The territory of Piancastagnaio is situated on the south-east slopes of Mount Amiata and dominates the Paglia and Cassia valleys.
Piancastagnaio is an ancient feudal centre, dating back to the 13th century when it became a medieval centre. In the 18th century it became an inportant feudal location and in 1778 it became a collective centre.
The name of Piancastagnaio derives from the numerous chestnut groves in its territory.
Piancastagnaio is remembered because since 11th century there were many struggles between the Aldobredeschi family and the Abbey of San Salvatore of Mount Amiata, for the leadership of the territory.
The conflicts went on in the 13th century with the Visconti of Campiglia d’Orcia family because Piancastagnaio was a rich and strategic castle.
In 1303 the Republic of Orvieto definitely obtained control over the town and it occupied the castle for the first half of the century.
We have to wait 1430 to find Piacastagnaio under the Republic of Siena, after the conflict against Orsini of Pitignano and Aldobradeschi’s sheirses.The winner restored the castle walls in 1456 to receive a part of Siena’s army.
Nowadays the castle is good kept, there are three towers and a part of the ancient walls.
After the born of Granducato of Tuscany in 1601 , the GranDuke Ferdinando I granted Piancastagnaio to marquis Giovanni Battista Bourbon as fief. He built the palace nearby the walls.
In 1778 the fief were eliminated and Piancastagnaio returned under the direct control of the Granducato.
During the Second World War there was an important partisan activity.
In the past the economy was based on pastoral activities. The woody part was bigger than the cultivate fields. Here the animals found abundant food.
Thank to big woods it was important the carving. In mediaval age Piancastagnaio was known for the production of strong lances.
Nowadays the industry is based on production of furniture and frames , leather working and electronical factories. In these years for the increase of the tourism , the receptive structure was reinforced with new Hotels and restaurants.
by Jennifer Mallegni
PIANCASTAGNAIO, a town on Monte Amiata, is an ancient village with a circular form, that dominates the Valley of Paglia and the Cassia. It once had surrounding wall enclosure, with alternating square towers and four gates.
The walls and the gates have been almost entirely demolished, with the exception of few lines, but in the highest point of the inhabited area the mighty Fortress Aldobrandesca area rises still today.
The village has an important heritage that includes fortress, castles, churches, buildings and the springs.
If you come to Piancastagnaio, stop! It is worth a trip!
Fortress Aldobrandesca
Since the 11th century the area of southern Tuscany around the Castle of Piancastagnaio was the object of the expansionist politics of the powerful feudal family of the Aldobrandeschi.
The construction has a square form and is endowed with tall and strongly inclined walls. From the enclosure two towers rise, the biggest, also the thickest, had the functions of keeping, the other in the opposite angle, defended the underlying gate of access to the city.
The whole complex was endowed with machicoulis and battlement, still today almost intact.
Today the Fortress is used as museums; it is in good condition thanks to careful work and a restoration will be finished this year.
A few steps there is a rich park of secular chestnut trees, that developped on the slopes of a hill and still has been divided in the “Terzieri” of the Borgo, Castello and Voltaia.
Church of Santa Maria Assunta
It dates back to the 12th century and it is a magnificent church in Baroc style.
Inside the Church, there are two chapels: the Chapel of Santissimo Sacramento, with numerous frescos and the font of the 15th-16th century and the Chapel of Santissima Annunziata, with wooden altar and marble pulpit.
Church of Madonna delle Grazie
This religious building has a geometrical façade, with central portal accompanied by two lesene and a Bell Tower.
Inside the Church you can find a marvellous frescos by Nanni di Pietro.
Church of San Filippo Neri
At first dedicated to Santa Croce and the seat of Compagnia del Santissimo Nome di Gesù, in 1796 the Church became the nocturne Oratory of San Filippo Neri.
The structure shows simple forms, an imponent Statue of the Saint and a painting of the 18th century.
Church of San Francesco
Consecrated in 1278, the façade of the Church, with portico, presents Romanic feautures and in the interior there is a only nave, a truss covering and beautiful frescos (14th century).
On the left of the Church, there are the remains of the Convent of San Bartolomeo; it became a villa.
Madonna of San Pietro
This building became place of worship in 1583, after the miraculas events of Vergine.
The interior is composed by a fantastic gallery by Francesco Nasini (the frescos cycle) and the image of Madonna (1580) by Martino d’Urbano.
Worth a visit!
Other churches
Piancastagnaio has other religious buildings such as the Parish Church , built in 1100 in the Romanic-Bourguignon style, with its pointed arch.
The Church called Crocifix (characterized by three naves) because in the interior there is a wooden sculpture.
The Church of Casa del Corto and the Church of Saragiolo are other important construction for a visit.
Piazza dell’Orologio
It is the ancient Piazza of Comune with a lot of attractive monument: the Building of Podestà and Comune (13th century), the Loggia of Mercanzia, with the Clock Tower (1533) and the Column of Justice, with the coat of arms of the Republic of Siena, are present here.
The Church called of Santa Maria Cuntaria, because the name derives from the cuntaria latin saxa (that is unstables pebble), is in one of the side of square. The church, in Romanic style, is rich of interesting works.
On a other side of the main square the Ghetto Ebraico is opened; along it remains the rests of ancient sinagoga and the jewish school. Also, there is the Hebrew’s Spring.
The jewish presence in Piancastagnaio is testified from the 14th century, but it was here under the Bourbon that the doors opened the hebrew bankers and one small community was formed, like in other countries of the Amiata.
Building of Bourbon
The construction began in 1603 and since then the building has been enlarged.
It served as a royal palace for Giovanni Battista, who dominated the Granducato of Tuscany and as the object of the expansionist of the Bourbon Family.
Designed by Valentino Martelli, architect and sculptor, in the exterior, the structure is characterized by a set of door decorated with coats of arms.
Surrounded by immense and superb gardens, the building has two main floors, connected by elegant peperino staircase, a entertainment salon, various windows and fireplace in trachytic stone.
Today the Building of Bourbon is undergoing an important restoration.
Which you can’t miss!
Outside of the walls of Piancastagnaio there is a place called “Piatto delle Streghe” (the Dish of the Witches); it is a spring of the ancient garden of Bourbon’s Building, where the witches went to celebrate the “sabba“, a tradition where they ate grisly dishes.
The springs
The water, as an urban and architectonic element, were very important in the past for the town of Piancastagnaio.
Today, you can see the remains of the springs: the Porta of Fontanella and the Spring called of Borgo or of Canale, has been used exclusively for drinking water, the Spring of Voltaia, important for the water that flows from the Liccia’s Cliff.
This spring equipped with drinking troughs, publics washhouses, the hemp and washing of the wool. All the complex called Spring of the Capanne, because there were numerous houses, where people and workers lived.
By Daniele De Falco
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