Roccalbegna
Encyclopedia
Roccalbegna is a comune
(municipality) in the Province of Grosseto
in the Italian
region Tuscany
, located about 110 km south of Florence
and about 35 km east of Grosseto
.
, until the latter's fall in the hands of the Medici, who sold the town to the County of Santa Fiora
. In the 18th century it was returned to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany
.
river (whence the town's name). outside the town is the large Castello di Triana (known from 760), also owned by the Aldobrandeschi and then by the Sforza of Santa Fiora; it has maintained its medieval line of walls. The hamlet of Cana has also an Aldobrandeschi-built line of walls from the 13th century.
Also notable is the Romanesque-Gothic church of Santi Pietro e Paolo (13th-14th centuries, modified in the 18th century). It has a large Gothic portal surmounted by a rose window
. It houses some parts of a polyptych by Ambrogio Lorenzetti
(c. 1340), a Pietà by Alessandro Casolani and a 15th century small fresc of Madonna with Saints.
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) in the Province of Grosseto
Province of Grosseto
The Province of Grosseto is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Grosseto.-Geography:It has an area of 4,504 km², and a total population of 227.498...
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 110 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 35 km east 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
Roccalbegna was a fief of the Aldobrandeschi in the Middle Ages; later it was part of the Republic of SienaRepublic 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...
, until the latter's fall in the hands of the Medici, who sold the town to the County of Santa Fiora
County of Santa Fiora
The County of Santa Fiora was a small historical state of southern Tuscany, in central Italy. Together with the county of Sovana, it was one of the two subdivisions into which the possessions of the Aldobrandeschi, then lords of much of southern Tuscany, were split in 1274.At the moments of its...
. In the 18th century it was returned 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...
.
Main sights
Roccalbegna is home to several notable fortifications, such as the Cassero Senese (built in the 13th century by the Aldobrandeschi, renovated in the 15th century) and the Rocca Aldobrandesca, located on the hill overlooking the town and the AlbegnaAlbegna
The Albegna is a river in southern Tuscany, the sources of which are located in province of Grosseto on the southern side of Monte Buceto, the southwestern part of the volcanic cone of Mount Amiata, along with the northern side of Monte Aquilaia, and the Poggio all'Olmo Reservoir.The river goes...
river (whence the town's name). outside the town is the large Castello di Triana (known from 760), also owned by the Aldobrandeschi and then by the Sforza of Santa Fiora; it has maintained its medieval line of walls. The hamlet of Cana has also an Aldobrandeschi-built line of walls from the 13th century.
Also notable is the Romanesque-Gothic church of Santi Pietro e Paolo (13th-14th centuries, modified in the 18th century). It has a large Gothic portal surmounted by a rose window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
. It houses some parts of a polyptych by Ambrogio Lorenzetti
Ambrogio Lorenzetti
Ambrogio Lorenzetti was an Italian painter of the Sienese school. He was active between approximately 1317 to 1348. His elder brother was the painter Pietro Lorenzetti....
(c. 1340), a Pietà by Alessandro Casolani and a 15th century small fresc of Madonna with Saints.