Dedicated to those who love beauty and goodness, works of art and Peace. To those who can enjoy life with human rhythms. Dedicated to present and future lovers of life Terranuova Bracciolini (Arezzo) Tuscany -Italy T. +39 055 9738001

Texts by: Fulvio Bernacchioni and Laura Bonechi Campi Tusci | www.campitusci.it

Translate by: Ida Bertolini and Laura Bonechi

Photos by: Fulvio Bernacchioni | Campi Tusci archive

Graphic realization: Settore8 |www.settore8.it

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Printed in June 2010 by Tipogra a La Zecca Bucine (Arezzo) Tuscany -Italy All rights reserved ©Copyright 2010 by settore8 editoria Presentation Bucine and Its Valleys

As for Municipal Administration is crucial to be the prime mover of an effective action aimed at setting up and developing the necessary initiatives to improve a sector, that of tourism and promotion, which can be crucial for the entire territory development. Communication represents a vital tool for the promotion and improvement of the area. Actually to have a great cultural, historical and landscape heritage is not enough to get concrete results, but it must takes a strong communication strategy, especially using digital media. For this reason through the institutional website of the Municipality in the “Tourism and Promotion of the Territory” sector we made available the guide “Bucine and its valleys” in double version - Italian and English - in order to discover with a simple click, how much beauty our area has to offer. We are aware that new technologies strongly affected and changed the tourism market, so investing and developing web marketing, trying to seize the opportunities from the web and digital marketing will be the key to strengthen our competitiveness as a tourist destination, without forget those values and identity character of our territory, which make it unique.

A special thank goes to businesses, manufacturers, associations and all citizens that with their work convey the passion for their land and help to make the territory of the Municipality of Bucine “on a human scale”.

Mayor Tourist and Promoting Pietro Tanzini Territorial Amm. Nicola Benini Introduction

The territory of the municipality of Bucine, located in the part where the Chianti hills touch the upper Arno valley, along the path of Ambra’s river, is at the center of three major Tuscan cities that is Arezzo, Siena and Florence. Rich in history, inhabited since ancient times, in the Bucine area we can find fossils, anthropological artifacts, remains of Etruscan and Roman settlements, important castles and medieval churches. During the wars on the territory of Bucine there were massacres that are still remembered in the Places of Memory. The landscape is characterized by hills covered by heathers, junipers, oaks, arbutus and broom, monumental trees, valleys rich of farmland and typical productions, the most important of which is grapes and olives cultivation, giving back to the view a stunning scenery marked by terraces, supported by the traditional “dry-stone walls.” The territory has since long been devoted to traditional excellence products, and skilled farmers and manufacturers are still the keepers of these traditions today. Oil and wine are the protagonists of local productions. Food and wine are characterized by a strong link with the territory that is shown by the wide variety of recipes, rich of authentic flavors and made up by simple ingredients. Visiting the small towns and the villages of the municipality of Bucine is an enjoyable experience, which offers to the visitor a sequence of images and places of extraordinary beauty, rich in history and art. It is easy to be in the middle of a village festival, in which mothers, fathers, grandparents, grandchildren, elderly and young people and “housewives” of the country, working together, convey the passion for the place where they live in, reviving traditions, which modern times tend to cancel, but that still especially in small communities they remain alive. The passion for their land finds its highest expression in welcoming, thanks to countless farms, first ambassadors, capable of transmitting the values and characters that make an area unique.

Bucine: a welcoming land full of history and magic in the heart of Tuscany. Symbols

ABBEY

VILLAGE

SMALL VILLAGE

TOWER OR CASTLE

PIEVE/ CHURCH

MONUMENTAL TREES

ANCIENT BRIDGE

MUSEUM/ COMMEMORATIVE PLACE Tourist information ARCHAEOLOGICAL Comune di Bucine FINDS BUCINEServizio Turismo e Promozione del Territorio TownVia Niccolò hall Angeli, 22 Viawww.comune.bucine.ar.it Vitelli, 2 www.comune.bucine.ar.it FORTRESS email: [email protected] +39Le 055 icone 991271 sono un collegamento Urptra Public il testo relation e la cartina office allegata ViaInformazioni del Teatro, 6 Turistiche: MASTERPIECE Bucine OF ART +39 055 9912777 TouristVia Niccolò Information Angeli, 22 Via del Municipio, 1 [email protected] VILLA AMBRAAmbra TouristVicolo Informationdella Luna, 10 [email protected] della Luna, 10 LANDSCAPE +39 055 996701

Icons are links between the map 6 and the guide book Contents

ABBOTS AND ABBEYS 1110

Badia Agnano and Badia a Ruoti CHURCHES: PLACES OF ART AND PRAYER 2724

Pievi: Galatrona and Capannole Churches: Levane, Perelli, Mercatale, Bucine and Ambra AMONGST VILLAGES AND CASTLES 4338

Galatrona, San Leolino, Cennina, Montebenichi and Rapale IN THE VALLEY AND ALONG THE RIVER 5751

Ambra, Capannole, Pogi, Bucine and Levane MONUMENTAL TREES AND PLACES TO DISCOVER 6760

Small villages, villas and old trees TRADITIONAL TYPICAL PRODUCTS AND ANCIENT CRAFTS 8374

Wine, oil and ...broom making HISTORY AND CUSINE 9382

Village feasts, folklore and traditional food

7 Historic news in brief Ancient times in the Valdambra

The scuola media A. Manzoni at Bucine tion area, to protect it from destruction houses a small palaeontological muse- it was taken out all in one piece and car- um. The fossils we can see there are a ried to the meadow right in front of the good start to understanding life in the church. There it stands together with Valdambra before men arrived. There descriptive panels with information are also objects made by prehistoric about the many archaeological  nds men such as stone items, arrow tips, of this area: there was a Roman Pagus axes for hunting and ....warfare. dating back to a period between the 3rd The valley is rich in Etruscan sites Century B.C. and the 1st Century A.C. among which those at Monte di Rota (not far from Duddova) and at Pog- gio Castiglione (on the right bank of the Ambra river) stand out. These sites dating to the 6th Century B.C. testify the importance of the road that already in those early times crossed the “Umbro Flumen” val- ley. Umbro Flumen is the name that a few cen- turies later the Romans gave to the Ambra river. The road was the main link between towns on the sea coast and the others on the hill of the inland terri- tory. All over the valley there are also many 01 Roman sites or archaeological  nds dat- ing back to Roman times. We recommend a trip to the sanctu- ary of Santa Maria alla Ginestra, near Levane. There you can admire an old Levane, Santa Maria alla Ginestra. Etruscan-Roman well. It was found at An old Etruscan-Roman period well, moved from the nearby excavation area Poggio Monteleoni and has an interest- by Soprintendenza ai Beni Archeologici. ing story. It was situated in an excava- 89 LEVANELEVANELEVANELEVANE13 19 20 B2 43°29’55.28”N 11°37’23.42”E

PERELLIPERELLIPERELLIPERELLI 14 C2 43°28’58.39”N BUCINEBUCINEBUCINEBUCINE 15 11°36’23.95”E11°36 23.95 E D1 C3 16 43°28’48.35”N 43°28’44.74”N 11°33’44.97”E 11°37’02.44”E MERCATALE VALDARNO 02 03

PIEVE DI GALATRONA E1 09 11 43°28’15.84”N 04 05 11°34’13.17”E CAPANNOLE BADIA AGNANO E3 E4 43°26’23.96”N 43°26’09.44”N 10 11°37’09.68”E 11°38’49.03”E

1257+ AMBRAAMBRAAMBRAAMBRA 17 18 G3 43°24’58.31”N 11°36’13.47”E

BADIA A RUOTI 12 H4 43°23’45.56”N MONTEBENICHIICHI 11°36’09.50”E I2 43°24’20.07”N 11°32’41.40”E 06 07 08

9 ABBOTS AND ABBEYS

Badia Agnano and Badia a Ruoti

10 he birth of the great monasteries to private owners making it dif cult T in Valdambra dates back to the understand how powerful the abbeys second half of the 10th Century. It fol- were. Nevertheless the abbey churches lows the Saracen and Hungarian inva- are well worth a visit: to discover their sions that deeply marked the life of both superb Middle Age architectural struc- monastic communities and common ture, the secret stories engraved on population. Badia a Ruoti (the Abbey their stones and the masterpieces of art of Ruoti) and Badia Agnano (Agnano they house. Abbey) both established in the valley about in the same period and not far one from the other, were forti ed like The cup, the doves castles. The abbeys brought new life to and the star the Valdambra Valley with rules and order. Under the abbeys’ administra- The  rst description of this symbol tion the whole territory was cultivated. dates back to the year 1183. It was The monks used to give plots of land “a described as two doves drinking from livello” that is to allow people to culti- the same cup and above all there was vate or use plot of land in exchange for an eight ray star. This is the evolution rent. As a consequence we see drainage of an older symbol already existing in of marshlands, fl ood control, regulated Palaeo-Christian times and in use also woodcutting and the building of bridg- during the early Middle Ages. The old es and mills. symbol had two peacocks instead of the The “livello” is a long lasting rent con- doves. Calyx and peacocks were used tract. The duration was so long that it also by the Longobards. They symbol- happened that the “livellario” (the per- ize immortality and resurrection. The son who had rented the land) did not use of doves instead of peacocks brings want to pay the rent, a sort of acquisi- a change in the message. The link pea- tion by usucaption. cock- tree of life was dif cult for com- The two abbeys expanded their infl u- mon people to understand. The doves ence in two different areas. Badia Agna- symbolize chastity and purity two no controlled many churches and other concept which are much easier to un- monasteries towards Arezzo, Badia a derstand. The two doves with the cup Ruoti controlled the upper Valdambra are to be seen as two aspects of monks’ Valley and expanded towards Siena. life: on one hand there must be the life Today both Badia Agnano and Badia in the monastery with other monks a Ruoti have lost their supremacy . and in contact with common people, The building complexes have been sold 11 Badia Agnano- the Abbey church

02

on the other hand there is the hermit’s Badia Agnano life: alone with himself and God. The Today Badia Agnano is a nice, quiet star with eight rays is very important village. Just its name can remind us too. It was represented in many differ- of the leading role it played in the ent ways: as a fl ower or inscribed in a history of the valley. Here stood circle, very similar to a wheel. the powerful abbey of Agnano. The origin of the name “Agnano” is still uncertain. It may derive from “Ani” the Etruscan godess of fertlity; or from the Latin language: either from the name “Annius” or from the word “agnus” that is “lamb”. Most of the abbey building complex has become part of private houses, just the two churches and the rectory Camaldolese order symbol have kept their function. Neverthe- less the stones of the building are 1213 HISTORICAL NEWS

Five gold Florins to obtain Florentine protection

It was Janury 16th 1349 (according to the fl orentine calendar so it was the year 1350), on that day Don Basilius abbot of the abbey of “Sancta Maria de Agnano” went to the Priors of Florence to submit the abbey, the monks and the village inhabitants to the Florentine authorities. It was a bad period in history. The passage of time was marked by wars, death and famines. All this led the abbot Basilio to take his decision. The abbey with its monks and inhabitants had suffered for long enough be- cause of the local feoffee’s overbearing behaviour. Since all those feofees were enemies of Florence the abbot asked for the protection of Florence hoping it could stop the domination of the local lords. So the fortress of the abbey was given to the Florentine authorities who reserved the right to send them soldiers. The act of submission also involved all the other cas- tles under the abbey’s control: Capannole, Castiglion Alberti, Montelucci, Cacciano, Cornia and Pieve a Presciano. In exchange for the submission, the population obtained permission not to pay any tax for six years, never- theless they had to send soldiers to help Florence in case of war. Also the monks were subject to certain requirements. Every year and forever (ad perpetuom) on Saint John the Baptist’s day, the abbot had to give a present to the church of Saint John in Florence. The present should be a “palio” a rich fabric whose value should be at least  ve gold fl orins. With the same act the Comune of Florence promised to give a big mill back to the monks but only when they were be able to show they were the owners. The water mill was a very important one and had a curious name: mulino del suono , the sound mill. The act  nished with traditional wording concerning mutual commitment to respect the agreement and  x the  ne to be paid in case agreements were not respected: the  ne was ten thousand gold Florins.

Badia Agnano 14 a nice view of the church façade 13 like a good book that tell us of the abbey’s glorious past history. The abbey was established before the year 1000 by the great Ubertini family. From the beginning of the 12th Century it belonged to the Camal- dolese order. The church dates to this period. It has only one nave, a roof with wooden trusses and a transept. There are tree apses which are partially engraved in the walls. The church was originally dedi- Badia Agnano The apse with the Cruci x and the 20th Century stain glass window made thanks to cated to Santa Maria while now the present Parish Priest in memory of his mother it is dedicated to Santi Tiburzio and Susanna. Probably the change mendatory abbot named Leonardo. of dedication happens in the 16th The church building has no deco- Century at the time of the com- ration: neither sculpture nor paint-

Year 1562: killed the abbot with an axe. The fact murder in the abbey caused deep dismay. The violent attack was due to disagreements about the This is one of the saddest pages of the payment of the “censi” that is the rental abbey’s long history handed down by fee in order to cultivate certain plots of the Chronicles. The events took place in land belonging to the abbey. The mur- the second half of the 16th Century, at derers were immediately condemned the end of about one century of man- to the gallows but later, thanks to the datory administration. The mandatory monks’ intercession the death penalty abbot was a person charged directly by was changed into exile. In the year the Pope to administrate the abbey’s 1564 the abbey was given back to the enormous possessions. On that terrible monks’ direct administration thanks day, it was February 1562, Giovanni to the will of the last mandatory abbot, Carleno Medici, mandatory abbot of the famous Cardinal Carlo Borromeo, Agnano for 13 years, was celebrating the future San Carlo Borromeo, right Mass. Two fellows linked by family the cardinal in Alessandro Manzoni’s “Promessi Sposi”. (The Betrothed). ties and living at Agnano attacked and 1415 ABBOTS AND ABBEYS

03 The Visitation Society chapel A painting by Bernardino Santini at Badia Agnano

“Compagnia” (Society) is a gathering work by Bernardino Santino dating of people with a common religious back to 1637. The artist was born in purpose, in this case the society was Arezzo, he was called Santini the established to assure the veneration of Elder. He was the son of Bartolomeo the Madonna of the Visitation. Every and father of Michele, both of them person that goes to Badia Agnano is were also painters . attracted by news about the old and Bernardino was a very important powerful abbey belonging to the Ca- artist in Arezzo’s history of art. He maldolese order. The abbey church is was an eclectic artist and brought the 04 truly magni cent with its simple stone walls. But right outside it, attached to the abbey along the left wing there is a small baroque church. An unex- pected surprise. The church is like a casket housing a 17th Century master- piece. Both the society and the church were already in existence in the year 1583. There is news of them in the “Relazione.della visita apostolica”... the of cial report made after an of cial visit made by the Pope’s emissary in Visitation Society Church the year 1583.The Brothers used to The Visitation by Bernardino Santini follow the priest while going to visit art of Arezzo of the  rst half of the 17th invalids. They wore a blue cloak and Century to an advanced level. Most carried the canopy, big lanterns and of his works have religious subjects other lights. The society’s original both loved by common people and the name was “Compagnia del Santissi- clergy. His subjects perfectly suited mo Sacramento” (Society of the Holy the new Counter-Reformation ideas. Sacrament). Now it is dedicated to The artist was strictly linked to the the Visitation of Mary. The beautiful Camaldolese order. He worked mostly picture housed on the baroque altar for the Societies and Brotherhoods: his is indeed a Visitation of Mary. It is a most frequent clients. 16 15 ings. It just presents beautiful and simple drafts of limestone, carefully placed in rows to communicate the search of new spirituality and aus- terity of the Camaldolese order. Soon after its establishment the abbey was forti ed while outside the walls the village developed: two lines of buildings set along the road that led to the abbey gate. That 05 gate still exists. Badia Agnano The ancient entrance to the forti ed abbey In the year 1431 Beato Traversari, at that time prior to Camaldoli, Starting from the year 2003 the visited the abbey and made a nice church underwent great restora- description of it: “It is well built, tion at the end of which the build- very ancient and rich”. At that time ing reconquered the original plant. in the convent there was one abbot During the centuries, indeed the and  ve monks. monastery was suppressed at In the year 1470 the abbey starts to least twice. After the 19th Century be ruled by a commendatory abbot. closure, during Napoleon domina- It is a bad period and all positive tion, part of the building complex aspects and infl uence of the abbey and the land properties were sold to the territory were lost. The man- to private owners. Even the right datory period ended in the 1564. wing transept was sold and turned The last commendatory abbot was into a private house. Now the S. Carlo Borromeo: with the spirit of church has the right transept back reformation he returned the abbey and here some fragments of a 16th to the Camaldoli order. Despite Century fresco have been found. one century of mandatory admin- The fresco shows San Rocco. Apart istration the church is described from the fresco, a big wooden cruci- as being in good condition, with  x in the main apse is the only dec- rich vestments. There were three oration of the church. Even the bap- altars of which the side ones were tismal font is new but placed on an dedicated to S. Anthony and Saint ancient base showing the symbol of Andrew. The last one replaced with the Camaldolese order: two doves the altar dedicated to the Madonna drinking from the same cup. of the Rosary. 1617 HISTORICAL NEWS

From the Benedictine to the Camaldolese Order: a change imposed by the authorites

Saint Romualdo’s reformation brought about the birth of the Camaldolese Congregation. The new order was inspired by the need of rigorousness and spirituality in monastic life. The monk’s life should be on one hand open to the world and in contact with people, on the other hand should include solitary prayers, and deep meditation that is hermit life. This thought is very well expressed in the order’s symbol: two doves drinking from the same cup. The new rigorousness also infl uenced the monks’ habits: white. The previous Benedictine vestments were black. The black colour is very dif cult to make and to preserve, it is expensive so it is a symbol of rich- ness. In the year 1113, with the decree of 4th November, Pope Pasquale II assigned the abbey of Agnano to the new Camaldolese order together with the abbey of Ruoti (Badia a Ruoti) and other twenty eight abbeys. Agnano abbey monks did not like this change. Since the year 1113 indeed, for more than one century, every pope needed to recon rm the depend- ence of Badia Agnano from Camaldoli abbey. Popes had even to oblige Agnano Abbot to take part in the Capitolo (main meeting in Camaldoli abbey between all the abbots) and especially they had to order to wear the new habit. In the year 1199, Pope Innocenzo III had to remind the monks of Agnano of the ceremony to welcome the Camaldoli Prior when going to visit the abbey: they had to welcome him with holy water and incense. The abbot guilty of not having properly welcomed the Prior could be  ned or dismissed from his of ce and even ejected from the monastic order! Un- fortunately threats and orders did not obtain any results. In the year 1294 Agnano abbey managed to stay under the pope’s direct control. This was a “privilegium” that is an honour only the greatest abbeys could boast. In addition, in the year 1352 the monks could wear their original Benedictine black habit again. The absence in the building complex of Badia Agnano of the symbols of the Camaldolese order must be indicative of the bad re- lationship between Agnano and Camaldoli. Despite the fact that the new, present church was built when the monks entered the Camaldolese order, the only symbol of the head monastery handed down until the present day is engraved on a small column now used as a base for the modern holy 18 water container. 17 Badia a Ruoti

06 the left, right after the  rst step in Badia a Ruoti the gate there are two rooms, now Badia a Ruoti is a lovely village private properties cellars, whose which developed all around a great function was to house the guards. and powerful abbey: San Pietro a From the two rooms an under- Ruoti abbey. The abbey building ground secret passage led into complex still dominates the old and the abbey. The news of a secret the new villages. passage is always fascinating. The entrance to the forti ed area Some people say that the passage was through a gate in the walls, led into the church, right under more precisely it was a gate-tow- the altar, someone else talks of the er and because of this peculiarity exit point in the abbey farm build- in the 16th Century it was named ing. Anyway they agree saying “porta torricella”. It still exists and that the passage is interrupted. The in it we can recognise the holes abbey like any other forti ed build- which allowed the chains to pass ing needed a hidden passage to and lower the door, or for the iron escape or to receive help. For this grating or other defence items. On reason the existence of the passage 1819 ABBOTS AND ABBEYS

07

is likely. In the abbey complex you The abbey of San Pietro at Ruoti will see many other structures that The nave houses the beautiful painting by Neri di Bicci assured the abbey’s survival in case of war or peace, such as a high water cistern that rises up to the second fl oor. Inhabitants used to draw water thanks to a pulley and carry it directly into the house. In the forti ed area there was even the

oven. The one we have seen is in a On the walls part of a 15th Century cycle of fl at on the second fl oor and shows a frescoes is visible recent date: 1800. Originally, in the fortress there was just one street, running all around the abbey complex that was so isolated from the exterior walls. Now that complete isolation of the past has been lost because of the new streets and gates which opened during the centuries. 20 Near the church there is a brick 19 HISTORICAL NEWS

Laymen and clergy: the struggles for power around the abbeys

The abbeys were originally religious buildings and institutions established to gather people in prayer and meditation, but they quickly turned into centres of power: abbeys controlled huge areas and people living in there, became rich and played leading roles in political life. Soon they entered in confl ict with local feudal authorities. Feoffees and abbots wanted to collect tax but they both bur- dened the same population, mostly poor people who found it impossible to pay tax to two different authorities. To understand how rich Badia Agnano was a comparison between the different amount of “decime” paid by the differ- Badia a Ruoti ent religious institutions belonging to the Abbey Church- Outside the aretin bishopric in the year 1274 as contributions to the forthcoming crusade may be useful. Badia Agnano was one of the main contributors . The cathedral Canons paid 161 lire, Camaldoli gave a con- tribution of 136 lire, Badia Agnano 110 lire. The powerful abbey of Santa Flora and Lucilla, in Arezzo, contributed 46 lire only. In the year 1337 the abbot of Agnano was arbitrator of the whole Valdambra and even refused to submit to the General Prior of Camaldoli abbey. The power of Agnano abbey kept increasing for centuries thanks to new acquisitions sometimes shown as donations. In the same times another abbey, Badia a Ruoti quickly rose to a leading position in the medieval Valdambra. Some documents testify the existence of Badia a Ruoti in the 11th Century established by the powerful Ubertini family that had the castle of San Pietro a Ruoti and many other villages and castles of Valdambra for many centuries. Therefore inhabitants paid tax to the Ubertini family, not to the monks. This situation was still true in the year 1380, but these are the last years of feudal domination before the valley was either conquered or submitted to the domi- nation of Florence. 2021 HISTORICAL NEWS

The Coronation of the Virgin Mary 46 Florins for a masterpiece 08

The painting placed on the high altar in the Ruoti abbey church of Saint Peter, is a work by the Florentine artist Neri di Bicci commissioned by the abbey monks. The carpenter was Giulio di Nardo from Maiano. He  nished the wood work by October 24th 1472. The day after, Neri di Bicci together with his son Antonio went to the abbey to place the painting. Literally the chronicle says he went there to “lift the panel up”. The artist had taken note of the panel measures: width in armslength: four and a quarter: height in armslength 4 and 1/6. The abbot Bar- tolomeo paid forty six large fl orins to the artist for this extraordinary masterpiece. In the middle of the panel we see the coronation of Mary. This information The Coronation of the Virgin Mary with Saints is provided by Giorgio Vasari who,  ve by Neri di Bicci (1472) hundreds years ago also described the painting as follows. “ ...on the right ( on the left for the observer ) there is Saint Peter, Saint Bartholomew and Saint Benedict kneeling down; on the left (on the right for the observer) there is Saint Paul, Saint Jacob and Saint Romualdo kneeling down. In the lower panel there are painted the stories of the two saints kneeling down and on each side, under the pilasters there is the camaldolese order symbol. On the sides panels on the right side there are the Saints Jerome, Martin, Anthony and Laurent, on the left are the Saints Sebastian, Mary Magdalene, Catherine, Saint Raphael and Toby.” There is nothing to add to this excellent  ve- hundred- year- old description. It is just worth noting the “predella” that is the lower panel, where together with Saint Benedict and Saint Romualdo’s life we can see the monastery of Camaldoli.

22 21 HISTORICAL NEWS

The documents  re

During the second half of the 16th Century Montepulciano Bishop Spinello Benci ordered to burn many documents, contracts, payments, etc concerning the abbey of San Pietro at Ruoti. The consequences of this act will be clear about one century later. First of all we have to know a little information. In the year 1507 Cardinal Alessandro Soderini was Mandatory abbot of Ruoti abbey. Don Domenico Nuti was his attorney. He was very careful in his job for this reason he decided a reg- ister of every act and agreement should be kept: rent, sale, etc. He also charged a quali ed person to write it: the notary Marco Favilla. In the year 1556 Cardinal Ricci established the new Diocese of Montepulciano and he became its  rst bishop. Since it was a new diocese, Montepulciano had no churches or other depending institution that paid “Decime”. Thus Pope Giulio III, that is Giovanni Maria Ciocchi Dal Monte, from a rich family of Monte San Savino, in order to provide the new Diocese with a good income decided to submit the rich Ruoti abbey to Montepulciano Diocese. It is easy to understand that all the mandatory abbots and their attorneys did their best to get the maximum income from the economic ad- ministration of the abbey by any means: fair or foul. In order to cancel all previous contracts Mons. Spinello Benci decided that the shortest way was...  re. From that year on all contracts were just simple voice agreements. For total understanding of the mandatory system it is necessary to know that some mandatory abbots even ceded all their rights on the abbey in exchange for money. When in the year 1640 Mons. Talento Talenti decided he wanted to regain possession of all the antique abbey’s properties (even the supposed ones) due to the previous documents  re the local population had nothing to demonstrate its right to own or cultivate lands or other properties. They had to give every thing to the abbey that “thus became opulent”.

2223 ABBOTS AND ABBEYS

cloister completely presence of remains surrounded by build- of a large fresco on ings that have been the left side. Here carefully restored we recognize Saint and turned into a Marc and Saint Cath- building which hosts erine from Alexandria. tourists. Among the decorations a The cloister is open as well as wheel with six spokes is very the other farm rooms and worth vis- common. Some think that this sign iting. In the cloister there is a water may be connected with the abbey’s cistern, in the cellar there still are founder and the abbey’s name. But large old wooden casks and other this same symbol recurs also in the agricultural tools still in use up to church of Camaldoli abbey and quite recently. On the pavement also in other churches, so we  nd on the ground fl oor we can also the connection with Ruoti or Rotari see many “buche granaie” that is unlikely. holes in the fl oor which are covered On the high altar a painting of an with terracotta bricks inside: they extraordinary beauty is shown. were used to store grain, less prob- Neri di Bicci had painted it right for ably for water. The abbey church, this abbey in the year 1472. simple and beautiful with its stone Old cellar in the farm walls has recently revealed the of San Pietro a Ruoti abbey

24 23 PLACES OF ART AND PRAYER

Pievi: Galatrona and Capannole Churches: Levane, Perelli, Mercatale, Bucine and Ambra

24 he “pieve”, the churches and other places of worship were T built to af rm and con rm a belief. They immediately communi- cated through images of sculptures, columns, ambos, baptismal fonts and paintings. The visual aspect has always played an important role. Think of light  ltering through alabaster windows or the powerful light cascading down from the dome lanterns of exuberant baroque altars. Great artists, anony- mous artisans, Nature and Time have transformed all this from a message into a work of art.

09 Galatrona, the pieve and the poor art of della Robbia Giovanni della Robbia The extraordinary baptismal font From whatever direction you ap- inside the pieve of San Giovanni Battista in Petrolo proach it, the building’s light façade (St John the Baptist in Petrolo) in alberese stone and the white bell tower disappear momentar- ily amongst the cypress trees that frame the small earth courtyard facing the church. It is a solitary place and even the rectory is unin- habited but, on feast days it comes to life again. From here one can see the whole valley. Despite being one of the most important pieves of the Valdarno Valley having had as many as thirteen churches under its authority, historians are uncer- 25 A view of San Giovanni Battista Pieve and its building complex from Galatrona tower

tain about its origin. Things are not Century portal one can read the made easy by the fact that its name date MCCCXXIII, whilst on high was changed continuously. In 774 above the rectangular window one it was referred to as S. Lorenzo a can just about make out the coat Petriolo, at the beginning of 1200 of arms dated 1619 with the Pic- it was dedicated to Santa Maria. colomini family coat of arms. The (St. Mary), while in 1295 a docu- almond shaped dent on the door ment de nes it as Sancti Johannis de frame once held Leonardo Buon- Petriolo. The present day building afede’s coat of arms until quite re- has no traces of the primitive pal- cently. His name is linked to the aeochristian church and the sloping three masterpieces by della Robbia roof does not reveal the internal housed in the pieve. The altars show division of 3 naves with rounded sophisticated antependium in scag- arches resting on simple, squat liola, expressions of a re ned “poor plastered pillars. The rest of the in- art” that reached its peak in the terior is also plastered. It dates back 17th and 18th Century. On the walls to the 14th Century although there are oil paintings on canvas which was subsequent restoration work. include a Madonna with Child and On a chiselled stone over the 15th saints on the left wall. In the back- 2629 PLACES OF ART AND PRAYER

ground one can make out the Castle of Galatrona still surrounded by all its walls and both towers. On the right of the building there is the small Della Compagnia church (of Company) which is unfortu- nately in a serious state of abandon. It has box ceilings, stuccoes and an- tependium in scagliola.

Giovanni Della Robbia in Galatrona 10

Inside the pieve there are three ex- superior to all others”. The three ceptional works in glazed ter- works of art made for the pieve racotta that Giovanni della are to be considered unique and Robbia made between 1517 unparalleled. The  rst of the and 1521. They were com- three can be seen on the right. missioned by Leonardo As one enters one notices Buonafede, future bishop of an imposing baptismal font Cortona, at the time Rector with a hexagonal base, unique of the pieve. The della Robbias, in size, and sophistication excellently sculpted, bring the showing predominantly shiny technique of glazing to levels of per- white colour. fection. This technique had been consid- The work sits on a hexagonal founda- ered minor but della Robbia managed tion and is composed of six panels. The to introduce it into the dispute about front panel shows the baptism of Christ 30 ”which of the arts is to be considered and the others show scenes relative to 27 John the Baptist: the annunciation to Robbia: the tabernacle. It has the shape Zachary of the birth of a son, the birth of a hexagonal Renaissance templet: of The Baptist. The panel opposite the 5 panels with high-relief  gures in- baptism one shows the beheading of serted in niches and, as on the sixth John. The last two panels show Zachary side, the door is in wood. The central writing on a tablet the name to give the panel shows Christ with the cross and child and John the Baptist on the banks on onlooker’s left there is: St. John the of the River Jordan. The panels are Baptist, St. Leonard with the stumps separated by decorated pillars in (patron saint of the commissioner of correspondence to which we  nd the the work). On the right we have: St. colourful Bonafede coat of arms which Girolamo with the lion and St. Mary was probably added later because it Magdalene. A small cupola with a contains the bishop’s mitre. lantern and the cross crown He became bishop in 1529 the panels. It all expresses after having been rector a sense of harmony and at the pieve from 1519. careful attention both to On the wall behind the detail and the message. The baptismal font, looking up artist’s great ability and the one can see a niche with importance of the man who a rich frame. In the niche commissioned him are re- is the statue of John the vealed to all. Baptist announcing. On the central altar one can see the third masterpiece by della 2831 PLACES OF ART AND PRAYER

Pieve of S. Quirico and Giuditta at Capannole

11 originally built in a traditional way From palaeochristian with the apse facing east. It was to Neo Gothic: restored in the 18th Century as a result the Pieve in Capannole of which the apse disappeared. The interior is surprisingly beau- The pieve of St. Quirico in Capan- tiful and harmonious carefully nole was one of the oldest and most looked after by the community of important in the Valdambra valley. worshippers. There is a nave which It dates back to ancient times and contains three pairs of pilaster strips may have sprung up on an impor- with images of saints. Near the tant Roman post house. entrance we have St. Jacob (Jacopo) The Cassia Adrianea road arrived on the right and St. John on the here from Chiusi and met the road left. Near the presbytery there is St. which led to Arezzo, the Valdarno Peter and St. Paul. The central ones Valley and Chianti. The oldest are decorated with geometric and known mention of the pieve dates phytomorphic patterns. The nave back to 1021. The present day is covered by a single barrel vault building was totally restored in ceiling while the presbytery area is 1928 and presents as a consequence covered by a cross vault where the evident neo gothic features. It was four evangelists are shown against 32 29 a starry sky. The walls in the pres- interesting. They are both very bytery have been literally covered dark and date back to the counter- in paintings from 1928 which reformation. One is “The Madonna were all painted by a local artist of the Belt amongst saints” originat- Giovanni Bacci. On the wall behind ing from the church of Villa, a small the altar, a painting shows “Sancti near by country village. The other Quiricus e Julitta”. It was originally is a Madonna amongst angels, in placed on the altar but moved to what is perhaps an annunciation accommodate the requirements scene. Worthy of notice along the of worship. On the right wall St. walls are the stations of the cross in Francis with St. Anthony presents coloured plaster cast. The rectory the “Regola” to the Pope. On the and other rooms next to the pieve counter-façade there are two great were inhabited by a small religious single lancet windows with stained community, composed of four Fran- glass windows showing St. Clara, a ciscan nuns, who taught the local gift from the Debolini family, and girls to sew and embroide. They St. Helana, a gift from the Oberdan- lived there until after the Second Debolini families. The baptismal world war. Today the rectory and font is in a niche on the right as one rooms are no longer in use. leaves the pieve. There is a wood covering. The two large paintings Capannole Pieve in the centre of the nave are also Detail of presbytery

3033 PLACES OF ART AND PRAYER

The “phenomenon” of the pieves Pieve is a term which we  nd when we manage its territory called ”piviere”. talk of the great pilgrimages but it is Its archives are still today an inestima- unknown elsewhere. The pieve is not ble source of information. a simple church: a pieve must contain In the Valambra Valley as many as a baptismal font to be de ned as such.  ve pieves co-existed. Two of these The pieve was built on places of pagan pieves were on the border between the worship and near important roads or dioceses of Arezzo and Siena and very a bridge. Frequently in the late middle close to each other. They were Santa ages pieve-castles sprang up one by Maria in Altaserri and San Vincenti. the other with the castle in strong If the territory was claimed by another and dominating position to protect church, the message was communicat- the pieve, like for example Galatrona. ed through architecture (one or three Nearly all the existing pieves were apses), sculpture or painting. The  gu- rebuilt in the 12th Century. In certain rative arts must be seen and interpret- periods of history (wars, invasions and ed according to the moment in which upheavals) the pieve represented the they were created. only institution able to organize and

12

The ancient Pieve of Santa Maria in Altaserra near Montebenichi

34 31 it is re-baptised “Santa Maria The churches dells Ginestra”. It was completely Santa Maria della re-built in1675 and then extensively modi ed in 1902 when the transept Ginestra in Levane and apse were added, the portico The sanctuary is a small church much enlarged and the new bell tower loved by the inhabitants of the sur- built. The transept is no longer in rounding villages. No precise docu- existence. ments exist which attest the origins The interior houses an interesting

13

of this place of worship. However, it Church Santa Maria della Ginestra near Levane is on an important ancient route and archaeological  nds have con rmed painting which has a stone frame. it was also the site of an Etruscan The painting is a Madonna of the settlement. The water source is said Belt. Various sources date it back to to have fertilizing properties. In the end of the 14th Century or begin- the 13th Century, not far from the ning of the 15th Century but a local church, were the ruins of an ancient source attributes it to Bernardino castle and so the church was called Daddi. S. Maria a Catelvecchio (St. Mary of Vasari says of Jacopo da Casentino the old castle). “he showed Spinello Aretino the This is the name we  nd in the 13th principles of art that Spinello taught Century tithe registers. Over the Bernardo Daddi”. Vasari then goes centuries the building was a hermit- on to praise Bernardino Daddi’s age and then a hospice for pilgrims. ability. From the 18th Century onwards 3235 PLACES OF ART AND PRAYER

Perelli, The name Perelli derives from the Latin “Perellius”. The origins of a Country Church the church, dedicated to Saints Tiberzio and Susanna, are rarely The little pale- coloured church of cited in documents. Its existence is Perelli stands alone surrounded by almost certainly due to the proxim- green trees and the typically Tuscan ity to important roads rather than countryside. Here, long white populated areas. In the 16th Century roads are only travelled by tourists it was still a solitary church with or the inhabitants of the scattered no sacristy or rectory but with an 14 external cemetery. The rectory dates back to the mid 18th Century and was on the left of the church, not where it is now. The complex collapsed in 1834 due to structural problems. The church was suppressed and worship was transferred to the nearby San Sal- vatore. The local community were not happy and so decided to fund the re-building of the church. Work  nished in January 1841 and the Grand Duchy annulled the suppres- sion. The church was therefore built Church of the Saints Tiburzio and Susanna and took on its present characteris- at Perelli tics by will of the local community. Inside the church there is a painting houses. It has always been in a of a Madonna with child between solitary position. The houses which the saints Tiburzio and Susanna. sprang up along the road to Bucine The painting was mentioned in a nestle together a few hundred description of the church dating metres from the church. Archaeo- back to the beginning of the 19th logical  nds tell of a remote past Century but it can be traced back to where Etruscans and Romans in- the 16th Century. habited this land leaving cups and various types of pottery. Then came 36 the passage of medieval dwellers. 33 15 Santa Reparata in Mercatale

The church is dedicated to St. Reparata, the only dedication to this saint in the whole of the Bucine up of the church, the large rectory territory. It may well be a reference and the church of the Redentore to the  rst church of Florence. The (Redeemer) and is surrounded by most ancient documents cite the farm land. enormous importance of the town Inside two angels and The Lord of Torre and its church dedicated Father blessing look out from to St. Biagio however, very soon the ornate principal altar and the documents begin to refer to “Torre stuccoed classical broken typanum. of Santa Reparata”. This is a sign of The angels and the  gure of the the pre-eminent role that the church Lord Father have been attributed of Mercatale had begun to play. It is to Cicori, a stucco artist working more correct to speak of a complex in the nearby Montevarchi at the th of buildings rather than a church. end of the 17 Century. On the The buildings are situated on top altar is a beautiful painting of St. of a hill, on the road which leads to Reparata in glory. As is written on Torre. The position is dominating the frame this painting was a gift and rather distant from the original from the brother and sister Sira area of the “mercatale” (market and Siro Sassolini. There are two place). The church complex is made side altars, much simpler than the  rst but stylistically very similar. Along the walls of the single nave there have recently been found sections of frescoes which are still to be completely discovered. Beside the church of St. Reparata there is the small but ornate Church of the Redeemer decorated with votive of- ferings and stuccoes.

Church of St. Reparatore in Mercatale Above : exterior On the left : The principal altar 3437 PLACES OF ART AND PRAYER

16 Bucine. Church of “The last supper”. The paintings contrasts the vague features of the the Santi Apollina- faces with the careful attention paid re e Giovanni Batti- to the brass or metal containers on sta (Apollinaire and John the the bottom left . This characteristic and the perspective indicate a 16th- Baptist) 17th Century artist. Above it on the As one might expect Bucine’s  rst wall a large one luncet window church was inside the castle, in the opens up with stained glass square of the pieve where it is still window representing St. John the possible to see its bell tower, sur- Baptist framed by a very beautiful rounded by houses and reduced box ceiling in perspective. to “Chapel of the Fallen”. Today’s As is evident from the writing it is a parish church is lower down on the road which crosses the town. The interior has three naves with columns with leaf capitals and topped by a Brunelleschian dado where one can make out the letters IA COM and the Conti family coat of arms. It is probably a refer- ence to Iacopo of the Conti family of Florence who possessed land in this area and probably had the new church built over the ancient oratory of St. John the Baptist from which the church took its original Church of St. Apollinaire and John the Baptist The last supper name. Subsequently in 1581 Sebas- tiano Conti expanded the church. gift from” Ernesto Chiaromanni in Today the church is dedicated to St. memory of his wife”. Apollinaire and has been since the The wooden cruci x, on the right 17th Century when the  rst castle nave second chapel, is also very th church lost its importance and the interesting and is probably 15 new church assumed greater im- Century. In the left nave there are portance. two interesting pieces: a Madonna On the main altar a painting shows of the Belt with St. Scolastica and 38 a Madonna of the Graces (Grazie) 35 painted by an artist of the Floren- to be classi ed. The central naves tine school of the end of the 16th or barrel vault ceiling was made in the beginning of the 17th Century. The  rst half of the 20th Century while work is inserted in a stone frame in a the ceilings of the side naves date chapel in which sections of frescoes back to the 19th Century. have been discovered which are yet Ambra. The church of Santa Maria (St. Mary) 17 The church dedicated to St. Mary is an important  xture in the high part of the town in an area where it is not dif cult to recognize the ancient castle. A church dedicated to St. Mary was already in existence in the 14th Century. It was within the castle walls and depended on the pieve of Capannole. In 1737 it became “Prioria” (upgrade). It is 18 interesting to note how the wall of the presbytery area directly en- compassed the castle walls. The ancient nave opens up onto several chapels. The chapel on the right is of particular interest as it contains a large painting by Giovanni Mannozzi, known as Giovanni da San Giovanni in reference to his birthplace in the Valdarno Valley. The painting depicts the birth of Mary that the painter, working in the 17th Century, did not paint for this church. According to Repetti Church of Santa Maria in Ambra Detail of the painting depicting the birth of the painting comes from the Pieve Mary by Giovanni Mannozzi 17th Century 3639 of Galatrona. AN AN AN AN AN PLACES OF ART AND PRAYER AN AN AN AN AN AN AN AN AN 19 AN AN Levane. AN AN A Carracci in AN AN (St Martin) AN San Martino AN AN AN AN AN AN The Church of San Martino in Levane AN AN is very old but all references before the AN AN th AN 17 Century talk of the small church AN AN inside the castle of Leona, in the ancient AN AN town, which changed name and AN AN today is no longer in use. The valley AN th AN church was built in the 17 Century AN AN and dedicated to St. Martin. This AN AN building is only vaguely remembered AN AN and appears in a few photographs. It AN AN was completely destroyed in 1944. AN The church was mined and only the The Pietà – a painting ascribed 20 façade was left standing. It was com- to the Carraccis’ school pletely re-built with neo-classical and of the apse. The really unexpected and baroque elements and shows strongly beautiful surprise is found in the top modern signs especially in the lighting left, at the bottom of the nave near the presbytery area. Here we  nd a large painting depicting a Pietà: the Madonna holds up Christ fl anked by St. Francis and Mary Magdalene. A beautiful painting which is attributed to the Carraccis’ school and painted between 1601 and 1607. The work was donated to the parish a few years ago by a local family of antique dealers: the Ferroni family.

Chuch of San Martino in Levane 40 37 AMONGST VILLAGES AND CASTLES

Galatrona, San Leolino, Cennina, Montebenichi and Rapale

38 23 24 SAN LEOLINO E2 43°27’29.57”N 21 22 11°35’12.07”E 25 TORRE DI GALATRONA E1 43°28’15.55”N 11°34’10.35”E CENNINACENNINACENNINACENNINA F3 43°26’18.39”N 11°35’23.68”E 26

1257+ 27 MONTEBENICHI I2 43°24’20.07”N 11°32’41.40”E 288

RAPALERAPALERAPALERAPALE L4 43°22’24.68”N 11°35’33.81”E

At the beginning of the new Mil- the following centuries. As a conse- lennium the Valdambra Valley quence the “incastellamento process” was characterized by the presence took place. This meant that simple rural of many small rural villages. The villages were sorrounded with battle- concentration of land property in ments and became “castles”. It is clear the hands of few powerful Lords that when talking about “castles” in started during the 10th and 11th the Valdambra valley we mean a village Centuries and increased during surrounded by fortress walls. At the end of the 13th Century inside the castle social changes involving changes in forti ed village urban structure took place. The castle became the Lord’s private property, the “cassero” rose in the middle of it, like a fortress within the fortress. Common people had their “houses” or hut outside the walls, around them: the “borgo” or village. 39 21 The tower of Galatrona Guidi families contended for this strategic castle. Finally in the year The present tower is the only build- 1355 Galatrona submitted to Flor- ing left of a large castle of which ence’s authority. we have news in documents dating Nowadays we can visit the “new” back to the 10th Century. The castle tower after it underwent extensive stood on a hilltop to protect the restoration. The strategic impor- pieve and control the countryside tance of that hilltop was known also and the roads. by the ancient Romans and before them by the Etruscans. The ancient name was “Canas- truna”. A name of Etruscan origin. Remains of thick walls have been found all around the tower, they seem to be parts of an elliptic enclo- sure wall. This may be evidence of 22 Above: Ceramic  nd. It was found in the castle area On the right: the only tower left of Galatrona castle. It is called Torrione

A document dating to the year 1355 describes the castle as having two towers: the new and the old one. This description is con rmed by the 17th Century picture we can see in the pieve. According to the Florentine Land Registry docu- ments (Catasto) of the year 1427 the castle numbered 20 “houses” inside the walls. Outside the walls a large village developed with about an Etrusco-Roman village. 40 houses. During the centuries The tower is twenty seven metres the castle was disputed between high. Inside it is divided into  ve Arezzo, Florence and Siena. It was fl oors. The walls are very thick: 1,80 included in the Viscontado of the metres. The inner rooms, one on Valdambra. Also the Tarlati and each fl oor, are rather small: about 4045 AMONGST VILLAGES AND CASTLES

3,40 metres each side. Floors are Nepo the witch doctor made of different materials: vaulted brickwork fl oors and wooden ones. from Galatrona On each fl oor there are exhibits of Nepo from Galatrona was considered ceramic  nds that were found in the to be a witch doctor and a charlatan. castle area during last restoration He was well known in Florence during works. There are both everyday the 15th Century. A 16th Century story life achromatic ceramic fragments writer described Nepo as a tall man, dating to the Middle Ages, and pleasant, dark skinned, with no hair  nds referring to a period between on his head and a long emaciated face. the 11th and the 17th Centuries with His long dark beard reached his chest. beautiful decorations. He dressed in odd, rough clothes. It is All those who manage to climb up said that Lorenzo the Magni cent had to the tower top terrace will un- invited him to Florence since he loved to amaze the population with strange persons able to infl uence them. Nepo probably had humble origins. He was born in the countryside of Galatrona and earned enough to survive by claim- ing supernatural powers and acting as a healer. He basically took advantage of people’s superstition and gullibility. It seems that due to his activity Nepo A view of the ancient Galatrona Castle in a painting housed in the pieve of Galatrona. was investigated by the Florentine In- quisition but Lorenzo the Magni cent himself interceded with the Inquisition derstand the strategic value of this to prevent him going to prison. Once place: from here the whole Valdar- Nepo had to go back to Valdarno, his no valley is visible and Valdambra native land, he was investigated again too. The view is beautiful: olive by the Inquisition and was imprisoned groves and vineyards, some woods in San Giovanni Valdarno town pris- are dark spots on the landscape on. He was released once again thanks and an 18th Century villa: the villa to the Medici family intercession. Petrolo can be seen. Also visible , not too far on a lower position, a small town whose name is mean- ingful: Mercatale and a little burg: 46 Torre. 41 23 San Seolino village is spread on a hilltop San Leolino San Leolino in the Valdambra parish church. Its origins seem to valley is a nice hill top village, date back to the 10th Century but standing at 377 height above sea it presents a baroque style with level, between the castle of Cennina baroque altars, stucco works due and Galatrona Tower, it is sur- to transformations made during rounded by vinyeards and olive the 17th and 18th Centuries. Just the groves. From the valley you can see roof with the wooden trusses and it, it is unmistakeable, it is framed the simple façade remind us of its by the dark shapes of the cypresses. antique origins. From the church The oldest part of the village shows archive we learn that the church the round shape that is typical of became a Pieve in the 15th Century. medieval castles, while the town is It was almost certainly a pieve spread on the hill top and crossed in the 16th Century. The present by just one completly level street. church building is larger and has The castle belonged to the Counts more decorations than the original Guidi of Modigliana. Its tall walls one. There are three altars. On the are recognizably incorporated main one there is a grey stone taber- into private houses. In the oldest nacle referring to the end of the 15th part of the present village, that is and beginning of the 16th Centuries. in the castle area, there stand the In the frame there is a beauitful 4247 AMONGST VILLAGES AND CASTLES

painting on wood: the Madonna in glory with Child, appears to Saint Leolino who is together with two angels holding the bishop mitre 24 The Pieve of San Leolino 25 and stick. On the sides there are Saint Peter and Lorenzo. High on sician, a journalist, writer, poet, the same wall there are other in- patriot and Garibaldian. After vis- teresting works enclosed in stucco iting the Pieve we can discover the frames. The  rst on the left is an other rooms of the pieve build- Annunciation dating to the  rst half ing complex. There is the Rectory ot the 17th Century referring to the with other farming rooms such artistic environment of Bernardi- as the vat room, oil jar room and no Santini. The other one is San the granary. The oil mill is not far, Francesco referring to the Cigoli just under the St. Michael Archan- workshop. Another great artist is gel oratory building. Last but not the outhor of the canvas showing least the Sacred Art museum estab-  gures of saints surrounding the lished few years ago by the local Madonna of the Rosary: Salvi association named “Friends of San Castellucci, of Pietro da Cortona Leolino” (Amici di San Leolino). school. The painting is on the left In the museum the church and li- altar and has a date: 1671. Right in turgical vestments dating from the the middle of the canvas there is a 14th Century are on show together beautiful 16th Century earthenware with the library and the old histori- coloured statue Madonna with cal archive. Walking in the village Child. On the opposite wall we discover 15th Century palaces there is the altar dedicated built by rich noble families that to the Madonna Addol- used to spend their summers orata. Also the baptismal in San Leolino. For further font is very interesting: information and visits go to on top of it there is a rare www.sanleolinodibucine.it. alabaster and re ned templet dating to the 16th Century. During the 19th Century Risorgimen- to the Pieve had a singular The alabaster templet placed on the Pievano: don Pirro Giacchi. baptismal font in the local pieve. Use of 48 the picture kindly allowed by the holder of the site He was a lawyer, a mu- www.sanleolinodibucine.it. 43 HISTORICAL NEWS

The Poet Ugo Foscolo and the “Sensitive lady”

Quirina Mocenni was daughter of a rich merchant and Teresa Regoli whose literary salon in Siena boasted the presence of the poet Vittorio Al eri. Quirina lived in Valdarno because of her marriage to Ferdinando Magiotti, from Montevarchi. He was heir of one of the greatest families in the town but, as we can understand from his contemporaries he was “not very clever”. The Magiotti family owned vast estates and properties in the Valdarno Valley, in Florence and in San Leolino. From the house in the small village among hills Quirina wrote many letters to the poet Ugo Foscolo. She had met him in Florence in the year 1812 and they had had a love affair. In a letter written in San Leolino on June 18th 1818, the “Donna Gentile” gives a romantic description of the country surrounding the village. She wrote: “ now to end as Boccaccio wrote, I’ll tell you that I’m not in Certaldo but in San Leolino. Not seeing the ambitions and regretta- ble behavior of our fellow-citizen is consolation for my soul. If I could hear nothingnothing about them,th I could truly rest. Instead of the citizens’ continous tumult,tum I see the  elds, the hills, the trees with green foliagefo and dressed in various kind of fl owers. All thingsth here are spontaneosly made by Nature whilew the citizens just show hypocrisy. I hear singings nightingales and other birds..., and I do notn need to write any further because Boccaccio willw tell you for me. Now, my Ugo goodbye. I pray God to keep you healthy and to console youy for your life and all the troubles you have suffereds until today. Don’t forget me, whatever feelingsf you may have and remember that no WomanW can ever love you with such faith- fulness, sincerity and pride as much as your Quirina”.Quirina” Quirina was a friend of Giuseppe Mazzini and Silvio Pellico. The latter, in spring 1846 went to San Leolino together with the marquise Giulia Falletti Barolo to visit Donna Quirina.

Quirina Magiotti and Ugo Foscolo from an old print. 4449 AMONGST VILLAGES AND CASTLES

26 Cennina In the year 1833 Emanuele Repetti in the famous ”historical” diction- ary of Tuscany describes Cennina as “a castle with ruins of a fortress and the walls and towards the west an ancient parish church, dedicated where the mill was raised. The visitor to St. Peter dependent on Galatrona today will be enchanted by the sense Pieve”. It stood and still stands on a of power that comes from the thick high hill from which, like a sentinel, ruined walls and by the peace and it follows the visitors to Valdambra silence broken only by birdsong . It Valley. Its sentry duty is completed is dif cult to imagine the days of war by another important tower: Galat- and bitter struggles handed down by rona. When talking about castles we the Chronicles : wars to conquer and always mean a village with a fortress control a strategic land constantly wall. disputed between Arezzo, Siena and In Cennina, unfortunately, there Florence. Looking at the walls, the are no buildings dating back to a changes of the wall’s thickness and period before the year 1000 but the the different window shapes tell us a place-name and archaeological  nds lot about military architecture. Walls con rm that the place was already are thicker with small windows known in very ancient times. The where more exposed to the enemies. castle was built in the year 1167 when Window shapes take the name from the ghibelline Brandaglia Alberigo the weapon they were made for. For D’Uguccione was invested with the instance there are crossbow windows title of Lord of Cennina. Probably at (a balestriera) and bow windows that time there was just one tower. (arciera). Higher up the fl oors are The castle is raised like an area sur- safer and they have larger windows. rounded by walls provided with At the base of the medieval building more than one tower, the Cassero, the some 2nd Century “opus pittatum” nice circle with the cistern and few walls have been found. This is evi- houses built all around the circle. A dence of the settling age. Beside that moat surrounded the castle. Outside there is evidence of the different re- the walls the village with houses, constructions, consequences of wars. shops and workshops developed fol- Finally after the submission to Flor- lowing two direction: towards the ence the medieval castle was turned 50 church that was and still is outside into a residence for nobles. If on one 45 Above: the church in the village On previous page: Cennina castle ruins.

hand the holes of walk way support on the top of walls remind us of long nights passed waiting for enemy armies, on the other hand the nice cistern and the great care taken in keeping the building complex, make Cennina an extraordinarily beautiful place, to be seen in silence even better if at sunset.

Charitable Institutions pendent on the Monastery of Ginestra in Montevarchi. Near Mercatale, at Torre, In the Valdambra Valley as well as in there was another “hospital” called San- other parts of Tuscany we see the begin- ta Maria alla Ginestrella. It was already ning of a general process that will last existent at the end of the 14th Century for some centuries: the establishment of and had a history madeup of alternate “hospitals”. The word has not to be in- phases of fortune and decline: from a re- tended with the modern meaning. Hos- port of the year 1585 we know that the pitals were charitable institutions ( alm- priest charged to administrate that hos- shouses) to give hospitality and help to pital was at the time in the Florentine poor people and pilgrims. Most of these prison “Le Stinche”! The Hospital set in “hospitals” were established thanks to the castle of Galatrona had just one bed rich families’ bequests and held by reli- or better, one “pallet”. In the 16th Cen- gious societies and other religious insti- tury it provided the bed but no food. tutions. One of the most ancient “hos- The hospital called Santa Maria Nuova pitals” in the Podesteria of Bucine was in Ambra at the beginning of the 17th called Hospital of San Marco at Siepe Century was just for poor people. Ac- or Sietrena. The Pieve of Galatrana had cording to the year 1606 Bishop visit jurisdiction on it. We  nd mention of report, the “hospital” of Santa Maria in this “hospital” in the “Decime” register Bucine was overcrowded: it had just two

of the year 1275. Decima was a tax (1/10) beds but 10 persons tried to sleep there. that religious institutions such as com- In the same period there was a small mon churches, hospitals etc had to pay “hospital” in San Leonino. It was estab- to the main church they were dependent lished by the Corsi Family and provided on. Around the end of 16th Century the “a clean bed, candlelight and wood for “hospital” of San Marco at Siepe was de- three, maximum four, days”. 4651 AMONGST VILLAGES AND CASTLES

27 Montebenichi ful 18th Century farm houses called Leopol- During the past few years near dine from the name of Montebenichi many important ar- Granduke Leopold, all chaeological  nds have been made. surrounded by century age- The travertine Roman sarcophagus old oaks, the pieve is the held in the cloister of the palaeonto-  rst building we see. logical museum of Montevarchi was It was a very im- found right in front of the old pieve portant pieve, both dedicated to Santa Maria in Altaser- because it control- ra, while in the  elds all around the led a huge area with church there was an abundance of up to sixteen depend- bricks dating to Etruscan times as ent churches and for its well as the small well-like tombs position right on the border discovered by the cemetery. between the Arezzo and Siena Dio- The pieve has very old origins, the ceses.  rst building dates back to the 8th Century, palaeochristian times, built on previous Roman buildings. The village The present church is the one rebuilt in the 12th Century. When arriving Both the place name and the village in Montebenichi, after some beauti- originated from a previous Longo- bard settlement. Historical Chroni- cles are rich with news about Montebenichi. Standing on such a strategical position the village and castles were besieged many times in the centuries and destroyed in the year 1478. This is the native place of Gregorio Stendardi, better known as Goro da Montebenichi, captain of fortune. Presently Monteben- ichi is a very nice village, with two

the Castelletto the “Castelletto” (little castle) was built at the beginning of the 20th Century. It incorporates 52 sections of the ancient fortress walls 47 outstanding palaces showing clear 20th Century architectural features: Stendardi palace and the so called “castelletto” that is “little castle”, whose architectural characters are due to restoration dating to a period between the years 1901 and 1907. The “Castelletto” seems to encom- pass parts of the old fortress walls and has been recently turned into the Castelletto A detail of a window an exclusive hotel taking maximum Previos page: coat of arms on the castelletto care to preserve all the old architec- façade. tural features.

The Captain him with his body, but Ferrucci moved Of Fortune’s Palace him away to join the  ght.” and there Ferrucci died. With the defeat of Fer- rucci the last Florentine Republic ends. On Stendardi Palace façade there is After the fall of the Florentine Repub- a plaque placed there in June 1902 to lic the Medici Family reconquered the celebrete Goro da Montebenichi. Goro, domination of Florence, and so the cap- whose real name was Gregorio Stend- tain from the Valdambra valley went ardi, was a mercenary who had begun to offer his help to another Lord. In the his military carreer  ghting for Gio- year 1552 he oragnized the defence of vanni dalla Bande Nere. After starting Montepulciano charged by Granduke to work for the Folorentine Republic, Cosimo I of the Medici family. considered to be a man free with his Stendardi Palacelace hands and always ready to pick a  ght, at Montebenichintebenichi he became one of the most faithful and bravest captains in Francesco Ferruc-uc- ci’s army. During the famous battle of Gavinana, in 1530, Francesco Ferruc-uc- ci’s army faced the Emperor Carlo V‘s armies, allied with the Pope Clementente VII (Medici Family). Chronicles report that “seeing his cap-p- tain in serious danger he tried to protectect 4853 AMONGST VILLAGES AND CASTLES

28 Rapale Rapale the entry road to the castle This is a nice village set on a hill on to St. Miniato. It stands right on the the right side of the Ambra river. right side after the gate and shows a It has preserved, more than most date on the portal: MDCXXXIII. It is other villages, the original features certainly the year restoration work of the antique castle. From the took place. stone paved street leading to the Going further along, Medieval “gate” one can see the valley at one walls give way to rural buildings glance. The most ancient writings and houses, sometime including citing Rapale date to the early mid- medieval walls. Reaching the other dle ages but there is evidence that end of the village we  nd a medi- the place was already inhabited as eval tower with its upper part miss- well as all the valley, during Roman ing and with a wide strong round times. Even up to the recent past the base. farmers used to  nd ruins of walls Starting from Rapale a hill road while ploughing the  elds. Walk- winding between woods and  elds ing along the village old street is leads to the village named Sogna, the indeed suggestive . The little chuch, ancient  fe of the Ubertini Family. 54 former castle chapel, is dedicated 49 HISTORICAL NEWS

Before the Scannagallo battle: the Valdambra valley attacked and destroyed The year 1554 was particularly bad for Tuscan populations. In January Cosimo I‘s Florentine army allied with the Spanish army of Emperor Charles V besieged Siena. As a consequence Siena soldiers allied with the French army, attacked the villages and castles belonging to the Florentine domination. War was everywhere. The  nal  ght between the two Tuscan town ended with Siena  nally defeated during the battle of Scannagallo. It was August 2nd 1554. At the beginning of March French and Sienese soldiers entered the Valdambra valley, attacked and destroyed the tower at Selva, near Montebenichi. The attack was ferocious. Terri ed by such violence, on March 3rd 1554, the inhabitans of Rapale castle wrote a letter to Alessandro Manetti, Podestà of Bucine asking for protection. In the letter they describe the facts that had taken place at Montebe- nichi. “...in the tower people burned to death, many children and women were injured in the  re” Many were kept prisoners, many prisoners had injured legs because in oder to escape the violent  re they jumped out of the tower: “In the past Rapale had been besieged but - they say - thank God we could defend and save our- selves and we also had help from the other castles. It seems that today every popula- tion wants only to take care of itself, and does not care for its neighbours”. Then Rapale inhabitants ask to be provided with at least twelve archibusiers. On that same day, Alessandro Manetti wrote to Cosimo I to inform him about the facts. The tower missing the upper part “....This morning at sun rise the alarm was sounded from one of the castles of my Podesteria, so I knew that the French together with the Sienese soldiers had attacked the tower of Selva and burned it very early this morning... with people inside”. Then he adds: “It seems to me that the Valdambra valley is in danger both because there is no army to protect it, and because it has just lost that tower.” 5055 IN THE VALLEY AND ALONG THE RIVER

Ambra, Capannole, Pogi, Bucine and Levane

51 LEVANELEVANELEVANELEVANE 36 B2 43°29’55.28”N 11°37’23.42”E 35

BUCINEBUCINEBUCINEBUCINE 1257+ 34 C3 43°28’44.74”N 11°37’02.44”E POGIPOGIPOGIPOGI D3 43°27’57.47”N 31 32 33 11°36’55.29”E

mbra is the name of the princi- CAPANNOLE 30 pal river which fl ows through E3 the territory of Bucine. It 43°26’23.96”N A 11°37’09.68”E fl ows down from the mountains of Monteluco, from the peaks which sepa- rate us from the territory belonging to Siena and into the Arno after about 35 AMBRAAMBRAAMBRAAMBRA kilometres. Settlements have sprung G3 43°24’58.31”N up along the river since pre-Etruscan 29 11°36’13.47”E times. It could be identi ed with Umbro Flumen indicated in the Peutingerian much more tangible mark . Villages tablet dating back to the 4th Century and churches were built near medieval AD , but archaeological  nds indicate mills and bridges, and we have a great that the Etruscans lived on its banks. deal of documentary evidence of lively The medieval settlements have left a activity in the middle ages.

52 29 Ambra The ancient castle of Ambra rose on a modest hill not too far from the river. In the area of the old for- ti ed town the church bell tower stands tall. It was built at the begin- ning of the 20th Century substitut- ing the “sail” which had housed the bells of worship since ancient times. Once the defensive function was no longer necessary, the town A suggestive view of the town spread to the plains lower down which was crossed by an important are well worth a visit. At sunset the road that connected the Valdarno fading light in the valley is particu- Valley to the Siena territory. Not larly suggestive before the onset of much remains of the old defence the dark. structures. In the 16th Century Am- The place name dates back to Etrus- mirato writes “...of the castle only can times while the medieval castle a few houses and a trace of the an- belonged to the  efs of the Ubertini cient castle walls remain.” A section and Tarlati families. The castle was of these walls has destroyed during the 14th Century been incorpo- by the Florentines who had long rated into the tried to impose their authority on parish church this geographically strategic area. but the small During the 20th Century Ambra be- streets of the came famous for the production of higher part tobacco and on the outskirts of the of the town town it is still possible to see the are typical tobacco factories,  ne examples of of medieval industrial archaeology. town plan- ning and

“Against all wars the anger of mothers” is chiselled on the base of this interesting monument in memory of the fallen of all wars created by the contemporary artist Firenze Poggi. 5359 IN THE VALLEY AND ALONG THE RIVER

View of the small town once castle of Capannole

Capannole 30 Anyone visiting the territory of Bu- have possessed an ancient seal with cine will certainly  nd themselves the words “S° Del Chomune D Ca- in Capannole sooner or later. It is panol” inscribed on it and showing a vital crossroads however. Impor- a castle with a hut (capanna in Ital- tant archaeological  nds of sections ian) beside it. According to various of ancient walls including: opus experts the place name is merely reticolatum, innumerable frag- the abbreviation of the simple ments of vases and the ruins buildings inhabited by sol- of an ancient bridge on diers stationed there as the river Ambra dating road sentries. The cas- back to the late Roman tle, situated on higher period and middle ages ground, on the river all bear witness to the Trove, near its meet- fact that in the past its im- ing point with Ambra, portance was even greater. like many others in the The importance of Capannole valley was owned by the Uber- as a crossroads is con rmed by tini family. The oldest document the presence of a baptismal church which immediately became emi- Ancient Seal of the free town council of Capan- nole as it was drawn in an 18th Century text 60 nent. This community seems to 54 which cites it is a contract of sale walk around the old town which dating back to 1038. The castle is still preserves the characteristic lit- listed amongst those placed under tle houses and the small suggestive the jurisdiction of the Monastery streets surrounded by vegetable of S. Maria ad Agnano ( St. Mary gardens and lush greenness. of Agnano) by the Vannuchi fam- ily. It is highly recommended to

The ancient Romanesque bridge

Pogi: 31 32 nuity of an ancient path and that A bridge and a castle it is built on the foundations of a Roman bridge. In 1138 the monks Pogi is a lovely little ancient village. of Agnano owned a mill here. The It was built on the banks of the river oldest documents which cite the Ambra which here is crossed by a castle date back to the 12th Century characteristic Romanesque donkey- and are two concessions for the back bridge with  ve arches. Made right to use the mill. The place-name in stone and brick it is immediately does not derive from having been recognizable because it has two the castle on the “poggio” (hilltop) colours. Some experts claim that but derives from the Latin “paucis” this bridge represents the conti- which developed into “Poci” and 5561 IN THE VALLEY AND ALONG THE RIVER

on foot. Over the bridge, walking towards the hill one comes to a gor- geous little town built around two squares which are still surrounded 33 by the foundations of the old walls, all that remains of the Castle of Pogi on the river Ambra. It must have had at least two towers. Near what must have been the door is the little church dedicated to St. Interior of the church of St. Donato in Pogi Donato. Inside the church with just one nave, there is a beautiful paint- “Poce” to then become Pogi. ing of the Florentine school dating The presence of the river and the back to the end of the 16th Century: bridge proved extremely positive Madonna with child beside St. to the town. The castle was built Donato Bishop and St. Lucy (Lucia). farther away but can be reached

Not a trumpet but a net

In the 19th Century Bucine was de- so looks like a “buccina” (war trum- scribed as a: “Castle whose name is pet). The dictionary of The Academia contained in the coat of arms which della Crusca ( Crusca Academy) shows a lion holding a “buccina” de nes “bucine” as indicating or bent war trumpet. Today two types of net: one for Bucine is the administrative  shing and one for hunting capital of one of the vastest birds like chaf nches. The territories in the province of place name could there- Arezzo. Its coat of arms shows fore derive from the  shing a rampant lion holding an ob- which took place in the Am- ject which has been interpreted bra river. in various ways. The object seems to be a “bucine” and not a “buccina” Bucine coat of arms as it appears in the or rather it is actually a net which be- publication “500 coat of arms of the Ita- comes quite large but here is folded and lian Town Councils” Milan 1940 62 56 Bucine- the town hall Two bridges and a great deal of history Where the road from Bucine to Levane meets Ambra river there are two bridg- es rich in history. The most ancient was built by the Romans and damaged dur- ing the Second World War. Today only a single arch in the middle of the river remains. The railway bridge was built in 1864 for the Florence-Rome line with two rows of arches and pedestrian crossings. During the Second World War it survived the air raids but was mined by the German army during Bucine 34 its retreat. They blew it up along with Bucine is the most important town the tunnels. The bridge was quickly of the council’s administrative ter- rebuilt by artisans from all over Italy: ritory. The  rst historical document carpenters came from Friuli and min- which cites Bucine dates back to the ers from Calabria and Abruzzo. Some 11th Century. It was a handsome yellowed photographs show the “great and strong castle with walls which lunch” of 1946 to celebrate the end of still protected it in 1646 when Giulio the building work. Vitelli was invested with the  ef of Bucine. It had four towers which were ruins according to 19th Century 35 documents. An ancient stylized image can be seen in the Dome of Arezzo, in the cenotaph of Bishop Tarlati which commemorates with other enterprises, the bishop-warri- or’s conquest of Bucine. Vasari says in his description of the artwork by the sculptors Agostino and Agnolo that in the sixth panel one can see

“the conquest of castle of Bucine in Ruins of the ancient Roman bridge and in the Valdarno Valley”. the background the “new” railway bridge 5763 IN THE VALLEY AND ALONG THE RIVER

the high square where we had the “pieve”. The square is dominated by the imposing palace where the Marquis Vitelli lived and because of its style many attribute to Buon- talenti. A walk through the town should include Palazzo Pretorio, today home to the town hall which looks out onto the main square. It has many coats of arms which bear witness to the many authorities in- volved in the government of the ter- Old coats of arms on the town hall façade ritory. Inside the Palazzo Pretorio there are frescoes and of par- One can still make out sections ticular interest a cruci x of the wall which have been in- attributed to a Sienese corporated into private houses. school of the 16th Century. The castle was built high up, here various buildings form a sugges- tive maze of streets which lead to

The “Winged Victory”

In the people’s square (Piazza del Popo- lo) in front of the town hall it is possible to admire a bronze statue in memory of the fallen of the First World War 1915- Work of art by 1918: it is a Winged Victory by Pietro the sculptor Pietro Guerri Guerri (1865-1936) which was inau- gurated in 1922. The statue is part of a series of commemorative works, show- ing various subjects, in the Valdarno Valley that the sculptor created in the 1920s which honour the fallen of the 64 First World War. 58 Levane 36 The “devil’s bread” Levane is still a lively little town today. It was and still is on an im- Rumours had been rife for years in the portant road. The Strada Regia valley. In Levane on the hill top that Aretina (Main Arezzo Road) cut went from the ancient castle of Leona through Levane. This was the valley towards the valley of Inferno, strange road travelled by postilions and stones of various sizes had been found, foreign travellers who wrote their but all of them were empty inside. impressions of it during the 18th and Some farmers from the area tell of hav- 19th Centuries. The ancient heart ing broken them in half whilst working of the town is Levane alta (Upper in the  elds. Their interior was hollow Levane) or rather what was known and contained many whitish needles. as Castel Leona. From an adminis- People began to say that they were trative point of view it is run by two without doubt something evil and that town councils: Montevarchi and they were not stones but the “devil’s Bucine. Its territory is very interest- bread”. This is the popular legend ing from a mineralogical point of which surrounded the aragonite and view and has attracted naturalists geodes and kutnaorite found in the since the 18th Century. The writings Levane territory. Today they attract of Targioni Tozzetti are well known mineralogists from all over the world. and signalled the presence of large geodes referred to at the time as “the devil’s bread”. 5965 MONUMENTAL TREES AND PLACES TO DISCOVER

Small villages, villas and old trees

60 49 MIGLIARINA B3 C3 43°29’24.41”N 43°28’44.74”N 11°37’51.58”E 1257+ 11°37’02.44”E D1 BUCINEBUCINEBUCINEBUCINE 43°28’55.84”N 11°33’56.73”E 46 TORRETORRETORRETORRE 53 47 PETROLOPETROLOPETROLOPETROLO 455 MERCATALE E1 VALDARNO 43°28’15.84”N CASTIGLIONN ALALBERTIALLBB D1 11°34’13.17”E D4 43°28’48.35”N 43°26’43.91”N 11°33’44.97”E 50 11°37’23.33”E LUPINARILUPINARILUPINARILUPINARI F4 544 48 43°25’40.86”N E2 11°38’02.13”E 43°26’55.42”N 11°35’31.17”E 39b VILLAVILLAVILLAVILLA G5 43°24’22.05”N 11°39’10.76”E 44 SOLATASOLATASOLATASOLATAS LA A SAN PANCRAZIO F2 43°26’31.36”N 411 11°33’36.10”E DUDDOVADUDDOVADUDDOVADUDDOVA G3 43°25’20.21”N 42 43 11°35’01.95”E H4 39a 43°23’45.56”N SAN MARTINONNO 55 11°36’09.50”E H3 BADIA A RUOTI 43°24’28.07”N 11°35’19.60”E PIETRAVIVA 51 I3 43°23’39.62”N 11°35’02.91”E 37 38 MONTEBENICHI SOGNASOGNASOGNASOGNA I2 40 I4 43°24’20.07”N 43°22’57.70”N 11°32’41.40”E 11°36’43.61”E

52

he territory of Bucine is rich to classical itineraries it is possi- in cultivated lands, thick ble to plan alternative excursions Twoods, beautiful valleys and off the beaten track and discover solitary hilltops. There is no lack of breathtaking landscapes, monu- suggestive places which invite the mental trees, small towns and the visitor to travel unhurriedly down ruins of ancient castles hidden by roads and discover the most seclud- vegetation. All this can be done by ed corners and the most authentic following the signalled CAI routes tastes of a land blessed by Nature or the old vicinal roads on foot, by and respected by Man. In addition bike or on horseback. 61 The small towns

Sogna 37

Typical Mediterranean woods where birdsong echoes and old semi-abandoned  elds fl ank the road that goes from Rapale to the ancient town of Sogna, now a tour- ist centre. The old hillside town still preserves traces of the imposing forti cations The surviving walls 38 that in the middle ages had made of the ancient forti cations Sogna one of the strongholds of the powerful Ubertini family which A walk through the narrow streets dominated most of the Ambra of the ancient castle allow the visi- Valley. There are documents dat- tor to admire the remains of the ing back to the second half of the ancient walls, the church dedicated 13th Century that con rm the pres- to San Tommaso (St Thomas) and a ence of this family in Sogna. Many beautiful monument to the victims chatelaines who had moved to the of the reprisals during the Second castle of Badia a Ruoti came from World War. Sogna. The forti ed town was de- stroyed in the  rst half of the 15th Century during the war between Florence and Milan, the latter were allied with Siena. This corner of La Villa and Tuscany still bears the architectural San Martino 39a 39b signs of a long and complex his- tory. Sogna was marked by centu- On the two opposite banks of the ries of war, it then became a farm- river Ambra there are two country ing town and in more recent times villages which were not castles but was completely abandoned. It was are well worth a visit. The natural then completely restored to become beauty of their surroundings make what today is an exquisite centre them perfect for a gorgeous walk in for tourists. the countryside. 6269 MONUMENTAL TREES AND PLACES TO DISCOVER

A beautiful view of the town of Pietraviva Pietraviva 40

Pietraviva can be found on a hillside on the hill of Santa Lucia (St. Lucy). which overlooks the valley road. Curiously the name of this centre, The old part of the town has under- probably abandoned due to wars, gone numerous important transfor- was “ Santa Lucia di Rabbia Cani- mations over the centuries and yet na” ( St. Lucy of Canine Rabies) still retains the architecture typical probably because of healers or heal- of medieval forti ed towns. In the ing linked to the disease. middle ages also Pietraviva was a The current church of the town was  ef belonging to the Ubertini fam- restored and its appearances was ily, lords of the Upper Ambra Val- modi ed but its medieval origins ley. The  rst settlement dates back are still evident. Inside the church to the beginning of the 14th Century there is a beautiful apse in stone when the powerful feudal family of which has a small single-lancet win- the time decided to  nance the con- dow which traditionally faces East. struction of a forti ed town where The brick bell tower dates back to we see it today. Previously another the beginning of the 20th Century. castle had existed not far from there 70 63 41 Duddova

The place name derives from an Ostrogoth name. In the 13th Cen- tury Duddova was part of the lands owned by the Ubertini family who sold it to the Abbey of Ruoti. Dud- ship with a garden surrounded by dova is mentioned in some sales a high wall. It is dif cult to under- contracts dating to the 16th Century. stand whether it is an allusion to It is a lovely little town not far from the hermitage of Camaldoli. Ambra. It no longer possesses any Outside on the façade a tombstone forti cations. The church, dedi- commemorates the four citizens cated to San Michele Arcangiolo who died in the war, whilst above (Archangel Michael) was restored the portal there is what remains in 1959. of a stone bas-relief which Inside the church behind shows the camaldolese the main altar there is coat of arms. a painting in a stucco Walking through frame which shows the town one can the Madonna with admire beautiful child between St. millstones which Romualdo and are at least four Archangel Michael. centuries old At the bottom of the because in Dud- painting the Camal- dova once there dolesi coat of arms is were three olive enclosed in a garland -like presses. Near the town decoration: this provides us with is a lovely spring with a a clear idea of who commissioned stone wash-tub. Not far from the the work. Next to the coat of arms church we  nd two curious “twin” one can just about make out a date buildings close to each other which which is partially illegible. There is according to tradition were two an- however, another element which cient watchtowers. provokes the interest of the more careful observer: slightly above The small church of San Michele Arcangiolo the coat of arms is a place of wor- and an ancient 17th Century millstone. 6471 MONUMENTAL TREES AND PLACES TO DISCOVER

42 The rose garden in memory of the slaughter of 29th June 1944 and in the background “the San Pancrazio lighthouse”, the white statue by Firenze Poggi.

San Pancrazio was built near a jurisdiction of the Monastery of S. road important in Roman times. Maria of Agnano. It was not a pain- A branching off of the Cassia road less passage; in the following years from Chiusi which led to Arezzo the powerful feudal family must passed through here. A part of this have taken its revenge with regards road from Monte San Savino crossed to the control of the castle until the through San Pancrazio and descend- monks of the Agnano abbey came ed towards Capannole. This road under the protection of Florence in was also known as Via Traversa in the mid 14th Century. The abbot of the middle ages and Via dei Procac- that monastery was even obliged ci in the 18th Century. In the middle to ask Pope Benedict XII to protect ages this too was a castle of a branch them opposing the interference of of the Ubertini family of Arezzo. In the Bishop of Arezzo, Buoso of the 1262 the Ubertini family ceded the Ubertinis. 72 castle and all its inhabitants to the 65 HISTORICAL NEWS

43 The Museum of Remembrance (Museo della Memoria)

Today the Museo della Memoria can be found in the cellar of what, in the 18th Century, was the Pietrangeli Farm. It is a centre containing documentation con- cerning the slaughter of San Pancrazio carried out on 29th June 1944. San Pancrazio and many other places of the Valdarno and Valdichiana Val- leys were the scenes of massacres carried out by Nazis belonging to the Hermann Goring Armoured Division. The aim of the museum is to safeguard historical memory. In the building, bought and re- structured by the town council administration, there is also the Don Giusepe Torelli Intercultural Centre dedicated to the parish priest who was also killed in the 1944 massacre. In the garden behind the building a rose garden was planted in memory of the civilians killed: each rose bush has a plaque with the name of one of the victims en- graved on it. In the upper part of the garden a large marble statue by Firenze Poggi looks towards the horizon and on the lectern bears the inscription: “Here, in eternal memory of the horrible deeds of history, in the place marked by tragedy, a mother af rms life like a lighthouse in the rose garden.. towards the valley”. For further information telephone 055 9955526

Solata 44 In the 19th Century Emanuele Repet- side the town surrounding the soli- ti said of Solata: “It lies on a hill tary cemetery many wild orchids top, between the rivers Ambra and grow. Whoever loves the colours Trigesimo. You can reach it by fol- of the sky at dawn cannot afford to lowing a CAI path amidst luxuriant miss the spectacle of the Valdambra vegetation which opens up to give Valley at sunrise. This moment is beautiful views of the valley. There particularly beautiful in the area be- are not many houses around the tween Cennina and Solata because church dedicated to the saints Jaco- of the view which includes the po and Cristofano; there is a large valley and the Pratomagno moun- 19th Century villa. Not too far out- tains”. 6673 MONUMENTAL TREES AND PLACES TO DISCOVER

45 Castiglion Alberti View of Castiglion Alberti The historian Scipione Ammira- and was, together with the Abbey, to described this inhabited place under the authority of Florence in amongst green woods, farmed 1350. In the organization of the ter-  elds and the valleys of Scer o and ritory under Florentine rule, Cas- Ambra as “ an old town with few tiglion Alberti became part of the houses surrounding it and which Valdambra League instituted in was evidently an ancient fortress”. 1362 and then in the 18th Century At the time the wars which raged it was assigned to the “Podesteria” through the valley between differ- of Bucine. The church’s brick bell ent powers were over. One reaches tower stands up among trees. The Castiglion Alberti by a road fl anked church once dedicated to the Saints alternately by cypress trees and Fabiano and Sebastiano (Fabian and oaks. Castiglion Alberti referred to Sebastian), is today a pottery work- in 14th Century documents as “Cas- shop. It is hard to miss the remains tiglione Albertorum” was founded of the ancient walls of the medieval in 900 by the powerful Ubertini castle and the ruins of the walls of family and was still in their pos- ancient buildings. session at the beginning of 1300. By the mid 14th Century it had passed to the powerful Abbey of Agnano 74 67 46 47 Torre and Mercatale Torre was a castle which accord- ing to land registry documents of 1427 numbered about “21 houses” inside its walls and 31 in the town. Coming from Montevarchi it is pos- sible to admire its harmony. The castle still preserves its main en- trance, a building which was once where guards stood sentry and a small church dedicated to St. Biagio name remained unchanged, a which was once the castle chapel. square area surrounded by build- This church possesses one short ings placed near a bridge and with nave with wooden trussed roof and a well in its centre developed into evident 18th -19th Century character- a town that took its name from the istics. It is all on a sheer drop on the market activities “Mercatale”. A river Trigesimo. On it depended a new church has been built, on the 12th Century market which was so road to Torre, in a much more dom- important that it determined the inant position compared to Mercat- development of a settlement all ale: its name is Santa Reparata. around the square, but not impor- tant enough to have a wall built Two suggestive views of the small town Torre around it. This market town whose partially surrounded by the ancient walls

6875 MONUMENTAL TREES AND PLACES TO DISCOVER

Villas and palaces 48 The medieval centuries left us sug- gestive towns but the 18th and 19th Centuries, with the re-organization of estates, left us imposing and elegant houses surrounded by parks. Villa Soldani Benzi in Petrolo dates back to the 18th Century. Its position is more dominant compared to the “pieve”. It was built by Massimiliano Soldani Benzi as a family residence. He was the famous sculptor and goldsmith of Medici Court. Two family coats of The farm of Petrolo arms are still visible on the façade. 49 Villa Migliarina near Levane dates back to the 19th Century. It was built in 1826 designed by the architect Angelo Caprilli. It is tall and compact crowned by a rectangular loggia in which the space is de ned by small columns. Under the loggias two terra- cotta sphinxes dominate the large park surrounding the house. The park con- tains century-aged trees and a private chapel.

50 Villa Frisoni is the most recent con- The 20th Century castle of Lupinari struction. It is not far from Pogi. It known as Villa Frisoni was built between 1906 and 1908 on of different materials such as travertine the orders of Luigi Edoardo Frisoni marble, white marble and brick and and designed by the celebrated Genoa combining the materials with a neo- Architect Gino Coppedè. He designed medieval style of architecture made of 76 a fairy tale building using the colours towers, battlements and arches. 69 The Trees of called “Noccolo” by the landowner who says he regularly goes to visit Remembrance the tree. Before the big freeze of Walking along the country paths 1985, the tree was immense: in 1984 visitors will easily come across it had produced 260 Kilograms of beautiful, enormous and very old olives: in order to pick them all it trees. They are solitary cypress was necessary to move the ladder to trees which mark borders or cross- a different position 16 times. Today roads, or majestic oaks whose an- only two of the original stumps still cient name “robur” is most apt. This exist but they are more than a thou- then changed in Latin to signify sand years old. To pay a visit to ”strength”. However  ve trees are Noccolo: leave the Goro Palace on particularly worthy of note. They the left, go straight ahead towards are the oldest of all the trees and a group of cypress trees, turn right really are worth a special visit. and follow the road between two houses towards the countryside. Keeping left pass between two huts Noccolo, the Olive 51 and go straight on. The ground is Tree of Montebenichi terraced, take the second terrace on the left. It is important to  nd a The oldest of all is the Olive Tree of tall dead tree: the olive tree is at the Montebenichi known as “Olivone bottom of the  eld in front of the A” by the CNR. Its germoplasm is dead tree. unknown and therefore it is unique in the world. It is affectionately 7077 MONUMENTAL TREES AND PLACES TO DISCOVER

52 The Yew tree of Pietraviva

The tree is in the private garden of a villa in the town of Pietraviva. (Genus:Taxus, Species: Taxus Bac- cata). It is 16 metres tall and the circumference of its trunk is 3.75 metres and it is one of the oldest ex- as born “before 1700”. The garden amples in Italy. which once belonged to the Pietra- This is a slow growing tree and viva farm practically looks out onto some people maintain that it is the town square and the tree can be about one thousand years old. seen from the public road which However, of cially it is classi ed leads to the historic centre.

The Holm Oak of Bellavista

53

The Holm Oak is common in this evergreen. The Holm Oak of Bel- area in parks and woods and can lavista, (Quercus ilex) is an exam- be distinguished by its dark green ple of how man has conditioned leaves which stay that colour all the growth of the tree, keeping its year round. It has been chosen as trunk low and bending the main the tree of memory or “remem- branches to a horizontal position, 78 brance” because it is strong and almost like a giant bonsai, in order 71 to make it a trap for birds once nets have been positioned. This kind of trap was called “roccolo” in the past. It is hard to say what is most impressive: the way the branches entwine or its sheer size. The foli- age reaches 12 metres in height and covers an area of 270 square metres. It is about 300 years old. Coming from Bucine near the crossroads for Pogi, go left and proceed uphill along a white road until you come to a chain that signals the beginning of private property. From here it is possible to see the majestic Holm Oak with its immense foliage on the edge of a vineyard.

The Cypress of Galatrona 54

Cupressus sempervirens L., is the shyest of them all. It is on the edge of the road which leads to Galat- rona, a few hundred metres from the “pieve” and yet it is not easy to  nd. The circumference of its trunk is about 4 metres and it is about 23 metres tall. It is said to be over 200 years old. It was planted to mark the border between the farm’s land and the land of the clergy.

7279 MONUMENTAL TREES AND PLACES TO DISCOVER

55 The Common Oak of Badia a Ruoti The Common Oak ( Quercus robur L) is in a wood along the river Am- bra. From the town Ambra go to- wards Montebenichi and follow the road signs for Badia a Ruoti. After the bridge, the road curves right

A nest dug inside one of the branches

and then left. Leave the car between the two curves and continue on foot along a path which at  rst is down- hill and fl anks a beautiful vegetable garden. Although the wood is full of beautiful examples, the Common Oak is unmistakeable. It is enor- mous and majestic: its trunk has a circumference of over 4 metres and it is 27 metres tall. It is said to be 200 years old. A creature of the wood has dug itself a circular nest in the branches.

Other trees worthy of note Villa Migliarina has 17 examples Sogna there is a Cupressus Macrocarpa of Domestic Pine (pinus pinea L), a Gord (Monterey Cypress); in Pietravi- Strawberry Tree (Arbututs unedo L.) va there is a Pawlonia tomentosa (Fox and a Phyllyrea (Phyllyrea latifolia L.). Glove tree). Finally there is a beautiful Near Castiglion Alberti, in Casa Zani Cork Oak (Quercus crenata Lam) in there is an ancient example of Black Rilanci-Pianacci 80 Mulberry Tree (Morus nigra L.): in 73 TRADITIONAL TYPICAL PRODUCTS AND ANCIENT CRAFTS

Wine, oil and ...broom making

74 TRADITIONAL TYPICAL PRODUCTS AND ANCIENT CRAFTS

Bacchus in the Valdambra Valley The 13th Century Statutes issued by Conti Guidi give many dispo- sitions concerning wines, grape and vineyards. This is evidence of the importance of wine in the Valdambra valley’s economic and social life during the Mid- dle Ages. Vine growing has deep traditions in this area as well as top quality wine according to markets reports. The Datini family archive is very important to understand where to  nd good wine. The Dati- nis were important merchant from An old press for grapes Prato. In about the mid 14th Century the Datini family paid a Trebbiano white wine produced in the vine- miglio (red) come from the lands yards around Torre and Galatrona around San Leolino, Cennina and two and half Fiorino per hectolitre. Galatrona. These lands produced It is one of the highest prices of the the best wines in the Florentine market. In a letter written at the countryside. end of 14th Century, Ser Lapo Maz- Also the Medici family was aware zei talks about his friend Franc- of this. In a letter written in the year esco of Marco Datini. We read “...If 1540 Alfonso Piccolomini D’ Arag- Francesco was here, we would taste ona thanks Cosimo Medici 1st for a wine from Bucine”. A few years having allowed him to import wine later, in 1400, Ser Lapo writes a let- from the Florentine state and says ter to Francesco to let him know he to be particularly fond of “the sweet had bought “Two cogna (measure) red wine from Galatrona and Cen- of wine from Torre.” nina”. In March 1542 Averardo di It is not a surprise that in the Floren- Antonio Serristori Florentine Sena- tine Land register of the year 1427 tor and Ambassador of the Medici we  nd that some of the best wines in Rome wrote a letter to Cosimo 84 both Trebbiano (white) and Ver- I‘s secretary to complain about the 75 missed arrival of wine “Tribbiano from Selve”. He must have desired it very much! We can say that top quality wine was common in the Valdambra. The tra- dition of making top quality wines was handed down until present days. Innumerable prizes and mar- kets quotations con rm that the Valdambra valleys is home to just top quality wines

The water mill In the middle ages water mills were of corn. With the necessary techni- very common in Valdambra. They cal updates the mill is still in func- stood along each river. Nowadays tion. The present owners bought it just few of them exist. Near Bucine in the year 1919. Up to 1949 milling on the way to Levane we can still of wheat and corn was made thanks visit Mulino Benini. Thanks to the to  ve millstones (wheels) moved owners’ love it was completely by water. One of these is still visible restored and we can see the mill- when visiting the building. course and an old millstone once moved by the Ambra river water. The mill dates back to the 12th Cen- tury. It belonged to the Conti Guidi family. In the 14th Century it be- longed to the powerful Tarlati fam- ily that got a good income thanks to the milling activity. In the year 1337 as mill rent they “earned” one hundred and twenty staia (bushels)

An old water mill 7685 TRADITIONAL TYPICAL PRODUCTS AND ANCIENT CRAFTS

The olive grove olive trees growth. Despite the ex- cellent quality of extra virgin olive landscapes oil produced in the valley, in past The hill slopes of the Valdambra times this cultivation had alternate valley during the last centuries have diffusion. changed. The new olive groves with The ancient olive tree called Olivone their silver colours make the coun- of Montebenichi is evidence that tryside charming. Olives’ good even during Roman times olives properties have been known since were grown. Yet up to the Middle ancient times. The poet Homer de- Ages olive growing aimed just to scribed olive oil as “liquid gold”. produce oil for family use. The land The origin of this cultivation dates register in the year 1427 shows that back to the Roman times but in the area of Torre and Galatrona, large olive groves were planted olive plots were just 6% of all cul- in Valdambra in the 18th Century, tivated lands. Vineyards reached in the same century terraces were much more: 30%. This is evidence 86 made on the hill slopes to facilitate of the fact that extra virgin olive oil 77 was not as important as wine for had nearly reached the production economic life. of the “Bacchus fruit”. Around the mid 19th Century Handing down this old tradi- the landscapes had completely tion, in the Valdambra valley top changed. The olive groves were quality extra virgin olive oil is still nearly as widespread as the produced in an amazing landscape vineyards. From the Indicatore characterized by the silver olive Topogra co della Toscana Gran- groves. ducale, a register in use in Tuscany during the Grand Duchy , we know that in 1856 the Bucine Community could count about 3566 “quadrati” (quadrato is an ancient Tuscan measure) that is about 1200 hectares of land with two mixed growing: olives and vines. In the same period the vineyards had an extension of 1400 hectares. The production of “Liquid Gold”

7887 TRADITIONAL TYPICAL PRODUCTS AND ANCIENT CRAFTS

The limekiln An ancient limekiln While walking around to explore ing. First of all we need lime stones, little lonely villages it is very in- carried to the limekiln on a cow - teresting to stop and talk to eld- drawn cart. All stones were aligned erly inhabitants. We could know in the kiln to make a cupola. The that in small villages like Duddova cupola outside upper part was cov- few decades ago life was lively. At ered with earth leaving just small Duddova before the Second World openings. From the lower kiln en- War there were: one smith, two trance faggots were pushed inside shoemakers, two joiners and two and lit. After one week of constant dressmakers. Also a mattress-mak-  re the kiln was sealed. When cold, er, some bricklayers and a limekiln the lime was ready for use. Farm- man: a person who knew the secret ers used lime when needed: it could of making kiln ready to make lime. last even more than one year. Many Just a few metres away from the vil- buildings in the village were built lage centre, hidden in the brambles with this local lime that we can still we discover a limekiln. Mr Siro ex- recognize on the walls because of 88 plains to us the secrets of lime mak- its yellow colour, instead of grey 79 like modern lime is. Lime making took about one month Lime making was a matter for ex- of work. The farm had to provide perts. If the cupola fell down a long lime stones and wood. hard labour lost. The lime makers Another beautiful kiln is still visible should be able to know the right along the road to Cennina, near the temperature just watching the kiln crossroads to Lupinari. and the colour of the stones. The pay was not per day but per kiln.

Broom faggots before brooms making Broom making Broom plants are very common in rience and know-how are needed. the Valdambra woods. There are The artisan’s movements are con- different kinds of brooms: Erica stant all day long: slow and precise. Arborea L. grows up to  ve me- The eyes apparently absent-minded tres high; Erica scoparia L reaches catch every detail. “Broom may be maximum one metre in height. At male or female - he says - the  rst Perelli we met one of few craftsmen one is thicker and hard, the other still handing down the art of broom one is thinner and more fragile. Both making. It is a job for which expe- them are used to make brooms. We 8089 TRADITIONAL TYPICAL PRODUCTS AND ANCIENT CRAFTS

sell brooms mostly abroad. The best joins them with wires then a  nally market is Switzerland. They use and exact shredder cut is the  n- brooms to sweep the streets. Once ishing touch. This is his work, all we used to deliver brooms by train: day long with a constant rhythm. wagons arrived in Perelli and in Brooms may have different shapes: other villages of Valdambra on big fl at or round. The round one has a lorries. Once the wagons were full circular shape it is like a frustum of they left from Montevarchi train cone. Than we have the “hare foot” station for all different destinations. shaped broom. It is made with We buy the broom plants when they three rolls of different length wired are still in the wood, we cut and join together to obtain a round broom them in small wisps from Septem- longer on one side, in few words ber to April. After, the cut brooms “…like the paw of a hare”. All wisps have to stay in the wood brooms have male broom plants in- leaning vertically against the trees side and female broom plants out- so that they get dry and both fl ow- side “...because - he says - brooms ers and seeds fall into the wood. must be strong but beautiful”. When dry we carry the brooms to the workshop and we start broom making.” A stage of broom making He takes the different brushes ac- cording to a choice incomprehen- sible to unskilled persons, then he

90 81 HISTORY AND CUSINE

Village feasts, folklore and traditional food

82 HISTORY AND CUSINE

Folklore and good food In the area of Bucine as well as in all Tuscan villages feasts are connected with past life: jobs, cooking and produce. So every village has its own feast that takes its name from a typical food or job.

Sagra del Crostino (Crostino festival) The big ball palio at Ambra Since 1956 the “crostino” village fes- tival has taken place at San Leolino farmer’s barnyard eating boiled every year during the  rst week duck. Today festival food presents a in June. The traditional “Tuscan large variety of typical Tuscan food. crostino” is also called black crosti- no because of its dark colour. This Palio della Palla Tonchiata crostino is a small cut of bread with (The ball Palio) chicken liver sauce. Bread may be This competition takes place at roasted or soaked in broth. Every Ambra in September, during the housewife has her own small secret “Sagra della Lumaca” that is the but the base of crostino sauce is village festival of snails. The village chicken liver. Mixed liver must is divided into  ve neighbourhoods, brown very slowly for a long time recognizable each by a different with extra virgin olive oil and other colour. Each neighbourhood has ingredients. In the restaurants cros- two players who have to roll an tini are served as a starter but they enormous and heavy ball through can be also a delicious full meal. the narrow village streets. The winner gets a Palio. Threshing Every year in July at Perelli we can Sagra della Rana see threshing with old threshing (Frog village festival) machinery and all old  eld activities Every year in July Pietraviva connected with it. The hard working becomes the gathering village for day was traditionally followed by every person who likes eating frogs. a meal: all the workers sat around Here people can taste frogs cooked 94 a long table made ready in the in many different ways. 83 Tastings in the moonlight In August, when it is hot even during the night, many interesting food-festivals take place in the suggestive villages of the Valdambra valley for tourists and also inhabitants to know and taste local excellent wines and foods. Sometimes this is combined with sky watching. Thanks to the beauty of the places, the suggestive night light and the good weather these are the festivals nobody want to miss.

Festival delle Regioni (Italian Regions and Foreign Countries Festival) This very special festival lasts one full week, at the end of May. During this week delegations coming from The theatre each Italian region and from foreign of Bucine countries show their best products The theatre dates to the beginning of and folkloristic traditions. Every the 20th Century. It was built thanks year new friendship pacts are to the local Philharmonic Society. signed. Outside it presents a neoclassical façade. It underwent a  rst interior The above is just a general restoration after the Second World introduction to the area’s main War. After years of disuse and ne- festivals. For exact dates and glect it underwent extensive resto- programmes see the web site: www. ration due the projects of Engineer. comune.bucine.ar.it/ Franco Matteini and Architect. Rob- erto Verdelli. Since the year 2003 it has regularly opened every theatrical season with interesting programmes. The stals and the gallery can contain an audience of up to 265 people. 8495 Bibliography

AAVV Il Seicento in Casentino (catalogo della mostra) Paglia Polistampa 2001 M. Ascheri ( acura di) Bucine e la Valdambra nel Dugento Il leccio Siena 1995 A. Bacci- R.Stopani, Badia Agnano, Centrio Studi Romei 2007 F. Bernacchioni-L. Bonechi-C. Ermini, Valdarno Itinerari fra arte e natura, Ed Campitusci 1998 S. Bertocci- M. Bini-F. Mesina; Il castello di Cennina in Valdambra, Comune di Bucine 1998 S. Bruttini-L.Tanzini, S. Tiburzio e Susanna a Perelli: una chiesa e la sua storia, Bucine 1999 G. Cappelletti, Le Chiese d’Italia, Venezia 1864 G. Ceccherini - F. sinatti; La Valdambra- Montevarchi 2005 E. Del Cerro (a cura di), Epistolario compreso quello amoroso di Ugo Foscolo e di Quirina Mocenni, Salani Ed Firenze 1888 E. Diana, Da ospizio a nosocomio, Ed Medicea, Firenze 2000 M. Falletti di Villafalletto, San Pancrazio in Valdambra, Anscarichae Domus-Scandicci 2002 G. Farulli, Istoria cronologica del nobile ed antico monastero degli angioli di Firenze, Lucca MDCCV” L.Fedeli-S. Vilucchi-P.Zamarchi Grassi, Un quinquennio di attività della Soprintendenza archeologica per la Toscana nel territorio aretino (1990-1995) Arezzo 1996 L. Fornasari (a cura di) Arte in terra d’Arezzo - l’Ottocento - Edi r 2006 L. Fornasari-R. Spinelli (a cura di) Arte in terra d’Arezzo - Il Settecento - Edi r 2007 A.J. Grieco- M. Fantoni, Due castelli un mercato, 1985 Gruppo amici del Torrione (a cura di) La torre di Galatrona. D. M. Manni, Osservazioni istoriche di.... sopra i sigilli antichi de secoli bassi, Firenze MDCCXXXXII L. Speranza (a cura di), Il Casentino e il Valdarno superiore, Mondadori 2000 S. Pieri - D. Porri - M. Semplici, Levane e Santa Maria un Popolo un santuario - Levane 1988 S. Pieri, Toponomastica della valle dell’Arno, A. forni Ed. 1919- Ristampa U.Ragozzino, San Leolino in Val d’Ambra, 2002 U.Ragozzino, La Pieve di San leolino in Vla d’Ambra, 2005 E. Repetti- Dizionario geogra co  sico storico della Toscana Firenze 1839 G. Targioni Tozzetti, Relazioni d’alcuni viaggi.... Firenze MDCCLXXVI A Tracchi Dal Chianti al Valdarno - CNR1978 R. Valentini ( a cura di), Bucine e la Valdambra Comune di Bucine 1995 B. Varchi Storia  orentina Milano 1803 G. Vasari Le vite Firenze Le Monnier 1846 A. Zuccagni Orlandini Statistica del Granducato di Toscana 1850 I Capitoli del Comune di Firenze sta in Documenti degli archivi toscani pubblicati dalla R. soprintendenza generale Firenze MDCCCLXVI Giornale Agrario Toscano Accademia Economico Agraria dei Georgo li Vol I Fi 1827 Giornale Agrario Toscano Accademia Economico Agraria dei georgo li Vol II Fi 1828 Giornale Agrario Toscano Accademia Economico Agraria dei georgo li Vol VII Fi 1833 Indicatore Topogra co della Toscana Firenze G. Polverini ed 1856 Storia degli italiani Per Cesare Cantu 1857 Vocabolario degli accademici della crusca, V impressione Firenze 186

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