|  Inhabitants
in 1991: 4.376
 The
municipal territory of Castel del Piano extends for 67,79 square kilometres
on the western slopes of Monte Amiata. Medieval castle, then Seat of
Podesta Office in modern times, it reached its present day aspect
after the detachment of Seggiano in 1920 and the addition in 1956
of the district of Montenero, which belonged to the municipality of Cinigiano.
Castel del Piano has extremely ancient origins; in the diatomaceous
earth digs, of which there is an abundance in its territory, have been
found material referable to palaeolithic, neolithic and apennithic civilisation.
The first written documentation goes back however to the Dark Ages:
most probably it is the Plana country house named in the papers of the
Abbey of Monte Amiata since 890. It became subsequently one of
the innumerable castle owned by the Aldobrandeschi, it was assigned
in 1274 to the branch of the Counts of Santa Fiora. In 1331, it was
sold by them to the republic of Siena for 8,000 florins, at the
conclusion of the victorious feat conducted by the Siena Podesta Giudoriccio
da Fogliano against the Aldobrandesche forts. From 1557 the Siena
republic fell with the defeat at Montalcino, and Piano became part
of the dominion of Cosimo I dei Medici. The district of Montegiovi
has also historic interest, it was already the Lordship of the Buonsignori,
and the Salimbeni, together with Montenero and they were contested until
the XI century by the Abbey of San Salvatore and the Aldobrandeschi Counts.
During the struggle for liberation a CLN (National War Committee) was
formed at Castel del Piano even before that of Grosseto and exercised
a provincial function for some time. In the area the formation “Alta
Amiata” also operated.
Places to visit:
Ss. Niccolò and Lucia,
provostal enriched by paintings of the Nasini and of Manetti. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |
www.terraditoscana.com
