Castell'Azzara

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Inhabitants in 1991: 2.105

The municipality of Castell’Azzara extends for 64,72 square kilometres in a mountainous zone between the valleys of Fiora and Paglia. Medieval castle and Grand Duchy feudal, it was constituted in 1915 with the detachment of the capital together with the districts of Selvena and Villa Sforzesca from the municipality of Santa Fiora.

The castellum lazari is cited in an act of division of the Aldobrandeschi assets in 1216, but we know nothing of the events surrounding it during the XIII and XIV centuries. Included in the dominion of the Count Guido di Santa Fiora, it was claimed on his death (1438) by the Siena republic. Subsequently Castell’Azzara together with Montorio and Castell’Ottieri passed under the direct dominion of the Baschi family, who in 1475 made an act of submission to the municipality of Siena. Two centuries later, in 1690 the Baschi renewed the act of partnership to the Grand Duke Cosimo III dei Medici. The dynasty extinct, the best part of the assets placed in Casell’Azzara were inherited by the Siena nobles Del Ciaia.
The district of Selvena of notable historic importance and cited for the first time in 833 in a document of the Abbey of Monte Amiata passed under the dominion of the Asdobrandeschi of Siena and the Orsini, and the Villa Sforzesca was built in 1580 by Cardinal Alessandro Sforza with the intention of offering reception to the court of Gregorio XIII. During the struggle for Liberation, the territory of Castell’Azzara was theatre to the partisan activity.

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