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Towns of the area

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Murlo

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Inhabitants in 1991: 1.793

The municipal territory of Murlo extends for 114,79 square kilometres between the valley of the river Merse and that of the Ombrone. Its origins as feudal go back to at least the XII century and the first capital was probably the castle of Crevole. In 1777 the community was restructured and in 1833 the districts of Campriano, Bagnaia and Frontignano were added.

There was news of the Murlo castle from the Medieval era, but archaeological finds from the Etruscan era make it seem the territory was inhabited from that time. In 1151 the feudal of Murlo was donated by Count Ugolino di Ranuccio Ardengheschi to Bishop Ranieri (from here comes the name of Murlo din Vescovado, used even today) and the donation was ratified in 1189 by the Emperor, even though in the following decade the presence of this singular enclave inside their county somewhat upset the governing Senese. So for nearly two centuries the territory of Murlo was the object of bitter controversy among the government of Siena and the Episcopate, who was, from 1274, forced to concede a military obligation for his subjects to the Siena army; The contention was eased definitively in 1387 with the recognition, even if only partially, of a sort of sovereignty by Siena over the castle, whose inhabitants from then on had to pay the census at Siena and buy salt from them; however the civil and penal jurisdiction over the place remained with the Bishops. After 1554 and the conquest of the Siena territory by the Medici, Murlo continued to be subjected to the Episcopal jurisdiction until 1766 when Pietro Leopoldo decreed the suppression of feudal in the Grand Duchy.

Places to visit:
The Fortified Village, the Medieval nucleus isolated on a hill, surrounded by ancient walls which also enclose the church of S. Fortunato, with a Medieval plan and remodelled in 1500, and the Civic Archaeological Museum.

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


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