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A journey in the Florence province: Empolese- Valdelsa
The territory of Empoli-Valdelsa, which lies in a central position
among three world-famous cities of art, Florence, Pisa
and Siena, offers tourists both cultural and natural
treasures still to be discovered by mass tourism.
Leaving the middle area of the Arno, our journey takes
us towards the Montalbano hills to the North or
Valdelsa to the South.
On our way we meet areas of historical and artistic
interest, where museums (sometimes not well known but
without a doubt valuable), villages and hamlets
immersed in typical Tuscan hillside scenery, and areas
of naturalistic importance. Far from the flux of mass
tourism, the territory is still an important
cross-roads for communication in the Florentine area
and an ideal area for those tourist who may be
attracted by universally famous names such as
Boccaccio, Leonardo da Vinci and Pontormo, and who
want to spend their holidays in quiet but welcoming
areas, with well-preserved landscape, among history,
nature and tradition, which especially means the
production of Chianti wine and olive oil,
craftsmanship of ceramics, glass and leather goods.
Cerreto Guidi
The township of Cerreto Guidi lies between two areas
of great naturalistic interest, Montalbano to the
East and the Padule (Westlands) of Fucecchio to the
West, and is predominantly an agricultural hill area.
The inhabitants of the countryside are widespread and
the rural landscape has kept its own balance, being
still rich in traditional vineyards and olive groves.
Against a background of a well-kept and preserved
countryside, we can see the homesteads, farms, villas
and churches so typical of Tuscan hillside scenery.
The first historical references to Cerreto date back
to 780. The name Cerreto in Greti was used until 1079
when it was changed due to dominion by the Guidi
counts. The end of the feudal age and the hand-over of
Cerreto to the Florentines officially took place in
1273. The 17th century was fundamental to the history
of Cerreto, when its future was sealed by linking the
name of the city to the Medici family.
The Medicean Complex, which bears witness to the rule
of the family over the village, stands in a central
position. It is made up of the Museo Villa Medicea,
the farm, which is separated from the manor house by
the Parish church of San Leonardo, and the four stone
staircases leading to the square in front of the
villa, known as the ponti medicei (Medicean
bridges).
The area was obviously so dear to Cosimo dei Medici
that he wanted to build a splendid residence on the
peak of one of the hills where a then-derelict Guidi
castle bore witness to their previous dominion. In
1564 the Grand duke wrote a letter giving consent for
work to be started, and in a document of 1575 it is
shown that the Medici architect Bernardo Buontalenti,
presumably the villa's designer, was in the area. The
brickwork and stone facade of the Villa is austere,
but is balanced by the stone staircases leading to the
square, the so-called bridges, thus giving a strong
chromatic contrast.
The villa's interior is extremely rigorous and
embellished with pictorial decorations dating back to
the 19th century. The villa is the seat of the Museo
Storico of the Hunting and of the Territory.
Due to lack of documentation, the origins of the
Parish church of San Leonardo are unknown. Inside the
church, the baptismal font is of artistic
note, made of glazed polychrome terracotta from the
workshop of Giovanni della Robbia.
 Empoli
This town appears in documents of the 8th century
as a castle, but the city was nised in 1119 as
organised around the Parish church of Sant'Andrea.
Today the town is still organised around Piazza
Farinata degli Uberti where the most important
historical buildings of the city are to be found: the
Palazzo Ghibellino, which houses the Museo
Paleontologico and the Archivio Storico, and the
Palazzo Pretorio, which was at one time the town hall.
But the most noteworthy building, both for its age and
importance, is
the Collegiata di Sant'Andrea, which dates back to 1093.
The two-tone marble facade marks the furthest western
reach of the aristocratic architectural influence of
the Florentine Romanesque style.
The church of Santo Stefano (14th-15th Century) and
its connected Convento degli Agostiniani (16th
century) lie not far away. The church contains remains
of many important frescoes and synopties by Masolino
da Panicale and a splendid marble Annunciation by
Bernardo Rossellino. It is also possible to visit the
Casa Natale di Ferrucio Busoni (Birthplace of
Ferruccio Busoni) (1866-1924), which now houses a
museum dedicated to the great musician and the Study
center named after him.
The parish church of San Michele in Pontorme, home of
the painter Jacopo Carrucci, also known as il Pontormo
(1494-1556), contains the two famous paintings of
Saint John the Baptist and Saint Michael Archangel.
The painter's birthplace is to be found on the main
street that crosses the hamlet.
Due to a centuries-long tradition of artists and
craftsmen the glass industry represents one of the
oldest production activities of the Empolese area.
Even today, objects made of glass, crystal and the
traditional Empolese green glass are created in an
environment that has changed very little.
One of the oldest ecclesiastical museums, its
architectural origins were founded in the background
of the Renaissance movement. The current layout dates
back to 1990. There is an attractive Baptistery with a
monumental baptismal font attributed to Bernardo
Rossellino and among the frescoes there is the
masterpiece by Masolino depicting The Deposed Christ,
from where we move on to the sculpture hall.
The painting gallery is on the upper floor, where the
works are arranged chronologically, from the polyptych
by the Pistoiese artist named Maestro Pistoiese in
1336 to the interesting products from Florentine
workshops, most productive between the end of the 14th
century and the start of the 15th century. We then
move on to fully Quattrocento-style works, with
masterpieces such as the two triptychs by Lorenzo
Monaco and the small Madonna in Majesty by Filippo
Lippi. The next room contains the works of the
Botticini artists, whose workshop was active until the
first decades of the 15th century. Finally there are
other works from the late 15th and 16th centuries and
also some 17th century works. The museum itinerary
finishes in the upper part of the cloister, where some
Robbia works are on display.
Montelupo Fiorentino
Since ancient times Montelupo, which lies between
Montalbano and the river Arno, has been an important
cross-roads for communication between the Florentine
area, the Apennine world and the Tyrrhenian coast. Its
location and the presence of waterways helped to
develop numerous craft activities, especially
ceramics, which reached its greatest splendor in the
course of the 15th and 16th centuries.
This art is still alive in the numerous artistic
ceramics workshops. Every year in the month of June
there is the "Festa Internazionale della Ceramica"
(International Ceramics Festival) where the area's
history and traditions are re-enacted in a series of
exhibitions and artistic events.
The origins of Montelupo probably coincide with the
building of a castle at the end of the High Middle
Ages. When the Florentine republic conquered this area
in 1204, rebuilt and enlarged the ancient military
stronghold. In the 14th century (1333-36) a new city
wall, which can still be made out, was erected to
protect the inhabitants. At the end of the 1500s the
Medici built a large villa on the left bank of the
river Arno in the nearby locality of Ambrogiana, which
has been the seat of the Judiciary Psychiatric
Hospital since the last century.
THE ARCHEOLOGICAL-TECHNOLOGICAL AND NATURALISTIC PARK
(P.A.N)
An area of land situated between the residential area
of Pulica and the Pesa and Virginio rivers was set
aside to create a park where the archaeological
remains also safeguard the environment. The
archaeological dig area of the Roman Villa, dated to
between 80 and 60 BC, is now visible from the outside
and may be visited with a pre-arranged guided visit
organized with the Museum's offices.
The Museum is divided into two thematic areas:
archaeology of the area and the history of Montelupo
ceramics.
The first section shows the results of more than
twenty years of digs and topographic research, which
have contributed to turning Montelupo into one of the
most important Tuscan prehistoric collections, but it
also includes vast documentation of many
Proto-Historic, Etruscan and Roman sites of the
Florentine Middle Valdarno.
On the two upper floors, the museum houses the
archaeological exhibits concerning the production of
ceramics in Montelupo from the origins of this art (in
the late 13th century) to the end of the Modern age.
The exhibition starts with the first archaic majolica
pieces and continues with objects dating back to the
1400s,thus demonstrating the strong position that
Montelupo was gaining among Tuscan ceramics producing
towns. The objects, which are almost all majolica, are
inspired by the prestigious enamel vases of the
time originating in Valenzano art, from which the
Montelupo style became progressively distinct in the
last decades of the century. A growing crisis in the
sector, which became irreversible in the
mid-seventeenth century, led to the creation of
objects with limited decorations and lower cost.
Vinci
The town is situated on the slopes of Montalbano,
surrounded by an agricultural landscape which has
remained unaltered since the last century and the
system of share cropping has allowed it to remain
virtually intact until the present day, with
agricultural production traditionally based on Chianti
wine and extra-virgin olive oil.
In this context there is a widespread network of
footpaths and cycle paths which can be used to reach
hillside villages surrounded by dense vegetation,
archaeological sites, ancient woods such as the ilex
wood of Pietramarina. Some of the itineraries start
directly from Vinci. Path number 14, with the first
part called Strada Verde (1hour round trip), takes you
to the "Casa natale di Leonardo" (Birthplace of
Leonardo).
Modern day Vinci is still dominated by the primitive
construction of the Castle of the Guidi Counts, dating
back to the late Middle Ages when the town was
conquered by Florence and changed into a Commune.
After many changes of command and modifications the
original castle returned to the ownership of the
Commune of Vinci in 1919 and since 1953 it has been
the seat of the Museo Leonardiano. Inside we can still
see frescoed and sculpted coats of arms, and the
splendid ceramic Madonna and Child by Giovanni della
Robbia.
3 km from Vinci, in the area of Anchiano, the Casa
Natale di Leonardo can be integrated into a visit to
the Museum. The building, surrounded by an attractive
hillside panorama, contains a permanent educational
show. The Biblioteca Leonardiana completes our
cultural itinerary. It is a documentation center
specialized in the works of Leonardo, and is a meeting
place for scholars both from Italy and abroad.
This library is one of the largest and most original
collections of designs by Leonardo the Inventor, the
Technologist and the Engineer. The machines on show
are organized into different sectors of study and the
large collection of Leonardo's drawings is just as
vast and versatile, showing how the artist used to
note down his intuitions or adapt and refine machinery
and mechanisms that had been handed down from the
technical literature of the 1400s.
At the start of the itinerary a large panel shows the
important steps in the life and works of Leonardo in
relation to the main historical cultural and social
events of the time. But the visitor's attention is
immediately caught by the models of Leonardo's
machines, from war machines to ship-building equipment
and scientific instruments.
The theme presented in the first-floor rooms is more
homogeneous: Leonardo and machines for moving air,
water, and on land, three different sections of
research organically exhibited in a second panel
dedicated to the Course of Technology from
1300 to the start of the 20th century.
The video room and the video library, which allow
documentaries on Leonardo to be shown on request,
contains 8 models of solid figures designed for the
De Divina Proportione of Luca Pacioli.
With the opening of a New Section of the Leonardo
Museum, the museum complex with the Library can
be seen as a complete documentation center on Leonardo
and his age, as well as a location for educational
programmes in the cultural heritage sector. The new
buildings contain a multimedia laboratory and a well
equipped teaching room.
Capraia and Limite sull'Arno
Partly located on the slopes of Montalbano, the area
of the Commune covers a typically Tuscan hillside
landscape. It is criss-crossed by a network of
hill-walking paths radiating out from the ridge to
reach Limite or carry on as far as Capraia. Along the
routes, which often follow the Roman lines of march of
Montalbano, we can find religious buildings of great
architectural note dating from Medieval times.
Travellers should visit the Romanesque rural church of
San Jacopo a Pulignano (only visible from the
outside), and the Abbazia di San Martino in Campo
which was built near Artimino around the year 1000.
On the hill of Bibbiani, to the East of Montereggi,
the Frescobaldi family built a villa in the 16th
century which was later transformed by Cosimo Ridolfi
in the early 1800s into a "Romantic" park where
Giacomo Puccini often stayed, and a botanical garden
with 120 different species of trees (visits only with
previous booking).
The history of Capraia and Limite is linked to the
presence of an important waterway, the River Arno,
which contributed to its continuity and promoted
economical and cultural exchange,
From the 1500s it was also the river which gave the
impulse to ship and boat production, aided by the
presence in the area of thick woods of suitable trees,
thus creating a tradition of "master axe-wielders"
which has continued up to the present day with
individual recognition on a national level of the
skills used in production of sea-going vessels and
competition ships in the shipyards which are still
hard at work today. The link with the river also led
to the creation of the Limite Rowing Club in 1861.
Fucecchio
Fucecchio is situated half way between Florence and
Pisa. It lies on the right bank of the Arno near the natural basin of the Padule,
or Wetlands, from which it has taken its name, and also near the hilly Cerbaie
area.
On the Poggio Salamartano, a beautiful panoramic point
over the Lower Valdarno, we can find the 12th century Vallombrosan Abbazia di S.
Salvatore and the Collegiata di S. Giovanni church. The Palazzo Montanelli-Della
Volta, which is now the seat of the Fondazione Montanelli-Bassi, has medieval
origins and was re-organised in the 16th-17th century.
It is important to note the Medicean Ponte Cappiano,
ordered to be built by Cosimo I around the middle of the 16th century. The 16th
century Franciscan convent, known as the Chiesa della Vergine alle cinque vie is
also worth visiting, with its frescoed cloister by Carlini, the oratory of
Madonna della Ferruzza, with a valuable fresco from the 15th century Florentine
school and the Church of Santa Maria delle Vedute with its beautiful Baroque
ceiling, built in the 18th century.
The economy of Fucecchio is mainly based on leather
goods production (shoes, handbags etc.), famous both in Italy and around the
world. However, the agricultural sector has remained important due to its
production of oil, Chianti and sparkling wines.
Every year on the last Sunday of May, Fucecchio holds
its Palio delle Contrade, a historical parade and bareback horse race.
The Padule di Fucecchio (Wetlands of
Fucecchio) is the most important Italian inland marsh area, and holds particular
interest because its warm climate plants live in close proximity with plants of
Nordic origin. The best time for bird-watching, especially heron watching,
starts during the Spring. The aviary of the marshland is home to several species
of waterfowl and the rare crested heron. It is also possible to observe the
marshland falcon, several species of duck and interesting migratory birds, such
as osprey and storks. Inside the Padule there are 9 nature walks which can be
done on foot, preferably in Springtime.
Another area with interesting natural habitats and
landscapes to visit is the hill area of the Cerbaie, which has a characteristic
sequence of olive groves, meadows dotted with trees and thick woodlands with
mostly oaks and resinous trees.
Castelfiorentino
A visit should also be made to the Commune's Cultural
center and Library, and the Raccolta Comunale d'Arte
in Via Tilli, which contains important frescoes and
sinopites by Benozzo Gozzoli painted between 1484 and
1490. In the Castelfiorentino fresco cycle the artist,
a student of Beato Angelico, brought about the
invention of the sinopites and partial interventions
in the laying of fresco pigments. His work in the
smaller towns of the Province contain some notes of
popular archaisms which, however, allowed him to
develop an extraordinarily original poetic vein in the
better works found in Valdelsa.
Not far away is the church of S. Francesco, a notable
example of 13th Century Franciscan architecture,
recently restored and re-opened. The church of S.
Verdiana, is also worth a visit, as it was completely
rebuilt at the start of the 18th century on the
ancient oratory of S. Antonio, and is one of the best
preserved examples of early 18th century architecture
and pictorial art in Tuscany. Next to the church there
is an art gallery with some valuable pieces.
As well as offering atmospheric views over magnificent
landscapes, the countryside around Castelfiorentino is
rich with historical and artistic treasures.
The Cappella della Madonna della Tosse, in the Dogana
area, is another characteristic church, from which
some of the Benozzo Gozzoli frescoes were taken. From
here it is possible to reach the village of
Castelnuovo d'Elsa, an autonomous commune even in the
Middle Ages, in the center of an area which still
bears the signs of man's dominance over nature so
typical of Tuscan rural culture in the 18th and 19th
centuries, and for which the Marchese Cosimo Ridolfi
is best remembered with his Meleto estate.
Since the end of the Second World War,
Castelfiorentino has had energetic development of
extra-agricultural activities, prevalently small
businesses (mostly craftsmen) concentrated on
tailoring and dressmaking, cabinet-making, mechanical
and ceramics production. In this prevalently
industrial context, a good level of agriculture has
also been maintained, especially in medium and large
scale farms, with the production of high quality wine
and olive oil, as well as the introduction of new
crops (sunflowers, rape-seed, etc.). Since the 1980s
there has been a notable increase in service
industries, helping to make Castelfiorentino into a
service center for the whole Lower Valdelsa area.
Farm-staystead accommodation has also been very
carefully developed in this area.
Certaldo
The natural heritage of the territory of Certaldo,
which includes areas of natural and geological
interest, has been improved by the Commune's
initiatives to safeguard and conserve the environment,
also for a correct use for sporting and recreational
activities.
The programme "Dolce Campagna, Antiche Mura"(Gentle
countryside, Ancient City Walls) has been geared
towards natural and cultural excursions, with four
itineraries for hill-walking, mountain bike and
horse-riding, all joined together in a four-leafed
clover design and connected by a large ring-shaped
path (130 km), with the same number of itineraries in
the surrounding communes and with a "halting place" in
the Fiano locality which offers overnight and longer
term accommodation.
The River Park has recently been created to follow the
banks of the River Elsa, including an area from
Gambassi Terme as far as Castelfiorentino. The Hill
Park, equipped by the Presbytery has also been opened
recently: a wonderful wooded area for excursions and
picnics, also equipped with professional open-air
gymnastic equipment.
The agricultural traditions of the area, which are
characteristic of this hilly area, are especially
concentrated on production of extra-virgin olive oil
and D.O.C.G.Chianti wine. The precious white truffle
is gathered here and farm-stay accommodation has been
undertaken by many farmsteads which also offer their
own products directly to the public.
The craftsmen and small industries of the area are of
a similar high standard, concentrating on production
of footwear, picture frames, furniture restoration,
mechanics and the production of typical regional
salami.
Certaldo also offers a wide variety of accommodation,
ranging from quiet stays to active holidays, as well
as opportunities to sample the typical Tuscan cuisine,
both in the Medieval and modern villages.
The Palazzo Pretorio, built in the 12th century, was
the residence of the Alberti Counts, and was later
enlarged and modified to serve the purposes of the
Vicariate. In the Palazzo and the now de-consecrated
annexed church of SS. Tommaso e Prospero (from the
early 13th century), we can admire frescoes and
sinopites from the 15th and 16th centuries.
Certaldo Alto is the home of Giovanni Boccaccio
(1313-1375), one of the fathers of the Italian
language. The novelist's house and his tomb are still
preserved (the tomb is in the church of SS. Jacopo e
Filippo).
Boccaccio's house, a tower and a loggia rebuilt after
the Second World War, is now the seat of the National
Boccaccio Study center, with a rich library and a
notable collection (over 500) of contemporary artists'
work which is periodically exhibited in the hall of
the Palazzo Pretorio, and the "Premio Boccaccio", a
prize awarded to modern-day writers who have had
critical success.
Gambassi Terme
After thousands of years of agricultural traditions
and craftsmanship, the modern city is now tending
towards an image of Natural Tourism and the thermal
springs. In fact the springs themselves, together with
the verdant countryside, offer the most congenial side
of Gambassi's range of tourism.
The water of Pillo has been famous for years for its
curative powers, and has been defined by the experts
as a "sum of curative effects", similar to the waters
of Vichy, with medicinal qualities unrivalled by the
best thermal springs.
These waters contain sodium bicarbonate salts,
sulphates and alkaline salts and are particularly
recommended for treatment of the digestive system. The
ideal period for thermal remedies is from April to
October.
A large public garden with centuries-old trees is
connected to the Spa Complex in the old center of the
town.
Gambassi Terme is situated in an extraordinary
environmental habitat, both for historical and
artistic treasures that the area contains, and for its
ideal climatic conditions. It boasts copses and pine
woods that cover 60% of the territory and create an
enviable natural framework for recreational
activities. The woods, olive groves and farm-castles
are becoming more and more popular with people who
find in farm-stay accommodation a new answer to their
needs for alternative holidays to re-discover the
country ways of life. To further improve and safeguard
the habitat of this large wooded area, the project
"Dolce Campagna, Antiche Mura" has been set up, with
itineraries suitable for hill-walking, horse riding or
mountain bikes.
Some important annual events are "Classica", the
festival of chamber music in June, the "Mostra
Mercato" or antique fair in the last week of August,
and several shows under the name of "Valdelsaestate".
Montaione
The castle took its name from Allone di Lucca, and was
mentioned in ancient maps as "Mons Allonis", later
corrected to "Montaione". It was already a commune in
1257, and was involved in the wars between San
Gimignano, Volterra and San Miniato, but it sided
prevalently with the Republic of Florence. From1200
the art of glass-working was practised, which later
spread to the rest of the Valdelsa.
Today, Montaione is a quiet city with its well
preserved old town center, made up of a simple town
plan crossed by three parallel streets which then join
to reach the town gates. Unfortunately little remains
of the ancient town walls, which were mainly destroyed
by German mines in 1944 together with the town gates
and the towers. Of note is the Palazzo Pretorio (14th
century) with its facade embellished by several coats
of arms. Today it is the seat of the Commune's Library
and the Museo di Storia Naturale. The church of San
Regolo (13th century) is also important. It was
rebuilt in 1635 and contains a valuable 13th century
painting of Madonna and Child attributed to the school
of Cimabue.
Montaione's main economic resource today is "Green
Tourism", developed by renovating old country
farmhouses and villages abandoned in the 1960s, which
have now been transformed into alternative
recreational centers (holiday apartments, farm-stay
and bed and breakfast) with an availability of around
2000 places.
These centers have swimming pools, tennis courts, and
an 18-hole golf course is also available in
Castelfalfi.
The territory is criss-crossed by a network of
hill-walking paths, clearly signposted along the way
and shown on a tourist map published by the Commune.
There is a water discharge point for motor homes and
caravans in Montaione's Piazza Nunziatina (this is a
free 24-hour service).
Within the territory of the commune we find the Sacro
Monte di San Vivaldo, where the Franciscan Vivaldo
Stricchi da S. Gimignano retired as a hermit in the
14th century. He was found dead in the hollow trunk of
a chestnut tree which he used as a home and later an
oratory was erected on the spot. Later, around 1515,
Fra' Tommaso da Firenze ordered a group of chapels to
be built with terracotta decorations representing
scenes from the Life and Passion of Christ, and a
scale reproduction of the topography of Palestine. For
this reason the area has been called the "Jerusalem of
Tuscany".
Of note are the permanent exhibition in the former
convent barn and the festival of classical music held
in the cloister in the month of July.
Montespertoli
The commune of Montespertoli is situated on the
characteristic central Tuscan hills, in the area of
Chianti. The village is 25 km. from Florence and is
centrally located for tourists to visit the centers of
Pisa, San Gimignano, Siena and Volterra.
In the past, even as far back as the Etruscan age, the
territory of Montespertoli had an important role due
to its central position, allowing Florence to carry
out trade along the Via Volterrana which crossed the
modern-day commune from North to South and connected
with the Via Francigena. This enormous district, with
a notable range of agricultural tourism activities, is
rich in valuable historical and archaeological
references, such as the village of Lucardo, the
castles of Poppiano and Montegufoni, the convent of
Botinaccio and innumerable churches dating from
Mediaeval times.
Today Montespertoli is best known as one of the Tuscan
wine capitals, and the annual Festa di Montespertoli
is a fixed date for the major producers of Chianti
wine. As well as the Chianti show usually held between
May and June, there is the Festival of the Novello
Wine, held in early November, Paneolio (a festival of
local bread and oil) and many other gastronomic
festivals which involve the main villages in the
territory.
Since the mid 1950s, Montespertoli has seen great
developments in the non-agricultural area and, in
particular, a growth in craftsman industries and small
scale industrial production, especially in the sectors
of tailoring and ceramics.
All the villages in the Commune have a rich variety of
places to eat, serving typical Tuscan cuisine, and it
has an important tourist-sports center in the Molino
del Ponte area (football pitch, covered tennis courts,
five-a-side football pitches, clay pigeon shooting,
gymnasium, swimming pool, hotel and restaurant) and a
series of hill-walking on the "Dolce Campagna Antiche
Mura" circuit.
The Museum of sacred art is housed in the thousand
year-old Parish church of San Piero in Mercato and
holds innumerable treasures gathered from the churches
of the Commune which are no longer in use. The museum
is the result of collaboration between various
organizations and the aim of the exhibition is to
group together the works from each church and then of
the churches in the same parish. It is possible to
admire not only precious works from the 15th and 16th
centuries, including church silverware, but also
documentation and wall decorations which have been
collected in this museum due to their extreme
sensitivity to light and humidity.
(c) 1997-2008 E. Massetti
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