Crete Senesi
Encyclopedia
The Crete Senesi refers to an area of the Italian
region of Tuscany
to the south of Siena
. It consists of a range of hills and woods among villages and includes the comuni of
Asciano
,
Buonconvento
,
Monteroni d'Arbia
,
Rapolano Terme
and
San Giovanni d'Asso
, all within the province of Siena
.
Crete senesi are literally ‘Siennese
clay
s’, and the distinctive grey colouration of the soil gives the landscape an appearance often described as lunar. This characteristic clay, known as mattaione, represents the sediments of the Pliocene
sea which covered the area between 2.5 and 4.5 million years ago. Nearby is also the semi-arid area known as the Accona Desert
. The area suffered extreme depopulation due to plagues in the Middle Ages
, and the attendant prolonged lack of cultivation facilitated an almost complete erosion of the topsoil. It was later settled by Sicilian farmers adept in cultivating cereals in less-than-optimal conditions, and who were able to establish sustainable cultivation of wheat
on the Siennese clays.
Perhaps the most notable edifice of this area is the monastery of Monte Oliveto Maggiore.
The region is known for its production of white truffles, and hosts a festival and a museum dedicated to the rare fungus (genus Tuber).
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 of 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 ....
to the south 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 consists of a range of hills and woods among villages and includes the comuni of
Asciano
Asciano
Asciano is a comune and hill town in the province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany. It is located at the centre of the Crete senesi between the river Ombrone and the torrent Copra, some 30 km southeast of the town of Siena by rail.-History:Asciano has origins as Etruscan, Roman and...
,
Buonconvento
Buonconvento
Buonconvento is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about south of Florence and about southeast of Siena in the area known as the Crete Senesi.-History:...
,
Monteroni d'Arbia
Monteroni d'Arbia
Monteroni d'Arbia is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 60 km south of Florence and about 13 km southeast of Siena in the area known as the Crete Senesi. It takes its names from the Arbia torrent, a tributary of the Ombrone River.-Main...
,
Rapolano Terme
Rapolano Terme
Rapolano Terme is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 60 km southeast of Florence and about 20 km east of Siena in the area known as the Crete Senesi....
and
San Giovanni d'Asso
San Giovanni d'Asso
San Giovanni d'Asso is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 80 km southeast of Florence and about 30 km southeast of Siena in the area known as the Crete Senesi....
, all within 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...
.
Crete senesi are literally ‘Siennese
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...
clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
s’, and the distinctive grey colouration of the soil gives the landscape an appearance often described as lunar. This characteristic clay, known as mattaione, represents the sediments of the Pliocene
Pliocene
The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...
sea which covered the area between 2.5 and 4.5 million years ago. Nearby is also the semi-arid area known as the Accona Desert
Accona Desert
The Accona Desert is a semi-arid area in Tuscany, Italy, in the center of the so-called Crete senesi, near the comune of Asciano...
. The area suffered extreme depopulation due to plagues in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, and the attendant prolonged lack of cultivation facilitated an almost complete erosion of the topsoil. It was later settled by Sicilian farmers adept in cultivating cereals in less-than-optimal conditions, and who were able to establish sustainable cultivation of wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
on the Siennese clays.
Perhaps the most notable edifice of this area is the monastery of Monte Oliveto Maggiore.
The region is known for its production of white truffles, and hosts a festival and a museum dedicated to the rare fungus (genus Tuber).