La Valle del Diavolo |
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Castelnuovo |
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| The origin of this village is probably medieval, like all | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| the “borghi” of the area. Perhaps, it was built afterwards |  |
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| a Longobard settlement situated nearby. Hence the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| name Castro Nuovo ( New Castle ). The first written | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| record dates back from 1176 and tells about a village | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| under the rule of a lord of Longodard origin (the Lambardi) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| till 1210 when they submitted to the commune of Volterra. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the same century Castelnuovo thanks to its mineral | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| resources became an important economic centre but it | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| was also subject to a lot of taxes. In 1447, like many other | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| villages, it was invaded by the army of Alfonso d' Aragona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| and when he withdrew his toops, was under the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| occupation of Antonio Petrucci from Siena. Helped by | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Florence , Volterra conquered again the castle. In 1639 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| it became a possession of the grand Duchy and Ferdinand II de Medici made Luca degli Albizzi Marquis of the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| castle wich he and his family kept until the drand duchy was abolished in the second half of the 18th century. In | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1737 after the Medici's extinction, Castelnuovo followed the same destiny of the Granducato di Toscana. In 1860 it | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| was annexed to the Reign of Italy. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place to visit: |
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| The church of SS Salvatore | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
of medieval origin, was renovated in 1744 and 1760 and is characterised by a salient facade and by an impressive flight of steps leading to the church square. The restoration work changed the inner space. First it was carried out on the aisle on the church tower side, then on the apse. A precious wooden crucifix is preserved inside. The entitling to the San Salvatore (Saint Saviour) is rarely found in the area. The churches with these names were built on christian primitive sites or on pilgrims stations on the way to Rome At the end of the right aisle there is a majestic organ dating from the 17th century. It has been restored and enlarged several times during the centuries. It can be considered one of the most interesting example of Tuscan organ art.
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| The Oratory of Madonna al Piano | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
It is situated near the bridges on the Pavone and is now part of a farmhouse. We know very little about this Oratorio, built before the second half of the 17th century. A local legend links its building to a miracolous event happened to the painting of Madonna with Child worshipped in the Oratory. The legend has it that the painting was found left in the place where later it would be worshipped, and it was taken and placed in the Church of San Savatore in Castelnuovo, but it disappeared from there and reappeared in the very place where it had been first found. Then it was decided to build a chapel there and the painting, which was placed inside, could be worshipped in the very place where it had been since the beginning. A copy of the same painting is kept in the Church of SS Salvatore .
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Castelnuovo V.C. veduta aerea |
Montecastelli Veduta aerea | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Montecastelli Pisano |
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| Montecastelli has a Longobard origin and it was an important watch out and defensive site on the minerary road | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| which crossed the Metal hills from North to South. But at the time of the Etruscans the place was already | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| inhabitated, an evidence of this are the etruscan tombs (VII century B.C.) where the first christians practised their | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| rites at the time of the Arian persecution. The village was fortified and divided into different properties, owned by the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pannochieschi and Aldobrandeschi families around the XI century. In 1204 the bishops succeeded to gain control | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| of the place till the end of the 13th century, when Comune di Volterra fought and won the castle.The Church in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| which the titles of San Filippo and Giacomo were conferred from another one in Buccignano, preserves inside | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| a painting by Cosimo Daddi and it is one of the few examples of Romanesque architecture. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Natural Produce | Villages and churchs | Geotermia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
