Castellina in Chianti
Encyclopedia
Castellina in Chianti is a comune
(municipality) of c. 2,800 inhabitants in the province of Siena
, in the Italian
region Tuscany
, located about 35 km south of Florence
and about 15 km northwest of Siena
. It is part of the Chianti
Hills, between the valleys of the Arbia
, Pesa and Elsa rivers.
The territory of Castellina in Chianti borders the following municipalities: Barberino Val d'Elsa
, Castelnuovo Berardenga
, Greve in Chianti
, Monteriggioni
, Poggibonsi
, Radda in Chianti
, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa
.
age, and they were probably devastated by Gaul
ish invasions at the time of the latter's invasions against Rome
.
In the early Middle Ages the town was known as Salingolpe; in the 11th century Matilda of Tuscany
gave it as fief to the counts Guidi
and, subsequently, to the Trebbio. In the early 15th century it became a strong fortress, of which today the Rocca remain.
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:...
(municipality) of c. 2,800 inhabitants in the province of Siena
Province of Siena
The Province of Siena is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Siena.It has an area of 3,821 km² , and a total population of 252,288 . There are 36 comuni in the province...
, in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
region Tuscany
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 ....
, located about 35 km south of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
and about 15 km northwest of Siena
Siena
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...
. It is part of the Chianti
Chianti
Chianti is a red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. It was historically associated with a squat bottle enclosed in a straw basket, called a fiasco ; however, the fiasco is only used by a few makers of the wine now; most Chianti is now bottled in more standard shaped wine bottles...
Hills, between the valleys of the Arbia
Arbia
The Arbia is a torrent in Tuscany, central Italy, an affluence of the Ombrone river. Its source is located in the comune of Castellina in Chianti, at 620 m of altitude...
, Pesa and Elsa rivers.
The territory of Castellina in Chianti borders the following municipalities: Barberino Val d'Elsa
Barberino Val d'Elsa
Barberino Val d'Elsa is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 30 km south of Florence.The township of Barberino Val d'Elsa is located above the valley from which it takes its name...
, Castelnuovo Berardenga
Castelnuovo Berardenga
Castelnuovo Berardenga is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 50 km southeast of Florence and about 14 km east of Siena...
, Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti is a town and comune in the province of Florence, Tuscany, Italy. It is located c...
, Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni
Monteriggioni is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany. It borders on the communes of Casole d'Elsa, Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Colle di Val d'Elsa, Poggibonsi, Siena and Sovicille...
, Poggibonsi
Poggibonsi
Poggibonsi is a town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, Italy. It is the main centre of the Valdelsa Valley.-History:The area around Poggibonsi was already settled in the Neolithic age, although the first traces of civilisation dates from Etruscan-Roman age, attested by a series of necropolises and...
, Radda in Chianti
Radda in Chianti
Radda in Chianti is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 35 km southeast of Florence and about 15 km north of Siena....
, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa
Tavarnelle Val di Pesa
Tavarnelle Val di Pesa is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 25 km south of Florence.-Main sights:...
.
History
The first settlements in the area dates from the EtruscanEtruscan civilization
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
age, and they were probably devastated by Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
ish invasions at the time of the latter's invasions against Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
.
In the early Middle Ages the town was known as Salingolpe; in the 11th century Matilda of Tuscany
Matilda of Tuscany
Matilda of Tuscany was an Italian noblewoman, the principal Italian supporter of Pope Gregory VII during the Investiture Controversy. She is one of the few medieval women to be remembered for her military accomplishments...
gave it as fief to the counts Guidi
Guidi
Guidi is an Italian surname shared by several notable people:* Domenico Guidi , Italian sculptor* Carlo Alessandro Guidi , Italian lyric poet* Ignazio Guidi , Italian orientalist...
and, subsequently, to the Trebbio. In the early 15th century it became a strong fortress, of which today the Rocca remain.
Main sights
- The massive Rocca (castle), with a huge 14th century tower. It houses a small Etruscan museum.
- Church of San Salvatore, with an early 15th century fresco of Madonna with Child and a polychrome wooden statue of Christ from the same age.
- Palazzo Ugolini-Squarcialupi.
- Palazzo Bianciardi.
- The Via delle Volte underground tunnel.
- Montecalvario Mound, outside the town. It consists of four 7th-6th century BC tombs.
- Poggino necropolisNecropolisA necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
, also in the neighbourhood. - Romanesque church of San Martino, at Cispiano
- Church of San Giorgio alla Piazza, housing a 15th panel from Cosimo RosselliCosimo RosselliCosimo Rosselli was an Italian painter of the Quattrocento, active mainly in his birthplace of Florence.-Biography:Born in Florence, at the age of fourteen he became a pupil of Neri di Bicci, and in 1460 he worked as assistant to his cousin Bernardo di Stefano Rosselli...
's workshop. - PievePieveIn the Middle Ages, a pieve was a rural church with a baptistery, upon which other churches without baptisteries depended.The Italian word pieve is descended from Latin plebs which, after the expansion of Christianity in Italy, was applied to the community of baptized people...
of Sant'Agnese, with a Madonna with Child by Bicci di LorenzoBicci di LorenzoBicci di Lorenzo was an Italian painter and sculptor, active in Florence.He was born in Florence in 1373, the son of the painter, Lorenzo di Bicci, whose workshop he joined. He married in 1418, and in 1424 was registered in the Guild of Painters at Florence. His son, Neri di Bicci was also a...
.
External links
- Trip report with pictures and links from a stay outside Castellina in Chianti in July 2007
- Castellina in Chianti