-house Marozzi (14th century) and Palazzo Giusti (15th century). From here you enter the Piazza del Duomo. The necropolis of Dometaia has been the object of research and study since the late 19th century, when the Marquis Bonaventura Chigi Zondadari began digging in the area and found an important sepulchre from northern, inland Etruria and was used from the mid-6th century BC to the 1st century AD. After the creation of the park, some 40 tombs of varying nature were dig up: hypogeum tombs made of more orthogonal rooms with respect to the vestibule and a range of simple tombs, including different kinds of "trench graves" for the common people. The most important hypogeum family tombs of the area were important and considered prosperous because they were placed on fertile soil and in a prime position along major roads, this necropolis is located along an important ancient road, which likely coincided with the Via Francigena. The “Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli” Archeological Museum, located in the medieval Palazzo Pretorio, in the historic centre of Colle di Val d’Elsa, gathers material of Etruscan and Roman origin from the Valdelsa area, which was very populated and trafficked in ancient times. The vase that we show here was decorated with the technique of the red figures and is a product of the workshop of Pittore di Milano, who worked in Volterra in the late 4th century BC. He was often commissioned to work during symposiums; a fact that can be confirmed by the Dionysus-like motifs on the vase, which show an entourage of Satyrs and maenads. The object, which was found in the room of a tomb in the Dometaia necropolis, is one of the most noteworthy pieces in the ancient burial ground due to its excellent condition and the richness of its decorations. Together with other elements of the tomb and the materials used in the tombs, it is important to note how the Valdese area, and more specifically this zone of the area, was scattered with important transit roads, already in the Etruscan age. The roads were then re-paved and re-used in subsequent eras, and today they represent the "Sigeric" section of the Via Francigena. Frazioni: Bibbiano, Borgatello, Boscona, Buliciano, Campiglia dei Foci, Castel San Gimignano, Collalto Dometaia Gracciano d'Elsa, Lano, Le Grazie, Le Ville, Mensanello, Montegabbro, Molino d'Aiano, Onci, Partena, Paurano, Quartaia, Sant'Andrea, Scarna		Palazzo Campana
Gambassi Terme
Gambassi Terme is located about 35 km southwest of Florence. Main sights are the church of San Giovanni Battista, in the frazione of Varna, which houses a replica of Andrea del Sarto's Madonna with Child and Saints, the Romanesque Pieve of Santa Maria Assunta (12th century), and the Parco Comunale, former garden of the Villa Sinnai. The Gambassi garden is located between the historical centre and the facility of the Terme di Gambassi (Gambassi Hot Springs). In the past the park shaped the expansive garden of the Villa Sinnai, and still testifies to its elegance and richness. In 1916 the villa was acquired by the Piccoli family, which introduced some exotic plants imported from Africa into the park. Just outside the centre of Gambassi on the road towards Castelfiorentino stands the splendid Romanesque parish church of Santa Maria a Chianni, one of the most significant monuments of Romanesque architecture in the Elsa Valley. The first mention of the parish of Santa Maria a Chianni can be found in a document dated 26 March 988. The basilica design with a nave and two side aisles is grafted on a wide, protruding transept, on the end wall of which there were originally five semi-circular apses. Of particular interest are the four smaller apses made in the depth of the end wall itself, following a design which is also found in the Cathedral of Volterra. Frazioni: Pillo, Borgoforte, Varna, Catignano, Casenuove, Castagno, Badia a Elmi		Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta in Chianni
Montaione
According to some archaeological finds dated back at Etruscan-Roman epochs, the charming village of Montaione has been inhabited from very ancient times. At a few metres from the old town centre you can indeed admire remains of a Roman cistern dated at the II century A.C., as well as some finds of Etruscan china in the area of Santo Stefano. Even the Church of San Biagio, at 500 metres from the village, shows that Montaione was already inhabited in early Christian times, even though some more detailed news about it started from the Middle Ages. In 1118 at a distance of 2 Km from the centre of the town, it was built the “Pieve di San Regolo”: notable example of Romanesque architecture in Tuscany, which nevertheless not correspond to the historical church nowadays located at the very centre of Montaione. Once become commune in 1257, Montaione was involved in the battles among Gimignano, Volterra and San Miniato: battles that deeply marked the Middle Ages in Tuscany. During that period, the Castle of Montaione was ringed by sturdy walls and framed by 11 imposing towers. The urban district, crossed lengthwise by three streets (like every typical Roman camp), enclosed the Church of San Bartolomeo (today dedicated to San Regolo) and Palazzo Pretorio. Montaione is provided with a rich network of trekking paths. The routes are organized along 6 itineraries, planned in order to discover the countryside, exploiting the different areas, woods and slopes. Frazioni: Casetta, Sant'Antonio, Olmo, Filicaja, Le Mura, Gli Alberi, La Sughera, Santo Stefano, Iano, San Vivaldo, Castelfalfi, Barbialla, Collegalli, Tonda, Piaggia, Vignale
Guido di Graziano , Madonna and Child Enthroned, about 1285-1295, Montaione, Church of San Regolo
Montelupo Fiorentino
Montelupo Fiorentino is the centre of the production of Florentine majolica. The territory of Montelupo Fiorentino was inhabited from time immemorial thanks to its fruitfulness, to the abundance of water and to its strategic geographical position (a natural crossroads on the communication route between the Apennines and southern Tuscany). Montelupo was probably founded at the end of the Early Middle Ages with the construction of a castle. Towards the end of the 14th century AD, Montelupo Fiorentino (who never had the name of Malborghetto, a real romantic invention) became a "walled village" of the Florentine countryside. The walls were built in 1348 (the year of the Black Death), and the Statute of the Powers dates back to 1414. Until the 16th century AD, Montelupo Fiorentino lived his golden age. In mid 17th century AD, due to the plague that hit the area hard, a period of decline began, and irreversibly Montelupo Fiorentino was led to a drastic restructuring, which reached its peak in the late 18th century AD. Since then and until World War II, Montelupo Fiorentino found himself on the border of everything. The country was shaken in the last half of the 20th century AD by some catastrophic natural events in nature. Most important are the floods of 1949,1966 and 1992. In these three events in fact, the Arno River north of Montelupo Fiorentino, and the Pesa River adjacent, flood submerging the country below four meters of water (two meters in 1992). The remains of the old castle of Montelupo with an imposing tower are still visible on the hill which overhangs the built-up area. The 16th-century well, Baccio da Montelupo’s (and his brother’s, Raffaello Sinibaldi) native house and the Priory of San Lorenzo are still visible, too. Near the castle we find the parish church of San Giovanni Evangelista, which holds the most famous painting in the whole territory: La Madonna con Bambino e Santi of the school of Botticelli. Nearby we find the portico and the loggia of Palazzo del Podestà (which is today the seat of the Museo Archeologico e della Ceramica, Archaeological and Ceramics Museum), which are decorated with majolica heraldic insignia. In the nearby site of Ambrogiana we also find a remarkable large villa built by the Medici’s family on the left bank of the Arno at the end of the 16th century. Frazioni: La Torre, Ambrogiana, Botinaccio, Camaioni, Citerna, Erta, Fibbiana, San Quirico, Samminiatello, Sammontana, Pulica, Turbone Comune \| www.comune.montelupo-fiorentino.fi.it
Montespertoli
The Montespertoli area has always been directly involved in the history of Florence. The lands of the Borough of Montespertoli have always played a crucial role, since the ancient Etruscan age, thanks to their road network that helped Florence trade with Volterra and Siena along the Via Volterrana, which crossed the borough of Montespertoli from north to south and joined the Via Francigena near Certaldo. The Church of San Piero in Mercato and the village of Lucardo are the oldest settlements of the Montespertoli area and were established in the early Middle Ages. The church houses the Museum of Sacred Art. The Parish of San Piero in Mercato has recently been enriched with precious paintings, silverware and wall hangings and it currently houses the Museum of Sacred Art. The museum was conceived to gather the works kept in the churches of the area, to preserve them and make them available in one single place for all those who want to admire them. For instance, all the works coming from the parish of San Piero in Mercato are gathered in the hall: one board by Neri di Bicci, a XVI-century "Madonna col bambino tra i Santi Pietro e Paolo" and a ceramic by the della Robbia representing "San Gerolamo nel deserto". Moreover, there are also the works coming from the churches of Santa Maria a Mensola, of San Giusto, of San Giorgio and of San Lorenzo a Montalbino, such as the XV-century triptych by Cenni di Francesco, the "Madonna" by Andrea di Giusto and two boards by unknown artists who came from the Sienese and Florentine schools. A board portraying the "Madonna col Bambino" attributed to Lipo di Benivieni or to one of his pupils, and a "gemellion", namely a XIII-century couple of plates used for the washing of the hands, that evidences a French influence in the Valdelsa, represent the patrimony of the church of San Lorenzo a Montegufoni. The second room is completely dedicated to the churches of Santa Maria a Torre and of San Bartolomeo a Tresanti, with XVII- and XVIII-century works. The works belonging to the parishes of Coeli-Aula and of San Pancrazio are exposed in the third room. The "Madonna col Bambino" by Filippo Lippi, which is considered one of the museum's jewels, comes from the latter churches. A marble font, the Triptych by Bicci di Lorenzo and numerous pieces of silverware further enrich the third room. The Castello di Sonnino stands beside the village of Montespertoli and is owned by the Sonnino family, but it once belong to the Lords of Montespertoli, a branch of the Counts Alberti da Mangona. In 1393, the family became extinct and the possessions of the Lords of Montespertoli passed to the Machiavelli family. The properties of the Macchiavellis stretched over almost two thirds of what is today the Borough of Montespertoli and the family donated several works of art to local churches, enriching them with remarkable masterpieces. Address: Via Volterrana Nord, 6, 50025 Montespertoli (FI) The Poppiano Castle or Castello di Poppiano was an imposing medieval building with three rings of walls, built around the year 1000. It was used as a fortress for the external defense of Florence and, as testified by an inheritance document of 1199, it has belonged to the Guicciardini family for at least nine centuries. During this long period, it has been the center of many episodes linked to the history of Florence. Among the most remarkable events, in 1369 John Hawkwood, the famous English Soldier of Fortune, who had just fought the battle of Fosso Armonico, near Cascina, set up his camp in the Poppiano Castle. The Castle was partially destroyed in 1529 during the siege of Florence, as mentioned by Francesco Guicciardini in his 'Memorie'. Despite still showing its ancient magnificence, the structure of the castle, as we see it today, bears evident signs of the renovation that followed the destruction caused by an earthquake in 1812 and that was carried out on the basis of frescoes from other Guicciardini villas in Val di Pesa and Val d'Elsa, which depicted the original structure of the castle. Address: Via Fezzana, 43, 50025 Poppiano Frazioni: Montagnana, Baccaiano, Martignana, Ortimino, Montegufoni, San Quirico, Lucardo, San Pancrazio, Anselmo Montespertoli - Itinerario \| Montespetoli - San Pietro in Mercato - Bivio cimitero Tresanti - Voltiggiano - Bivio fattoria Oliveto - Ortimino - Coeli Aula - San Prospero - Montespertoli \| www.empolese-valdelsa.turismo.toscana.it		Pieve di San Piero in Mercato Castello di Poppiano
Poggibonsi
Its origins are ancient, and ruins have been foudn that can be traced back to Late Roman times, as well as Lombard and Carolingian times. In early Middle Ages, the presence of Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo in Poggio Marturi led to the growth of the village of Marturi. In Poggibonsi, it is worth visiting the Archaeological Park and the Fortress of Poggio Imperiale, created and designed by Giuliano da Sangallo on a commission of Lorenzo de' Medici. Frazioni: Staggia Senese, Bellavista
Radicondoli
Nel XIII secolo la popolazione di Radicondoli aumentò a causa dello sfollamento di molti villaggi circostanti che qui vi si trasferirono. Al tempo il borgo era già una fiorente città con edifici amministrativi e religiosi, l’intera comunità era legata al fiorente sviluppo economico legato principalmente alla lavorazione della lana. Il castello fu costruito nei primi del 1200, conoscendo il suo massimo splendore tra la metà del XIII e XIV secolo. Il paese fin dalla nascita appartenne alla famiglia dei Conti Aldobrandeschi, fino al 1230 quando passò sotto il dominio di Siena, per rimanervi fino a quando su compresa nel Granducato di Toscana. Dopo un lungo periodo di decadenza, nel 1656 Radicondoli contava soltanto 364 abitanti, si ebbe nel corso del Sette-Ottocento una moderata ripresa. E' a questo periodo che risalgono, infatti, numerosi edifici. Le attività principali, in passato furono l’agricoltura e la pastorizia, anche se ebbero un grande sviluppo le attività artigianali. Nel XIII secolo fu attestata anche la presenza di una corporazione di lanaioli. Durante il Settecento si sviluppò anche una fabbrica di terraglie, mentre nell’Ottocento si confezionavano cappelli di feltro e vi filavano lino e canapa. Frazioni: Belforte
San Gimignano
The area of Aiano-Torraccia Chiusi has been known since the beginning of the twentieth century. There is a Roman structure that has recently come to light: it is a Roman villa of the wealthy aristocracy that was in use between the fourth and sixth centuries AD, and until the second half of the seventh century. A.D. The importance of the structure is proof of a strong and prestigious presence of Romans from Late Antiquity. It is also important for its position along the Foci river, an area long ago identified as the possible area identified by Sigeric in his journey from Rome to Canterbury (Sce Martin Fosse). Get there with the road from San Gimignano to Poggibonsi, just before the intersection with Colle Val d'Elsa, in the direction of Monti-Torraccia Chiusi; follow the dirt road and continue to walk to the archaeological area (about 2000 m.). Frazioni: Ulignano, Badia a Elmi - Canonica, Castel San Gimignano		San Gimignano, vista delle torri dalla Rocca di Montestaffoli

Podere Santa Pia, April