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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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Montevarchi

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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.

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

 
 
 
   
 
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