Batignano
Encyclopedia
Batignano is a small town in southern Tuscany
, a frazione
of the comune
of Grosseto
, positioned at about 10 km north-east of the capital on one of the last foot-hills of the valley of Ombrone
which dominated the ancient city of Roselle.
, Sticciano and Montorsaio, exceeding on the highest peek the altitude of 600 metres.
on the plain of Grosseto
and some lead and silver mines. It was a feud of the Aldobrandeschi and in 1213 belonged to Manto da Grosseto. In the 14th century, it then passed under the dominion of Siena, hosting many immigrants from Corsica
, and so in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany
. In 1738 it was reunited with the comune of Grosseto
.
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, a frazione
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
of the comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Grosseto
Grosseto
Grosseto is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the Province of Grosseto. The city lies 14 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the Maremma, at the centre of an alluvial plain, on the Ombrone river....
, positioned at about 10 km north-east of the capital on one of the last foot-hills of the valley of Ombrone
Ombrone
The Ombrone is a 160 km long river in Tuscany, central Italy.The Ombrone's source is located near Castelnuovo Berardenga, on the south-eastern side of the Monti del Chianti...
which dominated the ancient city of Roselle.
Geography
The hill on which the town of Batignano stands is as pertaining between the southern foot-hills of the Monte Leoni, which arises between the homonymous area and those of MontepescaliMontepescali
Montepescali is a small town in southern Tuscany, Italy, a frazione of the comune of Grosseto.The site, from which the scenic panorama of the coastal strip and the Tuscan Archipelago up to Corsica can be seen, is also known as "Terrace or balcony of the Maremma".-History:The town was built in the...
, Sticciano and Montorsaio, exceeding on the highest peek the altitude of 600 metres.
History
Of uncertain origins, Batignano developed in the Medieval period, around the castle which controlled the outlet of the road towards SienaSiena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
on the plain of Grosseto
Grosseto
Grosseto is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the Province of Grosseto. The city lies 14 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the Maremma, at the centre of an alluvial plain, on the Ombrone river....
and some lead and silver mines. It was a feud of the Aldobrandeschi and in 1213 belonged to Manto da Grosseto. In the 14th century, it then passed under the dominion of Siena, hosting many immigrants from Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, and so in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a central Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Duchy of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence...
. In 1738 it was reunited with the comune of Grosseto
Grosseto
Grosseto is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the Province of Grosseto. The city lies 14 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the Maremma, at the centre of an alluvial plain, on the Ombrone river....
.
Main sights
Batignano is a characteristic suburb which conservs ruins of the town walls, with towers and gates, and a cassero, aside from a triple-arched loggiato, built with reused materials (Roman columns and capitals), probably originating from Roselle. All this gives the town a certain tone of antiquity. To emphasize is also the presence of a parish and an ancient convent, now desecrated, situated outside the locality.Military architecture
- Walls of Batignano, fortified walls of the town.
- Torre Quadrata, a square tower.
- Porta Senese, one of the two doors of the walls.
- Porta Grossetana, one of the two doors of the walls.
Churches
- Pieve di San Martino, originally situated outside the habitated centre, it has a Romanesque style, with traces of frescoes of the Sienese schoolSienese SchoolThe Sienese School of painting flourished in Siena, Italy between the 13th and 15th centuries and for a time rivaled Florence, though it was more conservative, being inclined towards the decorative beauty and elegant grace of late Gothic art...
conserved in its inside. - Brotherhood Church of San Giuseppe, of Baroque style, presents valuable decorations in its inside.
- Oratorio di San Michele Arcangelo, place of abolished worship which originally conserved the wooden statue of the saint now placed inside the parish.
- Convent of Santa Croce, positioned outside the town, it conserves some frescoes, even though it was transformed into a private residence after its abandonment and its consequent desecration.
See also
- GrossetoGrossetoGrosseto is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the Province of Grosseto. The city lies 14 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the Maremma, at the centre of an alluvial plain, on the Ombrone river....
- MaremmaMaremmaThe Maremma is a vast area in Italy bordering the Tyrrhenian Sea, consisting of part of south-western Tuscany - Maremma Livornese and Maremma Grossetana , and part of northern Lazio - Maremma Laziale .The poet Dante Alighieri in his Divina Commedia places the...