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Inhabitants in 1991 : 21,710
The Municipal territory of Montevarchi in the Valdarno Superiore extends
over an area of 56,78 square kilometres partly hilly and partly on the
plain on the left bank of the Arno. The capital, it is positioned in the
valley floor at the foot of the terraced slopes of the hills of Chianti.
It was a feudal centre, then a Podesta office, becoming Seat
of community in 1774.
The present day inhabited centre of Montevarchi was constructed towards
the end of the XII century as the market place of its namesake
castle which rises on Poggio dei Cappuccini and over which the
Marquis del Monte Santa Maria were Lords ; It then passed
to the Counts Guidi until 1254, the year in which they sold it
to the Fiorentina republic. Repressed by their antique Lords after
the battle of Montaperti, it was newly restored to Firenze in 1273
by the Count Guido Selvatico da Dovadola. Montevarchi suffered
damage in 1287, when the Arezzo
Ghibellini attacked their fellow citizens Guelfi who had taken
refuge there, and because it was land subjected to Firenze had other difficulties
submitting damage by Arezzo
in 1289 and in1312 by the army of Arrigo VII. Because of this in 1338
it was decided to enclose it with walls, making it the Seat of
Office of a Podesta which comprised the castle of Ricasoli and a further
four rural populations. The historian and humanist Benedetto Varchi
(1503-1565) was born there and also the Dantien and historian Isidora
del Lungo (1841-1927).
Places to Visit :
Convent of S. Ludovico, ex convent which now houses the Academy
Valdarnese del Poggio, the Library and the Palaeontologic Museum.
S . Lorenzo collegiate which was already noted from the
XIII century and renewed in XVIII century, it has a Latin cross interior
embellished with exceptional works of art.
Museum of Sacred Art, housed in an ex-sagrestia it contains
together with important works of art, the monumental “tempietto”
by Della Robbia, removed from the church during its 1700s restoration.
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Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford
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www.terraditoscana.com
