The Town Of Castel del Piano In Tuscany

TOWN OF CASTEL DEL PIANO | GROSSETO PROVINCE Castel del Piano is a striking village on the slopes of the Mount Amiata in the Grosseto Province.  Pope Pio II, in his Commentaries, underlined “the beauty of the place, the convenience of its position and the amenity of the town”, qualities appreciated by the numerous tourists that choose it for their holidays. The town is mentioned even in 890 as a possession of the Abbey, property of which it remained for more than three centuries. The township was passed to the Aldobrandeschi, and in 1332 to Siena, finally in 1559, with the entire Siennese territory, toMedici Florence. Castel del Pianois patrimony of the Nasini family, artists active between the mid-17th century and the mid-18th century, authors of works conserved in all of the corners of the Amiata. The Church of the Opera (or Proposal of St. Nicholas and St. Lucy) in Baroque style, but completed only in 1870, faces onto the Piazza della Madonna. The interior, Latin cross style with ten chapels, is an authentic Nasini museum: there is the Nativity of Mary and the Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine of Alessandria, both by Giuseppe Nicola. The wooden crucifix and the holy water stoup from the 16th century are also beautiful. Next to the former is the church of the Madonna delle Grazie, also rich with tapestries, next to the Town Hall. Going up towards the village you pass the Clock Tower in the Piazzetta degli Ortaggi with a beautiful Gallery of 16th century form, then to the Parish of St. Leonard. At the end of the centre is the Piccina Church, of the Santissimo Sacramento. The large Piazza Garibaldi has at its centre an interesting fountain, but it is especially dear to the locals because the Palio is held there every September. It is better known as the Round Piazza (or “of the Twists”).In the surrounding area the Benedictine churches of St. Lucy and St. Biagio are worth a visit, they could be the destination of a pleasant walk in the direction of the Amiata, as are the church of St. Flora in Noceto and the ruins of the Franciscan convent of St. Processo. Recent restoration has given life back to the beautiful Palazzo Nerucci, built from 1554, that then became the Agricultural Culture Centre of the area, equipped with specialised library, with exhibition area and a didactic laboratory.

The Town Of Cinigiano In Tuscany

TOWN OF CINIGIANO | GROSSETO PROVINCE Cinigiano is a charming agricultural town on one of the sloping hills descending from Monte Amiata. This fortunate geographical position provides the best of the Maremma’s inland hilly landscape, in the Grossetto Province. Originally a fief of the Aldobrandeschi family, it was dominated by Siena in 1381 and then by the Battifolle Counts. The Clock Tower, restored in the middle of the 19th century, and the remains of a medieval fortress are all that remain of the old town. The produce ranges from grain to grapes, from olives to chestnuts. The zone is renowned for its forests, natural pastures, vast agricultural areas, chestnut groves—all of this among a mix of Mediterranean scrub, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees that stretch from the mountain to the bed of the Ombrone river. The Nature Reserve Poggio all’ Olmo provides a chance for enjoyable outings within the area. There are other characteristic towns nearby that are worth a visit: Porrona with its castle, parish church and intact noble villas; Monticello Amiato with its medieval structures and museum of local traditions; Sasso d’Ombrone, whose original name is Sasso di Maremma and from which the bridge over the Ombrone river gets its name; Colle Massari, notable for both its architecture and landscape; and the Aldobrandeschi fortresses called Castiglioncello Bandini, Vicarello, Poggio del Sasso and Santa Rita.

The Town Of Castell'azzara In Tuscany

TOWN OF CASTELL’AZZARA | GROSSETO PROVINCE Castell’Azzara is located at the bottom of Monte Civitella and its forest, in the Grossetto Province. The area was first settled in around 1000 BC by the Umbri, and then by the Etruscans of Sovana, who came here to extract vermillion. The two forts that defend Monte Civitella were built under the rule of the Aldobrandesca family. The first document attesting to the town is dated 1216, when it was divided into four sections. In the historic town centre, known for its steep and curvy streets, the San Nicola church is worth a visit. It conserves a 16th-century canvas by an exponent of the Sienese school, and the oratory of the Madonna del Rosario, with many 16th- and 17th-century paintings. Near the Poggio delle Froche, you can find the Grotta del Sassocolato (or called ‘di Bacheca’), used in the past as a sheepfold and a place of important speleological explorations. The grotto was closed in 1995 to save an important colony of chiropteran. Today, it can be visited in the summer months only with an official from the Gruppo Speleologico "L'Orso"of Castell'Azzara. From the ruins of the Rocca Silvana, there are beautiful panoramic views of the modern residential area of Silvana, various abandoned mines, and thick Mediterranean scrubland that embrace the mountainside. In the area surrounding Castell’Azzara, there is the Sforzesco, a country villa built in 1580 by Cardinal Alessandro Sforza. The building, recently restructured, still conserves the original portals, coat of arms, frescoes and fortifications. It stands on the nearby borders of Siena, Grosseto and Viterbo, and is surrounded by the characteristic Crete Sienese.

The Town Of Roccalbegna In Tuscany

ROCCALBEGNA | GROSETTO PROVINCE The village of Roccalbegna, sits in the Grossetto Province and on the slopes of Monte Amiata. The town was once an Aldobrandeschi strong hold that was later passed over to the Republic of Siena. The medieval apperance and charm still exist in the township and its most characteristic monument being the church of St. Peter and St. Paul.  Located on the main piazza with the Town Hall and a small but striking Civic Tower, with its clock face. The terrain of the area is notoriously instable, landslides are a daily occurrence. And exactly a landslide is what bent the architrave of the doorway, giving the church a unique, crooked aspect. Inside are precious frescoes and pictures. The most important work however is the altarpiece, a Madonna with Child painted in 1340 by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, considered one of his masterpieces. At the back of the church, we go up a little way to the Oratory of the Crucifix, used as a museum. Francesco Nasini and Sebastiano Folli are the most represented authors. The cross by Luca di Tommè, a Siennese artist who created it in about 1360, is splendid. Outside of the Porta di Maremma the little church della Madonna completes the picture of the town’s monuments, with frescoes from the 15th century. Behind the church, the panoramic open space of the stronghold is worth a visit. But the destination to not be missed, the most famous of Roccalbegna, is the Rock, the large Tower that dominates the inhabited place, and that is reached by a steep asphalted road and then by the narrow stone steps that cling to the rock. Roccalbegna’s surroundings are also worth a visit. The hamlet of Cana conserves a part of its medieval aspect and hosts a beautiful cistern from the Medici era. Just before that, in Vallerona, you can see the church of St. Pio I and a neo-classic fountain. Nature-lovers can travel south along the rough track that coasts Albegna. The first part of roughly 3 kilometres can be done by car or mountain bike, then you need to continue by foot on the exposed gravelly river bed. Poplars and willows take the place of oaks and brooms, and you don’t have to try too hard to see numerous species of birds such as the blackbird and kingfisher. The WWF Oasis of Bosco Rocconi faces onto the river, home to rare birds of prey like the harrier eagle, the hobby, the sparrow-hawk and the lanner. A little to the east of Roccalbegna is Triana, a mighty castle that passed in 1388 from the Aldobrandeschi to the Piccolomini of Siena, formed of two imposing buildings and a mighty tower that is mostly covered in ivy.