- San Casciano in Val di Pesa
Infobox CityIT
img_coa = San_Casciano_in_Val_di_Pesa-Stemma.png
official_name = Comune di San Casciano in Val di Pesa
name = San Casciano in Val di Pesa
region =Tuscany
province = Florence (FI)
elevation_m = 310
area_total_km2 = 108.0
population_as_of = Dec. 2004All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical instituteIstat .]
population_total = 16717
population_density_km2 = 155
timezone = CET, UTC+1
coordinates = coord|43|39|N|11|11|E|type:city(16,717)_region:IT
frazioni = Bargino, Calcinaia, Campoli, Cerbaia, Chiesanuova, Cigliano, Faltignano, Mercatale, Montefiridolfi, La Romola, San Pancrazio, Spedaletto,Sant'Andrea in Percussina
telephone = 055
postalcode = 50026
gentilic = Sancascianesi
saint = Saint Cassian of Imola
day =August 13
mayor =
website = [http://www.comune.san-casciano-val-di-pesa.fi.it/ www.comune.san-casciano-val-di-pesa.fi.it/]
mapy = 11.1833
mapx = 43.6500San Casciano in Val di Pesa is a "
comune " (municipality) in theProvince of Florence in the Italian regionTuscany , located about 15 km southwest ofFlorence .San Casciano in Val di Pesa borders the following municipalities:
Greve in Chianti ,Impruneta ,Montespertoli ,Scandicci ,Tavarnelle Val di Pesa .History
San Casciano’s territory was peopled since Etruscan times, as witnessed by archaeological findings in Montefiridolfi (The Bowman’s Grave) and Valigondoli (Poggio La Croce’s archaeological excavations). In Roman times San Casciano was a post-stage ("
mansio ") posed at the tenth mile from Florentia. The toponym "Decimo" (i.e. Tenth) is still attached to the Pieve di Santa Cecilia a Decimo (a parish church near San Casciano which was mentioned since 1043 in a document byCharlemagne ) and stands in memory of amilestone (decimum lapidem) belonging to an importantRoman road (probably the road linked Florentia and Sena Julia). Archaeological findings and toponymic evidences attest this place’s ancientness, whose density seems to be proved also by the relevant number ofparish churches built here (e.g. Pieve di Santa Cecilia a Decimo, Pieve di San Pancrazio, Pieve di San Giovanni in Sugana and Pieve di Santo Stefano a Campoli) and the big number of subordinate churches. The density of people evidenced by these facts, still present today in the country around San Casciano, was already here in theMiddle Ages , resting on many castles which belonged to the bishopric ofFlorence or powerful families like Buondelmonti or Cavalcanti.San Casciano was initially mentioned as a domain pertaining to the
Bishop of Florence, who released its first statutes in 1241. Later, in 1278, the domain shifted to the Republic of Florence. A few years later San Casciano became the capital of a local alliance, including also the Alliance of Campoli, and the seat of apodestà , therefore governing people of forty parish churches. San Casciano was then becoming so important that a 1325 statute of the Florence podestá mentioned one of the main roads departing from the city as follows: “strada per quam itur ad ‘"Sanctum Cassianum"’ (…) versus civitatem Senarum et versus romanam Curiam” (i.e. “the road going through San Casciano towardsSiena andRome ”). The circumstance that San Casciano's history is deeply bound to its roads is showed also by its own shape, indeed featured by a crossing: one going from Florence to Siena and the other that, following the hills’ ridge, linked theChianti area with Montelupo and theArno river 's basin. Furthermore, a pivotal role in San Casciano’s development was played by the growth in agricultural productivity provided bysharecropping , which increased the population and the formation of some commercial centres like Mercatale and thecastle of San Casciano “a Decimo” itself.The walls of this castle were provided in the second half of the fourteenth century (and their ruins still exist today). Indeed, in the first half of the fourteenth century, San Casciano was completely undefended and therefore became an easy prey for
condottieri and commanders of mercenary troops. San Casciano was occupied by: the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII of Luxembourg from November 1312 to January 1313, the Duke ofLucca Castruccio Castracani in February 1325 and the French mercenary leader Moriale D'Albarno in July 1343. In consequence of these attacks, the Republic of Florence decided to fortify the village in 1354. The walls were in place in 1355 and, in addition, a “cassero” (i.e. acastle serving asbarracks ) was added in 1356.A few years before, the Duke of Athens planned to transform the village in a castle and called it “Castel Ducale”, but the plan died with him. In 1494
Charles VIII of France camped near the village without entering inside it. Before his departure, he donated a large amount of money to the localFranciscan convent . In 1512 at the Albergaccio (near toSant'Andrea in Percussina )Niccolò Machiavelli started his exile during which he wrote "The Prince " and "The Mandrake ". When theGrand Duchy of Tuscany rose to power, San Casciano lost its military and strategic role and its history followed the Tuscan one.However, in 1880, after the replacement of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany with the
Kingdom of Italy , San Casciano still played an indirect but important role in history, because its voters electedSidney Sonnino as their member of the Italian Parliament. Later, Sidney Sonnino became Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Italy fromFebruary 8 toMay 29 of 1906, and fromDecember 11 1909 toMarch 31 of 1910. In 1893, a steam-engine train was built to link San Casciano and Florence.San Casciano was almost entirely destroyed by an
Allied bombardment onJuly 26 , 1944. It has been slowly but finely restructured.Economy
San Casciano is highly renowned for the production of wine and
olive oil . The principal cellars of the worldwide famous wine companyAntinori are established in San Casciano. A mutual bank (Banca di Credito Cooperativo del Chianti Fiorentino) is established and has its main offices in San Casciano. The rest of the economy is mainly based onhandicraft and tourism (especiallyagritourism ). In the twentieth century it was a quite important centre of the Italian typographical industry.Sister cities
San Casciano in Val di Pesa has three sister sities:
*Flag|USA,Morgan Hill .
*Flag|Belgium,Nieuwerkerken .
*,Mahbes .Pievi (Parish Churches)
Pieve di San Pancrazio
by Cosimo Gheri, a pupil of Santi di Tito, with precious frescoes depicting the Liberal Arts and poets and scientists of the Classical Era.
Pieve di Santo Stefano a Campoli
Pieve di Santo Stefano, in the
frazione of Campoli, was built in the 9th century. It was a domain of the bishops of Florence, including the future PopeClement VII , who served here as priest. In the 18th century, the interior was renovated along Baroque lines and a portico was added.Pieve di Santa Cecilia a Decimo
Pieve di Santa Cecilia is located in the frazione of Decimo. It is mentioned in a document by
Charlemagne dated 774. Heavily restored in 1728, it has a nave and two aisles; only the bell tower remain of the original Romanesque edifice.Pieve di San Giovanni in Sugana
Pieve di San Giovanni in Sugana is at 232 metres of altitude, near to the
frazione of Cerbaia. It was mentioned in a document of 1019 with the name of Pieve di Soana. The façade present original Romanesque portal and single lancet window.Other Churches
Chiesa del Suffragio (Santa Maria del Gesù)
Actually it hosts the Museum of Holy Arts, housing the Madonna Enthroned (1319), the first known and dated work by
Ambrogio Lorenzetti , the Stories of St. Michael Archangel (c. 1250) byCoppo di Marcovaldo Chiesa della Misericordia o di Santa Maria del Prato
Church of Santa Maria al Prato or della Misericordia was founded by the Dominicans in 1304. It has a single nave with four altars on its sides: the second right altar houses the important Crucifix by
Simone Martini . Also noteworthy are the white and green marblepulpit byGiovanni di Balduccio (1336–1339) and a wooden Crucifix from about 1470.Castles
Castle of Bibbione
Built before 1000, the castle belonged to the Buondelmonti family who restored it in the XI century. In the XVI century it passed to the Machiavelli family who keep it as hunting manor till 1727. The castle has magnificent courtyards and halls. From outside it has an impressive shape, something between a fortress and a sixteenth century manorhouse.
Castle of Gabbiano
family of Florence. The rounded towers, revealing a French influence, were added in 1505.
Castle of Pergolato
Built by the Buondelmonti family, Pergolato was initially used as a bulwark for the defence of the family's feudal domains, then served as a hunting resort. It has huge decorated halls and elegant arcades. It is built on the steep cliffs standing at the left side of the Pesa river.
Castle of Montefiridolfi
Even this castle was owned by the Buondelmonti family. Today it’s very reshaped, but the original structures and architectures are still visible.
Other interesting sites
The Bowman’s Grave
Found in 1978 during some agricultural works, it’s an Etruscan grave dated back to the VII century B.C.. Its name derives from a large slab with a bas-relief representing a bowman. The original slab is preserved at the Museum of Holy Arts in San Casciano.
People related to San Casciano in Val di Pesa
*
Giuliano Dami (1683–1750), Italianadventurer , intimate friend of the last Gran Duke of Tuscany,Gian Gastone de' Medici , born in the frazione of Mercatale.
*Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527), Italianwriter andpolitician exiled in 1513 inSant'Andrea in Percussina .
*Antonio Petrocelli (1953), Italianactor , member of the San Casciano in Val di Pesa'sCity Council .
*Sidney Sonnino (1847–1922), Italianpolitician , Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Italy, elected at the Italian Parliament in 1880 for the San Casciano in Val di Pesa’s constituency.Demographic evolution
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References
External links
* [http://www.comune.san-casciano-val-di-pesa.fi.it/ Municipality web site www.comune.san-casciano-val-di-pesa.fi.it]
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