| Handicrafts
|
| The best Artisan Masters
show their works through their art |
 |
|
|
|
|
| Italian
Minds |
| The italian style, famous
all over the world, full of original and fine ideas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
by
the Ghibellines after the battle of Montaperti in 1260. Medieval
vestiges remain, among which the sides of the Romanesque church
of Sant'Andrea (from where the League of Rignano
was formed) which today is a barn.
After 1.5 km, a detour leads to the Mitigliano holding,
the 16th century country residence of the Bardi family. The
holding subsequently became the property of the Rinuccini family.
In the 17th century, the latter transformed the building into
the present-day villa with a lovely park. Continuing, we find
a detour for San Cristoforo a Perticaia (a church built
in the 11th century over antique ruins; it preserves an excellent
portico with five arches and several paintings, among which
a triptych by Francesco di Cenni) and San Martino. Continuing
in the direction of San Donato, on the right can be noted the
vaulted bell tower of the Badiuzza degli Ughi (312 m);
an ancient church built by the Vallombrosian monks in the 12th
century which still has its precious façade. Next to
it is a hermitage with a medieval layout. Stop at the Monasteraccio
in Casignano, which is accessible by foot. The building was
founded in 1311 and is attached to the church of Santa Maria
a Casignano, and was supressed in 1502 (according to legend,
this was because of the transgressive behaviour of the Benedectine
monks with respect to the rules of the Order).
There you will find the remains of the ruins of a wall and of
a tower with a gothic arch. A short distance away is the locality
of Troghi, where there is a medieval Mill (church of
Sacro Cuore phone 055/8307021). In the vicinity is the Villa
of Poggio Francoli, built at the end of the 16th century
by the Arcispedale di S. Maria Nuova of Florence in the style
of Buontalenti, with a square design and pavilion roof surmonted
by a central turret. Continue on Provincial Road 1 (the "Aretina"
for San Donato) until after a little more than 1 km, you can
reach the spectacular Villa of Torre a Cona (private
residence phone 055/699000). Formerly the property of the Quona
family, then of the Rinuccini family and today of the Rossi
di Montelera family. It was built over the ruins of an ancient
castle.
The large building catches the eye because of the excellent
18th century façade and with two sets of windows and
the play formed by a fine system of staircases. A driveway lined
with cypresses trees and Italian-style garden complete the villa,
which is among the most beautiful of its era. Inside the property,
there is the "Mulino di Orlando" (Roland's Mill) a
windmill with 19th century crenellations. Only 389 m outside
of Rignano you arrive in
outlying district of San Donato in Collina. Stop at the
park of Fonte Sana (the scene of skirmishes during the Partisan
war), where it is possible to travel, on foot or on horseback,
three trails created by "Percorsi Natura" in
the surrounding countryside. |
 |
 |
Here You can download the itinerary map. [mappa3.zip] |
|
 |
 |
 |
Departure from Pontassieve.
Cross the bridge and stop at the Monastery.
From Rosano, continue along Provincial Road 90; after about
1 km, a detour to the right leads to Castiglionchio (212 m),
where there is a villa used as a tourist complex (phone 055/8303169-8303063)
that arose over an ancient castle. A stronghold partially destroyed
by the Ghibellines after the battle of Montaperti. After being rebuilt,
it was again destroyed one century later. In the vicinity is the church
of Santa Maria, which preserves several precious paintings, among
which is a Crucifixion attributed to the studio of Neri de'Bicci (15th
century). Continuing in the direction of Villamagna, after about 2
km in a superelevated position, there is the Romanesque parish
church of San Lorenzo a Miransù ("it looks out towards
Pratomagno" 322 m), a very old religious edifice that was well-known
during the first decades of the 11th century. Built in its present
form during the 14th century, it was repaired in 1886, and definitively
renovated from 1966 to 1968.
The church has three naves delineated by arches that rest on quadrangular
pillars, with a semicircular apse. The crenellated bell tower is connected
to the church. On the lovely façade are preserved the coats
of arms of the patrons of the locality. Returning to Provincial Road
90, the route climbs; the countryside becomes embellished with vines,
olives trees and cypresses, and after 15 km, the quadrangular towers
of Volognano stands out against the background. An ancient
Ghibelline possession, it was subsequently transformed into a villa
with Neo-Gothic touches (farm phone 055/8303125). In the church of
San Michele in Volognano (phone 055/8303438), that was built
at the end of 19th century, are preserved an altar piece of 1514 by
Mariotto Albertinelli, a Madonna and Child, and an altar piece depicting
the Madonna della Cintola, the attribution of which is undecided (between
Domenico Puligo and Rosso Fiorentino). Continue and you reach the
hamlets of Torri (17 km), Petriolo, and Pagnana; further there are
the crossroads of Bombone which lead off to the left in the direction
of the town of Rignano sull'Arno,
2 km away. In the direction of San Donato (Provincial Road 90), there
are detours to the churches of Sant'Antonio (phone 055/8305054) and
Santa Maria. Along the way, note the 14th century church of San Pietro
at Perticaia, a single-nave edifice with an apse, flanked by a bell
tower. It preserves the ruins of the cloister with four arches resting
on a rectangular pillars. Amid the hills, crops, restored farmhouses
and embattled keeps, lies Le Corti (21 km) where evidence of
the Middle Ages remains in the church. Just outside Le Corti a detour
leads to the L'Antica holding, the property of the Malespini
family; at 400 m, it rises from the ruins |
|
TuscanyDream/Tuscan
Itineraries/Pontassieve-Rosano-Rignano-San Donato
