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Montespertoli

Montespertoli is an Italian Comune (Municipality), in the Province of Florence and in the Region Tuscany, it is part of Valley of Elsa river Located about 20 kilometres (14 miles), southwest of Florence. The presence of human settlements in the area of Montespertoli dates to Roman and Etruscan times, although the villages of the modern municipality are know from the 11 century, when San Piero in Mercato and Lucardo are mentioned. In 1393 the borough of Montespertoli was acquired by the Machiavelli family. Main sights: church 01 Sant’Andrea in Montespertoli (16 century), housing fragments (12 century), of a baptismal font from Santa Maria a Coeli Aula and a “Madonna with Saints II attributed to Niccolò di Pietro Gerini.
Source: Wikipedia

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Historic artistic sites

Castello di SonninoShow position

LOCATION: the castle is in via Volterrana Nord at the entrance to the to the town in a panoramic position.
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE: the castello of Sonnino consists of a seventeenth‐century mansion and a fortified tower whose origins are dated in the thirteenth century.
Over time the entire property belonged to various powerful local dynasties, until the early nineteenth century when it came into the hands of the Sonnino family.The minister Sidney Sonnino lived here for a long time and King Umberto I, Vittorio Emanuele III, Gabriele D’Annunzio and Giovanni Giolitti were just some of the illustrious guests who stayed here in the early years of the twentieth century.
DESCRIPTION: composed of a number of architectural structures its oldest parts are the thirteenth century tower and the chapel.
The castle also contains the historical archive of Sidney Sonnino that’s a mine of information about nineteenth century Italy: correspondence, economi studies, projects, iconographic mementoes and documents relating to the Foreign Office during the First World War.

San Giusto a MontalbinoShow position

LOCATION: in the midst of a group of dwellings, the small urban area of Montalbino, on the road that goes from Montespertoli to Lucardo passing through San Piero in Mereto.
The place name “Montalbino” is derived from two latin words “mons” and “albino”, the components of the Albino family, the owners of the property.
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE: the church existed in the XIII century and continued to function for several centuries thereafter, and although it continued to deteriorate architecturally, and consequently in the sixteen hundreds, it required constant attention.
DESCRIPTION: the XVI century restoration is evident in the facade of stone and brick which has a central doorway which has been constructed fairly recently, and another which is asymmetric which has been bricked up and dates from the medieval period. Neither the rose window nor the upper brickwork of the facade are original. The side wall of the building is of interest as it faces onto a steeply descending road,built of stone with a doorway giving access to a crypt.

Madonna del Buon ConsiglioShow position

LOCATION: in an isolated position on the right side of the road which leads from Montespertoli to Lucardo, passing the Castello di Aliano.
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE: the sanctuary was built in the sixteen hundreds for religious purposes, in a locality known as Corfecciano, probably an ancient curtis of Roman origin.
DESCRIPTION: a large building with plastered walls and portico with the latter supported by four stone columns.
The plan is in the form of a Latin cross with three apses at the end of each arm. On the right of an apse is a small cemetery, on the left a tall and slender bell tower with elongated pyramid shaped roof.

Lucardo Show position

LOCATION: in a panoramic position on the top of a hill and a short distance from the road that goes from Montespertoli to Certa1do passing through Fiano.
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE: the first recorded information regarding Lucardo is dated 957 and again in 1093. On both these occasions it was seriourly damaged: in 1260 by the Sienese Ghibellines and in 1312 by the troops of the imperor Enrico VII.
Lucardo was rebuilt and for a brief period in 1327 and Certaldo contributed to the costs of damages it had received. Thereafter the life of this small urban seems to have been tranquil and uneventful.
DESCRIPTION: the group of buildings forming Lucardo are protected by a surrounding wall in which there is an ancient doorway framed in stone arid the town has a piazza in the form of an irregular polygon surrounded by houses, almost all built with stone and river stone.

Castello di Poppiano Show position

LOCATION: in a dominant position in relation to the existing buildings, on a local road which joins two important roads, one known as San Quirico in Collina and the other Baccaiano, which takes from the surrounding area.
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE: the first records of this castle of Poppiano date back to the XI century when it was the property of the counts Alberti.
Thereafter it became the property of the Gherardini family who were its owners for a long period who maintained the property in good condition. It was severely damaged during an earthquake at the beginning of the eighteen hundreds and thereafter was restored several times.
DESCRIPTION: the castle is surrounded by tall trees which are unable to hide its imposing mass and even less its central tower. One gains access to the interior by passing through a large doorway with a flat arch above, framed in pietra serena.
The Guelph battlements which top the mass of the central portion of the castle and the tower, are characteristic.

San Piero in Mercato Show position

LOCATION: in an isolated position on the road which links Montespertoli and Castelfiorentino passing through Gigliola and Campoleo.
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE: the church was already in existence in the X century near a famous market and in an area inhabited for thousands of years which was crossed by one of the important Etruscan highways.
According to several documents, it is possible that a baptistery existed which to-day has disappeared beneath the church.
DESCRIPTION: the facade of the church has recently been restored; at the rear are three apses; on the right is a bell tower dating back to before the year 1000.
Internally the church is divided into three naves ending with apses; it has an interesting six sided marble faced baptismal font.

Montespertoli

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