Itinerary 1Take the road which goes uphill beside the parochial church of Gaiole to the fortified Romanesque parish church of Spaltenna, one of the most beautiful in the area and the mother church of the entire Chianti.
It has a simple and elegant facade covered with the pale, local stone, which turns a warm pink at sunset, and a bell tower in perfect Romanesque style. The adjacent building is a powerful four-sided stronghold with two corner towers.
Continuing uphill, you reach the fortified village of Vertine, whose origins can be traced back to before the year 1000, belonging to the Ricasolis from 1100. In 1352 however, the sons of Arrigo Ricasoli were banished by Florence for having occupied the parish church of San Polo, and Vertine became their fortified retreat from which they raided the whole Chianti area. Besieged by the Florentines they had to surrender, and the castle was demolished and the Ricasolis banished.
It is an imposing sight when the whole hamlet looms up in front of you; even today it is one of the most important examples of a fortified medieval village, with its tall stone tower beside the main entrance gate. Within the village the original buildings are well preserved and follow the circular internal road, whilst outside the village the flora of the surrounding fields reaches up to the external walls.
Following the ridge upwards we come to San Donato in Perano, whose first records date back to a document from 995. Today it has the appearance of a villa from the XVII century, but stone walls of undoubtedly medieval origins can be discerned under the peeling stucco, testifying that it once was part of a fortified castle.
Not far beyond San Donato, along the road to Radda, a left turn will take you to Vistarenni, a majestic villa from the XVII century, built on the site of an ancient village dating back to the XI century.
|
|
© 2007 chiantistorico.com
Official Site of the Tourist Information Offices of
Castellina in Chianti,
Gaiole in Chianti and
Radda in Chianti.
Last change: 24. 04. 2008
