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Towns of the area

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Sarteano

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Inhabitants in 1991: 4.378

The municipal territory of Sartiano extends for 85,27 square kilometres between the Val di Chiana and the Val d’Orcia, partly in hills and partly on the heights of Monte Cetona. It was Lordly centre then Podesta office.

The Sarteano area was inhabited since the Neolithic era and had notable development in the Etruscan period in the orbit of the more powerful Chiusi to whom it remained dependent, seemingly in Roman times and until the Longobarda domination. In XI century it returned in the possession of a feudal lineage, ancestors of the Counts Manenti, who dominated Sarteano until 1280, when it constituted itself in autonomous municipality (but from 1171 it was enjoying a certain grade of auto determination, being governed by a College of Consuls) even though under the influence of the Siena municipality. Positioned on the territorial limits of the republics of Orvieto, Perugia and Siena, at that time in full expansion, the municipality had a difficult life for the diverse attempts to conquer it, and it alternated its dependence between the three cities: seized by Siena at the beginning of the war against Orvieto (who were barricaded in the castle) with the defeat of Siena and the peace of 1235 Sarteano entered under the jurisdiction of Orvieto, to whom it remained loyal until the middle of the XIII century. Meanwhile in that same year the municipality tried to liberate itself from the Lordship of the Manenti acquiring from the Counts property assets and Lordly rights. Around 1350 Sarteano with the decline of Orvieto, was subjected by Perugia and in 1379 after a brief Orvieto interlude, it submitted itself to Siena with whom it remained until the integration with the Mediceo State in 1556.

Places to visit:
Piazza Bassa, where is found a cylindrical keep and the ancient Porta di Mezzo covered with coats of arms.
Palazzo del Comune, which faces onto Piazza Alta; 1300s building, several times remodelled, it hosts the 1700s Teatro Comunale degli Arrischianti.
The Castle, X century fortification.
S. Francesco, 1300m church had an elegant façade in Travertino stone from 1400. The interior holds some frescoes detached from the unroofed church of S. Vittoria.

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


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