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Visita il Mugello, culla dei Medici, a due passi da Firenze e le bellezze toscane
 

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Poppi

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Inhabitants in 1991 : 5,601

The Municipal territory of Poppi in the Valdarno Casentinese, extends for 97,03 square kilometres from the ridge of the Tosco-Romagnolo Apennines to the valley bottom crossed by the Arno, between plains, hills and mountains. The centre is situated on a terraced hillock from which it dominates the Campaldino plain and the high valley of the Arno. Feudal to the Counts Guidi of Battifolle, it then became a Vicariate Seat.

The first historical record of Poppi goes back to 1169, when it was cited in a document belonging to the Abbey of San Fedele di Strumi, but the most significant act was in 1191 :in a certificate by Emperor Arrigo VI with which many Castles between Romagna and Toscana became confirmed as a feudal to Count Guido Guerra dei Guidi, among which were Poppi, Battifolle, Porciano ;from then on for nearly three centuries, the history of Poppi is closely connected with that of its Lords, who were, for a long time, among the most powerful of the Tuscan feudal nobles, often protagonists in the principal events of the Fiorentini politics of the XII and XIII centuries. In 1261 Count Simone surrounded the township with walls and began the construction of the palace, which was finished towards the end of the century by his son Guido. Followers of the Ghibellina faction, the Guidi di Poppi were forced, after the death of Manfredi (1266), to make an act of submission to the Guelfi who were dominant in Firenze. On 11th June 1289, close to the walls of the Castle in the plain of Campaldino, the historic battle was fought between Firenze and Arezzo, which sanctioned the predominance of Firenze and the Guelfo formation  in Toscana, even if for the moment without any concrete acquisition of territory. The next year the Fiorentini, returning from an unfruitful expedition against Arezzo devastated the Casentino, setting on fire the Castle of Poppi, out of hatred for the Count Guido Novello who had been Vicariate General to King Manfredi in Firenze. Finally in 1440, during an assault by the Milanesi military commanded by Niccolò Piccinino, Count Francesco dei Guidi who had favoured the enemies of Firenze after the Fiorentini victory at Anghiari, was besieged in his Castle and forced to surrender. Passing into the possession of the Fiorentina republic, Poppi became Vicariate Seat with jurisdiction covering the whole of the Casentino. Among its illustrious sons must be remembered the sculpture Mino, called da Fiesole (1430-1484), the artist Francesco Morandini, called il Poppi (1544-1597) and the free thinker and poet Tommaso Crudeli (1703-1745). In the community territory there are the ruins of the Abbey of Strumi (X century) primarily Benedettina then Vallombrosana, and the Hermitage of Camaldoli, constructed at the beginning of the XI century by San Romualdo near the Apennine ridge surrounded by thick Fir and Beech woods. In April of 1944 during the German occupation more than 150 inhabitants of Poppi were deported and many of them died in the concentration camps.

Places to Visit :
Count Guidi Palace, positioned to dominate the valley, the impressive building was constructed in the second half of the 1200s as a strengthener to the fortress. In the front there is a large garden.
Madonna del Morbo, a unique circular plan church started in 1657 and finished in 1705.

Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford

 
 
 
   
 
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