MEDICEAN'S FORTRESS of POGGIO IMPERIALE, POGGIBONSI (SIENA)
THE CITY WALLS |
PART1 |
 |
| PART2 |
| PART3 |
|
PART4 |
THE CITY WALLS |
| Poggibonsi is an industrial town that lies, in the
center of Tuscany, between Florence (Firenze) (40 km) and Siena (25 Km)
along the "Raccordo Autostradale Firenze-Siena". It's a place where are easy to
reach San Gimignano, Certaldo,
the Chianti, Siena, Volterra and Florence.
Despite its modern aspect, Poggibonsi has an interesting
Medicean fortress to visits, for the lovers of this kind of architecture I strongly
suggest a stop of a few hours in the Archeological Park of the "Fortezza di Poggio
Imperiale".
Poggibonsi was founded in the Middle Ages on the
right-hand side of the River Elsa. It was situated in a strategic geographical position: a
cross-roads on the ancient Via Francigena (Frankish Road). For its position Poggibonsi was
the object of dispute between the powers of the time: Florence (Firenze) and Siena. In
1115 the Florentine army took over the hilltop castle and destroyed it. In 1155 Guido
Guerra, count Guidi, in agreement with the Sienese, began building a new town on the "Podium Bonizi" or
"Poggio Bonizio". In 1220 Federico II proclaimed it an Imperial Town and it
remained faithful to Siena. The town was then razed to the ground in 1270 when the
Imperial armies were defeated by Florence.
- Hotels and Accommodation in Poggibonsi.
-
|
|
ACCOMMODATION IN CHIANTI: |
 |
|
| The South-East side of the defensive
walls. |
| Detail of the embrasures in the
South-East curtain wall. |
| Detail of the embrasures in the
South-East curtain wall. |
| The South East side of the defensive
walls. |
| The hill of Poggio Imperiale is an area of about 12
hectares which lies west of the modern town of Poggibonsi, it's a highly
significant monumental and archeological area, it was, between
1155 and 1270, the site of the urban nucleus of "Podium Bonizi" and in 1313 it
was chosen by emperor Arrigo VII as the location for a new city named "Monte
Imperiale". Later the place was chosen for the costruction of a
Medicean fortress, planned by Giuliano da Sangallo, which was never
completed. It was one of the first test for the realization of the new conceptions
of fortification that were developing in that years. The entire fortified complex contains circuit walls around the
hill, excluded the northern side, with four main gates and a penthagonal fortress, called Cassero Mediceo, located in
the eastern area. Lorenzo de Medici wanted to start
the foundation of a new city, but this enterprise
was definitely abandoned in July 1513.
The complex of Poggio Imperiale is still
impressive and worth a visit, the Archeological Park has many signs (sadly only in
Italian) explicate the interesting history of the place and while you visiting this place
you can easily came back to the middle age when the fortress was built. Archeological
excavation are still in progress on place. |
| The Southern walls on the left of the
Porta San Francesco approaching the gate of the fortress. |
| The Southern walls are in bad state of
preservation and are overgroved by vegetation. |
| The Southern walls are in bad state of
preservation and are overgroved by vegetation. |
| Detail of the embrasure in the South
curtain wall. |
| Complete aerial view of the fortress.
High on the left corner is the Cassero. |
| Recostruction of the fortress as
showed in the panels of the Parco Archeologico. |
| |
|
