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

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Towns of the area

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Asciano

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Inhabitants in 1991: 6.210

The municipal territory of Asciano extends for 215,51 square kilometres on the hills of the high valley of the river Ombrone. Its origins were that of Medieval feudal and was then Vicariate Seat; it was raised to community in 1777.
The discovery of an Etruscan burial place in the area testifies that it was inhabited from the most ancient times. From Roman times however there is the remains of a large fragment of mosaic floor. The first news of Medieval Asciano is from the VIII century regarding a dispute between the Bishops of Siena and Arezzo for the possession of certain churches among which the parish church of Asciano; in the IX century the castle was feudal to the Cacciaconti Counts, who from Assianum, the most important centre, took the name of Scialenghi under whose Lordship it remained until the end of the XII century when it passed under the dominion of Siena, who made it Vicariate Seat.

Its economic and strategic importance made it the target for the hostilities of the Fiorentini, who in 1234 devastated it; in the course of the XIII century it entered under the Lordship of the Tolomei, Asciano returned in the middle of the 1300 under the direct control of Siena until 1554 when together with Siena it became part of the Mediceo State. The Benedettina Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore grew up on its territory, founded in 1313 by Bernardo Tolomei, it was the religious centre, but also one of culture and economy, of notable importance particularly in the Renaissance period.

Places to visit:
Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, about 2 kilometres outside the town is the church of the monastery founded in 1300 by Benedettini Olivetani. Interesting is the Chorus inlaid by Fra’ Giovanni da Verona. In the monastery’s library there are 40,000 precious books preserved. The Chemists contains an important collection of jars from the XVII century. Civic Tower, elegant crenelated construction of Medieval establishment, partly remade successively.
Civic Archaeological Museum, where the finds from the excavations of the burial ground of Poggio Pinci are collected.
S. Agata, Romanic Basilica in Travertine stone, founded in the XI century. The single nave interior preserves precious works of art.
S. Francesco, Gothic church of the XIII century being part of the Francescano monastic complex now disappeared. The interior, completely restored, preserves precious works of art among which an Ancona by Robbiana from 1500.

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

 
 
 
   
 
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