Monticchiello

Monticchiello rises in the council of Pienza, at the border with that of Montepulciano, in province of Siena. It can be reached following the motorway A1 up to the exit of Valdichiana and following the indications for Pienza or in alternative from the Orcia valley, first following the road SS2 Cassia 'til the cross with the SS146 for S.Quirico D'Orcia.

The castle, or better walled town, of Monticchiello, fief of the local family of the Lambardi, was thickly strengthened from the Senesis at the to end of the 12th century, when it became an important frontier fortress. Monticchiello was the center of the defensive organization of the oriental Senese border and for this motive during its history was often object of wars and assaults, destruction and occupations. In 1229-35 it was destroyed by the Orvietani, was twice occupied on the to end of the 1300 first by the Florentine and then by the Montepulcianesi and suffered others serious devastation in 1553, found itself on the road of the march of the imperial army during the 'War of Siena'.

The whole system of the fortifications is chained to the Rocca, set in the highest point of the hill where the suburb rises, of which only the mighty keep with its bastioned walls endowed with machicoulis in stone (opening between corbels of the parapet through which the defenders can drop rocks or fire projectiles against an enemy directly below them) strongly remains. The town walls, only partially preserved, were alternated from square towers of various dimensions, two of which still flank the only survived gate. The suburb inside the fortifications has maintained intact its medieval characteristics and walking for its lanes is as breathing the history.

 Radicofani

The mighty Rocca of Radicofani rises from the dark ages before the year 1000, it was named for the first time in 973, on the top of an imposing basaltic cliff of 896 meters high, from which dominates the whole territory set between the Mount Cetona, the Orcia Valley and the Mount Amiata. To its feet passed an ancient footstep of the Roman Cassia road, then named Francigena or Romea, and it was without doubt this fact that caused its birth and its big role in history, for a long time strongly tied up to this road. The pass of Radicofani was at center of an unique historical episode: toward the second half the 15th century the Senesi, worried by the fact that a part of the road resulted hardly controllable from the Fortress, replaced this, after having made it inagible, with a new layout that passed under the fortifications.

The main gate of the Medieval Castle, core of the fortification.

For its strategic importance the Fortress was contended for long time and it is almost impossible to trace the whole eventful history. Initially Radicofani was under the control of the Benedictine Abbey of the Mount Amiata but soon first the counts of the Aldobrandeschi family, in the year 1081, then the counts of Chiusi, the Manenti of Sarteano, tried to replace the monks. The Senese control began in 1139, when the count Manente da Pepone gave a sixth part of the castle to the Bishop of Siena. But the monks didn't surrendered and with the help of the Roman Church, in the figures of Pope Eugene III, was granted to them the perpetual location of half of the fortress. Pope Adriano IV, successor of Eugene, reinforced the castle and in 1198 Innocenzo III started great new works on the fortification. From this period Radicofani was often at the center of the continue struggles between Siena and Orvieto, city allied with Florence, with the constant intervention of the Roman Papacy. Here I remember only the principal historical facts: in 1262 the fortress became seat of the family Salimbeni, Guelphs escaped from Siena; in the following years the Senesi regained and destroyed the walls of Radicofani. The situation repeated itself in the years 1264-65, then there was a revolt against the power of the Church (1284) and in 1295 the castle became the eagle nest of the famous captain of venture Ghino di Tacco, that from here launched numerous attacks to the Senesi. In the 1301-1302 Radicofani was again at the center of the war conducted by Guido of Montfort and Margherita Aldobrandeschi, Ghibelline, against the Guelphs Commons allied with the Pope. The Guelphs won the war and the fortress remained in peace for a long time under the control of the papacy.

The main front of the second walled enclosure.

Siena began to move with decision in 1352 to take again possession of Radicofani but the strong controversy born between the two adversary ended with the papal concession of the castle dominion at the Salimbeni family. Finally, in 1405, the Senese Republic and the Salimbeni signed the peace and the castle passed to Siena. In 1417 began the construction of the new bastionated fortress around the original medieval nucleus. After years of skirmishes and secondary passages of ownership, always ended with the return of Radicofani to Siena, we arrive to the last remarkable historical fact that interested the fortress: in 1555 it was besieged, bombed and invaded by the Imperial army.

The remnants of the third bastionated enclosure with the gate.

The primitive fortresses has an almost triangular plan and is gifted of a mighty keep and is today still in good condition, thanks to the works of restoration effected in 1929. Very interesting are also the rests of the other sides of the most ancient core, with rests of machicoulis for the outside defense and of two other angle towers. Around this is developed the first bastionated fortress enclosure built in beautiful worked stones, with four irregular sides. This fortress was subsequently widened toward north, being the south side already naturally protected from to strong gorge, with another walled enclosure, but of these boundaries don't remain great traces, with the exception of an angle bastion where the ancient gate of access is opened. The two bastionated walls line enclose in practice the whole basaltic cliff on two different levels, making almost impossible to reach the heart of the fortification from any side. The castle is, from the Juanary 1999 after a great work of restoration, reopened to the public. For information you can contact the Fortecoop, phone number +39578-55867.

Montalcino

At a distance of just over forty kilometres from Siena, Montalcino is named after the holm oaks that used to cover the hill it stands on.

The town, founded it would seem, in the first decades of the 10th century by refugees from the town of Roselle has kept its urban structure almost since the time of its greatest expansion and brilliance, in the Middle Ages. Its stormy history together with defensive requirements have combined to give Montalcino its picturesque setting. From the avenues that skirt the walls, we look out on to views that could be paintings by the masters of the Sienese Trecento. Empty spaces, squares, gardens and rows of olive-trees and vines relate in a kind of counterpoint with tightly-knit streets and major buildings.

The fortress, the churches, the steep lanes and stairways and alleys and the municipal palace, with its slender tower, take us back in time to distant fascinating periods.

The discovery of neolithic artefacts near the bed of the Ombrone river, in the vicinity of Badia Ardenga and of Etruscan and Roman tombs in various places around the town, prove the existence far back in history of a dense network of rural settlements. The foundations of some of the old churches which still exist to-day, such as Santa Restituta and Sesta, date back to the barbarian invasions. Towards the end of the 8th century the Abbey of Sant Antimo was founded, some say by Charlemagne.

The earliest settlements of Montalcino - the name first appears in a document of 814 A.D. - grew up under the feudal tutelage of the monks. They spread in the communal period, into a municipality, acquiring considerable importance, both political and military, owing to their strategic position on the old Francigena Way. As a result they were in conflict with Siena from the end of the 12th century for over seventy years. During this period, sieges and wars alternated with moments of fragile peace and pacts were broken at the slightest provocation.

The battle of Montaperti (1260) gave the final victory to the Sienese, who planned to destroy Montalcino, but a few years later the situation changed once again; the Ghibellines were thrown out of Siena and the people of Montalcino signed a treaty of alliance with the Guelfs which guaranteed them substantial autonomy. In 1361, after an attempted rebellion the people of Montalcino were accorded Sienese citizenship. This was followed by a period of relative peace, during which their activities - pottery, tannery and leatherwork as well as the working of wool, wood and iron, flourished. The economic ties with Siena strengthened and, in 1404 they acquired from Siena the right to levy taxes and in the following years, a whole series of fiscal exemptions which favoured economic development. In 1462 Pius II granted Montalcino the state of city and a bishop's seat. Then once again: war. In 1526 and in 1553 the town was besieged, but was able to resist thanks to the efforts of the population.

From 1555 to the 31st July 1559 the last free Italian state, the Republic of Siena, retired to Montalcino. The annexation to the medici state did not provoke any great upheaval for Montalcino which maintained its importance as a productive and commercial centre. During the second half of the 17th century there were some 140 shop-owners and artisans, the city's main activities were tannery and shoe-making.

By the end of the following century the reforms of Leopold and Napoleon eliminated a good number of mediaeval institutions. Economic conditions changed during the 19th century; agriculture with a share-cropper system prevailed over other activities. At that time several of Montalcino's inhabitants took part in the events of the Risorgimento; at the end of the century the first mutual aid societies for workers were set up. The world war took a toll of 144 inhabitants; in 1920 the elections were won by the left. The following two decades were dominated by the fascist presence and by the war, which once more descended among our 'contrade'. The fifties were marked by an agricultural crisis which caused heavy emigration. Halfway through the sixties came the first signs of recovery with a few experiments in industrialization. But it was with specialized agriculture - and Brunello as the main product that Montalcino found its true vocation. This however belongs to the chronicles of to-day.