MONTAIONE. earth of castles

The outskirts of Montaione, for their conformation orografica and the characteristic of earth of border of the dominoes in Florence, saw the rise of many castles, today completely destroyed or transformed.

ü Castle Of the Stone. the castle, quoted for the first time in 1118 in a donation of two houses of the Stone to the Parish of St. Gimignano, it passed in a first time to the Riding ones of Volterra, therefore to the bishop of Volterra Ildebrando Pannocchieschi. In 1300 you/he/she was conquered by St. Gimignano and it followed the fates of it. Today it is possible to see only the rests of two towers, a wine cellar and a chiesetta of recent construction. In remuneration the panorama in direction of Volterra is very beautiful.

ü Castle Of BARBIALLA. already before 1109 it was ownership of the accounts Cadolingi and of the accounts of the Gherardesca, then attributed to the jurisdiction of the bishops of Lucca, therefore to those of Volterra in 1186, subsequently attached to St. Miniated. In 1370 it was united to Florence, but in 1431 you/he/she was regained by the Pisanis, then still from the Florentines. To Barbialla a hospital existed for the pilgrims and the wayfarers. In recent epoch the castle has been turned into the villa, the village is inhabited at the employees that they work in the great estate.

ü Castle Of CAMPORENA. built by the Samminiatesis in 1122, after a first period under the control in Pisa, it became Florentine dominion in 1329 but, in the same year the Florentine Dominion decreed the destruction of it, to avoid that it again fell in hostile hand. Today every trace has disappeared almost of it.

ü Castle Of CASTELFALFI. the castle (Castrum Faolfi), quoted in the 475 d.C., it was an installation initiated longobardo with Walfredo, child of Ratgauso, founder of the family of the Of the Gherardesca. It was among the last communities to surrender to Florence and in 1554, to the time of the wars between Florence and Siena, you/he/she was ransacked and set on fire by the militias of Peter Strozzi. Today it is a vast agrarian firm with 1200 hectares of ground, interested by a project of tourist development, the suburb partially restored and a sweater field from 18 holes.

ü Castle Of COLLEGALLI. ownership of the accounts of Collegalli, was under the dominion of the Republic in Pisa and, for a few times also of the Bishops of Lucca. In 1370 it was separate from the territory of St. Miniated and affiliate to belong to the contado in Florence. The castle, was subsequently turned into the villa, with attached farm.

ü Castle Of Give birth of it. the place was already inhabited in epoch etrusca and Roman, considered the finds, that make to also think about the existence of a Roman villa. In the medioevo it rose you a castle, destroyed and abandoned already in 1297. Subsequently you/he/she was built you the actual villa of S. Anthony, with the church and the attached agricultural.

ü Castle Of IANO. in 1004 it speaks for the first time of the church of "Alliano", that Ildebrando Aldobrandeschi refused to the bishop of Volterra. The old suburb, still inhabited, he is well preserved, with his/her narrow and steep road and the houses to team in bricks and travertino, stone of which the zone is rich. In the outskirts of Iano there am also onyx cave.

ü Castle Of SUGHERA. the first news of the castle of "Suvera", this the ancient name, is had in 1186, when Arrigo Vi gave him/it to Ildebrando Pannocchieschi, bishop of Volterra. The suburb, with his/her narrow road among old houses in bricks, the narrow alleys, the well in the small plaza and the rests of a chapel he is well preserved and it is inhabited still.

ü Castle Of Round. in 1212 the emperor Germanic Brass IV assigned the feud, understanding the castle and all of his/her pertinences, inclusive inhabitants, to two noble brothers pisani. In 1267 the Commune of St. Miniated he/she bought the castle for 833 liras, 6 money and 8 moneys. In 1370 also Round it made action of subjugation to Florence. The suburb, been uninhabited after the last war, you/he/she was restored and turned into receptive structure in the seventies.

ü Castle Of VIGNALE. it is found quoted for the first time in 1161, in the diplomas of Fred Barbarossa. Here it passed the border in Florence with Pisa and here, Florence and Volterra signed the pact of harmony of June 9 th 1338. During the last war it suffered a thick bombardment from the American aviation and it was abandoned. Today they is able veder the turn of the bastions, the church with the parsonage (both abandon) and an old mill.