Montepescali
Encyclopedia
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".
as a fief of the Aldobrandeschi and then passed under the Republic of Siena
, gaining an autonomous status in the first half of the 15th century.
After Montepescali was annexed to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany
, it was granted as a fief to the counts of Elci in 1627 and then passed on to the Ptolemies, to the Guadagni and finally to the Federighi.
It has always been an agricultural center. Extensive olive groves and vineyards are present on the hill.
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....
.
The site, from which the scenic panorama of the coastal strip and the Tuscan Archipelago
Tuscan Archipelago
The Tuscan Archipelago is a chain of islands between the Ligurian Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea, west of Tuscany, Italy.The archipelago contains the islands of Gorgona, Capraia, Elba , Pianosa, Montecristo, Giglio, and Giannutri; all of which are protected as part of the Tuscan Archipelago National...
up to 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....
can be seen, is also known as "Terrace or balcony of the Maremma".
History
The town was built in the early Middle AgesMiddle 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...
as a fief of the Aldobrandeschi and then passed under 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...
, gaining an autonomous status in the first half of the 15th century.
After Montepescali was annexed to 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...
, it was granted as a fief to the counts of Elci in 1627 and then passed on to the Ptolemies, to the Guadagni and finally to the Federighi.
It has always been an agricultural center. Extensive olive groves and vineyards are present on the hill.
Military architecture
- Walls of Montepescali. From the Middle Ages (with some later changes later) they formed an elliptical shape enclosing the entire village. The defensive functions are confirmed by the presence of some towers, leaning at regular intervals along the outer perimeter, and a bulwark at the southern ends added during the 16th century.
- Tower of Belvedere, of medieval origins. It presents a semicircular section, leaning against the wall on the west side just north of Porta Vecchia; the Church of the Santissima Annunziata stood outside the circle in its vicinity.
- Tower of Guascone, one of the oldest towers. It stands leaning against the north-eastern part of the wall, not far from Porta Nuova. It presents a rectangular section, and it is dedicated to the commander of the troops who defended Montepescali from the siege of 1555.
- Porta Vecchia and Porta Nuova, the two doors of the walls.
- Three-pointed bulwark, a feature added to the Roman fortress in the 16th century. Its various renovations of the last century have transformed it into a rooftop terrace.
Palazzi
- Cassero Senese, a medieval architectural complex that includes the clock tower. It was originally the Convent and Church of Santa Cecilia, then destroyed and became firstly a fortress of the Aldobrandeschi and then a cassero of the Sienese, who later renovated it into a CourthouseCourthouseA courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
. - Palazzo dei Priori, of medieval origin, was the headquarters of the free commune of Montepescali; after the latter lost its independence, the building was sold to some individuals who have renovated it several times at later dates. These altered its appearance, while maintaining the stylistic elements of the construction period.
- Palazzo Grottanelli
- Palazzo Guadagni
- Palazzo Guicciardini Corsi Salviati
- Palazzo Tolomei
- Palazzo Lazzeretti Concialini
Churches
- Church of San Niccolò (11th century), preserving a cycle 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...
dated 1389. - Church of Santi Stefano e Lorenzo, dating from the twelfth century and it also conserved frescoes of the Sienese school (14th century).
- Church of the Santissima Annunziata, built during the 14th century outside the walls in front of the Tower of Belvedere, in subsequent centuries it has been completely transformed into a residential building, losing its original appearance.
- The medieval church of San Leonardo, now destroyed.
- The Cemetery, built in the 18th century at the behest of the Duke Peter Leopold of Tuscany, it is at the foot of the village.
- Church of the Madonna delle Grazie, built outside the country in the 13th century and enlarged in the 17th century. It was deconsecrated and deprived of its decor in the 18th century. Now it is a ruin.
- Hermitage of Santa Maria Maddalena, a ruin with style elements from the RomanesqueRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
period. It was the seat of Guglielmites before its final abandonment occurred in the 18th century.
Museums
- Museum of local history Ildebrando Imberciadori, the ethnographic museum of the town. The exhibit areas are home to a collection of farm machinery and tools of farm life, but there is also archaeological evidence and documents that illustrate that a very long time passed between the EtruscanEtruscan civilizationEtruscan 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...
period and the Roman period, the Middle AgesMiddle AgesThe 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 MediciMediciThe House of Medici or Famiglia de' Medici was a political dynasty, banking family and later royal house that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici in the Republic of Florence during the late 14th century. The family originated in the Mugello region of the Tuscan countryside,...
era.
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...