SIENA, TUSCANY, ITALY
COLLE VAL D'ELSA
CASTELLO DI PITICCIANO
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SIENA, TUSCANY, ITALYCOLLE VAL D'ELSACASTELLO DI PITICCIANO
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Back to the first part (Borgo di Santa Caterina). Continuing in our walk we reach the Palazzo Campana, gate of access to the more ancient part of Colle Val d' Elsa, the so-called Castle of Piticciano. Palazzo Campana was built beginning from the 1539 by Giuliano di Baccio d' Agnolo, but its construction was not finished, the palace is in mannierist style and its door bring in the evocative via of the Castle where are interesting palaces between which are: the Palace of the Captain (16th century), the Marozzi house-tower (14th century) and the Giusti Palace (15th century). From here we entered in the piazza del Duomo. |
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In the piazza del Duomo are various buildings of historical interest, arriving from via del Castello from our left we find: the Giusti Palace (15th century), Palazzo Pretorio (1335) with beautiful facade decorated with many coats of arms and today seat of the Archaeological Museum, we find therefore, the powerful quadrangular Bell tower of the Cathedral (17th century) and the neoclassic facade of Cathedral (17th-19th century), the interior has three aisles and preserve some interesting works of art between which a marble pulpit of 1465, and in the Cappella del Chiodo a renaissance railing and a marble shrine, a bronze crucifix of the Giambologna is on the high altar. In the piazza del Duomo are also the buildings of the Episcopal Palace and the Palace of the People with annexed Fountain. From here start also the tunnel of via delle Volte. |
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Continuing along the via del Castello we find on the right the Palace of the Priori, seat of the Civic and Sacred Art Museum with a facade with a 15th century graffito decoration. Little beyond, on the left is the Teatro dei Varii, in origin (13th century) an ancient hospital along the via Francigena, with mullioned windows with little columns in the center. We reach then in the piazza di Santa Maria in Canonica, where is the church of Santa Maria in Canonica (12th century) in Romanesque-pisan style with beautiful rose-window, inside beyond a shrine attributed to Pier Francisco Fiorentino are also rests of frescoes. The bell tower of the church guards, the Martinella, the bell that played on a sienese "carroccio", taken from the Guelph colligians in occasion of the Battle of Colle in 1269. |
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In the last tract of via del Castello are found various medieval house-towers, this is one of the most colorful and characteristic parts of Colle Val d' Elsa. Between the house-towers are that of Lorenzo Lippi (15th century) and that one where the tradition wants that was born Arnolfo di Cambio (13th century), famous sculptor and architect (he projected, for example, Palazzo Vecchio in Florence). We arrived finally at the Baluardo, a bastion of the town-walls from which a magnificent panorama is enjoyed towardes Colle Bassa. From here it's possible to come down towards Colle Bassa through the modern elevator placed in the center of the bastion or along the pedestrian road called "La Costa". Another possibility is to return towards the medieval center passing through via delle Romite and then via di Mezzo we arrive to the evocative via delle Volte, a long tunnel approximately 100 meters in the heart of Colle Val d'Elsa. |
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WHERE TO STAY IN COLLE VAL D'ELSA:SEARCH for HOTELS and ACCOMMODATIONS IN COLLE VAL D'ELSA (with guest reviews) |
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WHAT TO SEE IN THE AREA:San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, Staggia Senese, Casole d'Elsa |
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