San Casciano dei Bagni
Encyclopedia
San Casciano dei Bagni is a comune
(municipality) in the Province of Siena
in the Italian
region Tuscany
, located about 110 km southeast of Florence
and about 70 km southeast of Siena
.
, Acquapendente
, Allerona
, Cetona
, Città della Pieve
, Fabro
, Piancastagnaio
, Proceno
, Radicofani
, Sarteano
.
It is a member of the "nices villages of Italy" ( borghi piu belli d'Italia).
According to a legend, the Balnea Clusinae were founded by Porsenna, a the Etruscan king of Chiusi
. The baths were popular also during the Roman
era, Augustus
being amongst its users.
In the 3rd-4th century a Christian Pieve of St. Mary ad balneo existed in San Casciano. During the Middle Ages
it was initially under Lombard
rule, and later under the Visconti di Campiglia and the Abbey of San Salvatore. Troops of San Casciano took part at the Battle of Montaperti
in 1260. The last Visconti ruler was Monaldo, who was also podestà
of Florence in 1389. San Casciano was acquired by the Republic of Siena
in 1412. In Renaissance times its baths attracted visitors from all over Europe, but they decayed from the 19th century, recovering only from the early 21st Century.
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 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 110 km southeast 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 70 km southeast 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...
.
Geogrpahy
San Casciano dei Bagni borders the following municipalities: Abbadia San SalvatoreAbbadia San Salvatore
Abbadia San Salvatore is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 110 km southeast of Florence and about 60 km southeast of Siena, in the area of Monte Amiata....
, Acquapendente
Acquapendente
Acquapendente is a city and comune in the province of Viterbo, in Lazio . Acquapendente is an important centre for the agricultural production of vegetables and wine, and has a tradition of pottery craftmanship.-History:...
, Allerona
Allerona
Allerona is a comune in the Province of Terni in the Italian region Umbria, located about 50 km southwest of Perugia and about 60 km northwest of Terni....
, Cetona
Cetona
Cetona is a town and comune in the southern part province of Siena, Tuscany, in an area where Umbria and Lazio meet.The geographical elevation is between 250 metres and the 1,148 metres of Monte Cetona itself, at the base of which the town is situated at around 350 metres.-History:Some of the...
, Città della Pieve
Città della Pieve
Città della Pieve is a comune in the Province of Perugia in the Italian region Umbria, located about southeast of Perugia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 7,366 and an area of ....
, Fabro
Fabro
Fabro is a comune in the Province of Terni in the Italian region Umbria, located about 40 km southwest of Perugia and about 60 km northwest of Terni....
, Piancastagnaio
Piancastagnaio
Piancastagnaio is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 110 km southeast of Florence and about 60 km southeast of Siena.It is located on the Monte Amiata slopes....
, Proceno
Proceno
Proceno is a comune in the Province of Viterbo in the Italian region Latium, located about 110 km northwest of Rome and about 45 km northwest of Viterbo...
, Radicofani
Radicofani
Radicofani is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located in the natural park of Valdorcia about 110 km southeast of Florence and about 60 km southeast of Siena...
, Sarteano
Sarteano
Sarteano is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 100 km southeast of Florence and about 60 km southeast of Siena....
.
It is a member of the "nices villages of Italy" ( borghi piu belli d'Italia).
History
The history of San Casciano is strictly connected to the presence of hot waters, with 42 springs, a mean temperature of 42°C and a daily delivery of 5.5 million litres (third in Europe).According to a legend, the Balnea Clusinae were founded by Porsenna, a the Etruscan king of Chiusi
Chiusi
Chiusi is a town and comune in province of Siena, Tuscany, Italy.-History:It was one of the more powerful among the Etruscan 12‑city confederation...
. The baths were popular also during the Roman
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....
era, Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
being amongst its users.
In the 3rd-4th century a Christian Pieve of St. Mary ad balneo existed in San Casciano. During 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...
it was initially under Lombard
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
rule, and later under the Visconti di Campiglia and the Abbey of San Salvatore. Troops of San Casciano took part at the Battle of Montaperti
Battle of Montaperti
The Battle of Montaperti was fought on September 4, 1260, between Florence and Siena in Tuscany as part of the conflict between the Guelphs and Ghibellines...
in 1260. The last Visconti ruler was Monaldo, who was also podestà
Podestà
Podestà is the name given to certain high officials in many Italian cities, since the later Middle Ages, mainly as Chief magistrate of a city state , but also as a local administrator, the representative of the Emperor.The term derives from the Latin word potestas, meaning power...
of Florence in 1389. San Casciano was acquired by 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...
in 1412. In Renaissance times its baths attracted visitors from all over Europe, but they decayed from the 19th century, recovering only from the early 21st Century.