Inhabitants in 1991: 14.959
The
Municipal territory of Calenzano extends for 76,87 square kilometres in
Val di Marina, between the mountains of Calvana and those of Morello as
far as the plains between Firenze and Prato. The capital, placed in an
elevated position, was originally a feudal castle.
Calenzano an important junction varied in Roman times, it was
a feudal to the Guidi Counts in the Medieval era, and they
built a fortress in the XII century dominating the road which led to Mugello.
From the Guidi it then passed to the property of the great
Fiorentine families, the Cavalcanti, the della Tosa. the da Sommaia,
the Scali who had huge possessions in the surrounding territories.
Severely damaged by the Ghibellini after the battle of Montaperti
(1260), it suffered new devastation under the hand of Castruccio Castracani
in 1325 and by the Visconteo army in 1351. It came definitely in the
possession of the Fiorentina republic in 1352, who valuing its
strategic importance, immediately took care to conveniently fortify
it (even today the conspicuous ruins of the wall and two turreted gates
are conserved in the castle) and this reinforcement was soon demonstrated
useful the following year when Calenzano successfully resisted the siege
imposed by Pisa and the company of English adventurers in its pay.
It was Seat
of Law of the Fiorentino county and the first formulation of the
local statutes was in 1411, when the inhabited centre came to see
one of its most prosperous periods, while the ancient Lords of the area
were substituted by new proprietors like the Medici and the descendents
of an emigrant Notary of Calenzano in the middle of the 1300s, who having
transferred to Firenze, gave the start to the commercial fortune of
the descendants of Ginori. Only marginally involved in the dramatic
event in consequence of the expelling of the Medici and of their return
at the beginning of the 1500s, in modern times Calenzano, exempted from
the role of military advanced post defending the city, definitely assumed
the trait of agricultural centre with comfortable villas to stay
in.
Places to visit: Museum of toy soldiers and historical
figures, singular collection of unique pieces or of series assembled
with them. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of
Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e
Giuridici
Picture by Gianfranco Bracci
Translated by Ann Mountford
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