Istia d'Ombrone
Encyclopedia
Istia d'Ombrone is a small town in southern Tuscany
, Italy
, a frazione
of the comune
of Grosseto
.
in the area of Poggio Cavallo.
It was habitated also during the Roman era, as testified by some construction materials reused in later periods to build the walls of Istia. In that period there was also a series of roads which crossed the area allowing communication with the Prile Lake and with the hinterland. However the centre of Istia arose as a settlement fortified along the Valley of Ombrone
and from 862
was owned by the bishops of Roselle
, which had feudal rights with the title of counts and so here they established a residence. Later it passed to the family of the Aldobrandeschi, becoming in 1226 a free Comune with the acceptance of the relative statute. In 1274 it was assigned to the County of Santa Fiora at the moment of the division of the goods and the territories controlled by the Aldobrandeschi family. In the Medieval period the centre became also home to a residence of bishops, after the passage of the diocese from Roselle to Grosseto
.
In the course of the 14th century it passed under the control of Siena
, enduring a very serious demographic decline between 1331 and 1353, also because of the diffusion of the Yersinia pestis
which occurred right at the end of that period. In the 15th century Istia had become a feud of the Piccolomini
family, even though it continued to maintain the status of free Comune and having a high degree of autonomy within the Republic of Siena
. After the final political fall of Siena, Istia become part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany
. Consequently there was another demographic fall which stopped only during the course of the 18th century, after the beginning of some restorations done by will of the Lorena.
During the Second World War, the 22 March 1944 the massacre of Maiano Lavacchio perpetrated into the nearby countryside; the abridgement process was held at the school of Istia purposely emptied.
, were rebuilt only under the Sieneses. Some ruins of the Portaccia and the Porta Grossetana, which backs to the Palzzo della Giustizia dating to the 1400, are conserved. The residence of the bishop-counts, the Palazzo di San Salvatore, was afterwards transformed into a fortification by the Sieneses. In the town there are also two churches, one within the walls and the other on the outside of the walls in front of the Porta Grossetana.
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 ....
, Italy
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...
, 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....
.
History
In the area surrounding the centre of Istia there have been found some ruins of ancient habitations dating back to the Etruscan eraEtruscan 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...
in the area of Poggio Cavallo.
It was habitated also during the Roman era, as testified by some construction materials reused in later periods to build the walls of Istia. In that period there was also a series of roads which crossed the area allowing communication with the Prile Lake and with the hinterland. However the centre of Istia arose as a settlement fortified along 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...
and from 862
862
Year 862 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Ashot I becomes the first king of Armenia's Bagratuni dynasty.* Aed Finliath is crowned High King of Ireland....
was owned by the bishops of Roselle
Rusellae
Rusellae was an ancient town of Etruria , which survived until the Middle Ages before being abandoned. The ruins lie in the modern frazione of Roselle in the comune of Grosseto.-Geography:...
, which had feudal rights with the title of counts and so here they established a residence. Later it passed to the family of the Aldobrandeschi, becoming in 1226 a free Comune with the acceptance of the relative statute. In 1274 it was assigned to the County of Santa Fiora at the moment of the division of the goods and the territories controlled by the Aldobrandeschi family. In the Medieval period the centre became also home to a residence of bishops, after the passage of the diocese from Roselle to 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....
.
In the course of the 14th century it passed under the control 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...
, enduring a very serious demographic decline between 1331 and 1353, also because of the diffusion of the Yersinia pestis
Yersinia pestis
Yersinia pestis is a Gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium. It is a facultative anaerobe that can infect humans and other animals....
which occurred right at the end of that period. In the 15th century Istia had become a feud of the Piccolomini
Piccolomini
Piccolomini is the name of an Italian noble family, which was prominent in Siena from the beginning of the 13th century onwards. In 1220, Engelberto d'Ugo Piccolomini received the fief of Montertari in Val d'Orcia from the emperor Frederick II as a reward for services rendered...
family, even though it continued to maintain the status of free Comune and having a high degree of autonomy within the Republic of Siena
Republic of Siena
The Republic of Siena , was a state originating from the city of Siena in Tuscany, Central Italy.It existed for over four hundreds years, from the late 11th century until the year 1555, when was defeated by the rival Duchy of Florence in alliance with the Spanish crown...
. After the final political fall of Siena, Istia become part of 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...
. Consequently there was another demographic fall which stopped only during the course of the 18th century, after the beginning of some restorations done by will of the Lorena.
During the Second World War, the 22 March 1944 the massacre of Maiano Lavacchio perpetrated into the nearby countryside; the abridgement process was held at the school of Istia purposely emptied.
Main sights
The town walls, nearly completely destroyed in 1137 by Henry X, Duke of BavariaHenry X, Duke of Bavaria
thumb|right|Henry X in a much later engraving.Henry the Proud was the Duke of Bavaria , Duke of Saxony , and Margrave of Tuscany .-Life and reign:...
, were rebuilt only under the Sieneses. Some ruins of the Portaccia and the Porta Grossetana, which backs to the Palzzo della Giustizia dating to the 1400, are conserved. The residence of the bishop-counts, the Palazzo di San Salvatore, was afterwards transformed into a fortification by the Sieneses. In the town there are also two churches, one within the walls and the other on the outside of the walls in front of the Porta Grossetana.
Military architecture
- Walls of Istia d'Ombrone, fortified walls of the town.
- Porta Grossetana, one of the two original doors along the ancient walls, made in medieval times, almost certainly around the 12th century .
- Cassero Senese, also known as Episcopal Palace, was built in the first half of the 13th century, as a place of temporary residence for bishops of the Diocese of Grosseto. With the passage of Istia d'Ombrone under the control of Siena, the building was transformed into a cassero.
- Porta Senese, the door in the north-east side of the walls, it was built during the 12th century with the tower in which it is incorporated.
Palazzi
- Palazzo di Giustizia, a courthouse built in the 15th century.
- Spedale dei Battenti, a sort of hospital, built in 1321 to provide assistance. It is now used for residential purposes.
Churches
- Church of San Salvatore, dating to the 13th century, was many times restored in the centuries to come. It conserves a wooden sculpture dating to the 1400 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...
, a contemporary painting of the Madonna con bambino by Giovanni di PaoloGiovanni di PaoloGiovanni di Paolo di Grazia was an Italian painter, working primarily in Siena. He may have apprenticed with Taddeo di Bartolo, becoming a prolific painter and illustrator of manuscripts, including Dante's texts....
and another painting by Vincenzo TamagniVincenzo TamagniVincenzo Tamagni was an Italian painter of the Renaissance. Born in San Gimignano, he became an apprentice first with il Sodoma at Monte Oliveto Maggiore, and then worked in the Vatican Loggie under Raphael in Rome . Drawings of the Raphael frescoes in Tamagni’s hand exist. He mainly painted in...
of 1528. - Church of San Sebastiano, once dedicated to Saint Stephan, placed in the little square outside the walls.
Missing architecture
- Oratorio di San Gherardo
- Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata
- Chiesa di San Donato
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...