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Monte San Savino

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Inhabitants in 1991: 7,847

The Municipal territory of Monte San Savino extends for 89,68 square kilometres in the southern Val di Chiana, occupying for the most part the ridge and slopes of a hillock which dominates the valley of the Esse stream, tributary of the Canale Maestro della Chiana. Stationed along the road to Siena, it was a feudal centre, then a Vicariate Seat and became community in 1774.

Monte San Savino was almost certainly of Etruscan origin, but it is only from the XI century that it was actually recorded, during the time the Ubertini and their consorts were Lords of the area : it was precisely the alliance with the Fiorentini, stipulated by the Guelfo branch of this family, expelled from Arezzo and taken refuge in Monte San Savino (1287), which was one of the causes which incited the long war between Arezzo and Firenze culminating in the battle of Campaldino. From 1289 Monte San Savino was thus placed under the protection of Firenze, but in 1325 it was conquered by the troops of Guido Tarlati Bishop of Arezzo and was almost completely destroyed. Reconstructed and re-populated, in 1336 it passed again to the Fiorentini, who in time surrendered it to Perugia. The castle remained in their hands until 1358 the year in which it returned in the possession of Arezzo. In 1384 Monte San Savino, together with Arezzo and its district passed definitively under the dominion of Firenze, becoming Vicariate Seat (alternately with Lucignano). From 1551 to 1570 it was given in feudal by the Grand Duke Cosimo I to Baldovino and Fabiano del Monte, brothers of the Pontiff Giulio III, and in 1604 to Gianantonio Orsini. Returning to the possession of the Medici, it became, by deed, the Grand Ducal property of Prince Mattias brother of Ferdinando II (1664), and thus from 1667 to 1697 became the prerogative of the Grand duchess Vittoria della Rovere. In1747 the community of Monte San Savino became finally reunited with the Grand Ducal. In the spring of 1799 the town was at the centre of the antifrancese rebellion, which had as tragic consequence the dispersion of the blossoming Hebrew community settled in the zone. Monte San Savino has seen the birth of Cardinal Giovanni Maria del Monte, who became Pope with the name of Giulio III (1487-1555) and of the sculpture and architect Andrea Contucci called the Sansovino (1460-1529).

Places to Visit :
Rocca del Cassero, 1300s construction in Siena Gothic style, now the Seat of the Municipal Museum of Ceramics which exhibits artefacts of ceramics and majolica from Medieval times to the present day.
Loggia dei Mercanti, 1500s construction, Portico above four fluted columns with Corinthian capitals
Chiara, 1600s Church housing exquisite works of art
S. Agostino, Parish church constructed in the first half of the XIV century and enlarged in 1500, seemingly by Sansovino. Among other works of art it also contains a stained glass window by Marcillat.

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


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