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Grosseto is a city in Tuscany with around 77,500 inhabitants, it is in the province of the same name and is the main centre of Maremma. It is the most southern main town in Tuscany, and shares with a few other main Italian towns, such as Ferrara, Bergamo and Lucca, the distinction of being still surrounded by its walls which have maintained their original appearance over the centuries. The whole old town is completely closed by the fortified walls which effectively isolates it from the rest of the town. The only exception is the Porta Nuova where, during the 1800’s, the city door was destroyed. The ramparts of the moat were filled in and a small section of the wall pulled down. The current historical centre is the result of a 15th century rebuilding of the walls, whereby it gained a larger perimeter and so the centre is bigger than it was in medieval times. In fact this restructuring brought about the decline of many historical medieval buildings, among them many religious ones, but buildings rose again outside the centre, along the perimeter walls where the current town walls form a hexagonal shape. Despite this enlargement the town centre remains snug and contained, and easy for visitors thanks to many areas being pedestrians only.
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The Walls of the Medicis
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| The Cathedral of San Lorenzo named after the patron saint of the town, took the place of the ancient Church Santa Maria Assunta, to become the temporary cathedral in 1138, the time that the diocese of Rostelle was transferred to Grosseto under the auspices of Archbishop Roland. The new gothic style building as started in 1294 and was designed by the architect and sculptor Sozzo Rustichini of Siena. The work’s progress suffered many interruptions and the church underwent extensive alterations until it took on a unified gothic aspect.
Chiesa di San Francesco was an important Benedictine convent before it passed into the hands of the Franciscans. The structure has undergone various stages of restoration over the years; the bell tower was restored in the first half of the 1900’s. The wooden tabernacle at the front is splendid. Many works of art from varying periods are housed inside. At the centre of the cloisters there is an interesting Pozzo della Bufula (a well), with another well in the square in front of the church.
Convento delle Clarisse is tucked away on the Strada del Vinzaglio near Piazza San Francesco, and attached to the convent is the Chiesa dei Bigi. Both are sacrosanct. The internal part is almost definitely of medieval origin, with a following restoration in the late 15th century and then several further reconstructions in the Baroque style in the 16th century. The structure now is the headquarters of Museolab, a University project.
The oldest religious building in Grosseto is the Church of San Pietro. It was built along the side of the via. Aurelia which crosses the centre of town. It was a church built for the common people in the old imperial road of the city.
Church of the Misericordia dates from the X11 century and was an Oratory. It belonged to various religious orders down the centuries before passing into the hands of the Order of Misericordia at the beginning of the 18th century. It present appearance is due to the restructuring done in the middle of that century. In the past it displayed many works of art that are now shown in the Archaeological and Art Museum of the Maremma.
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Palazzo Aldobrandeschi, the Provincial headquarters, is situated on the east side of Piazza Dante.
Built in medieval times, the structure was almost totally restructured at the beginning of the last century by the architect Lorenzo Porciatti. It is in a neo-gothic style with mullioned windows and pointed arches with battlements around the highest part.
Palazo Comunale is the Town Hall, home of the Town Council and the District Council. It is on the northern side of the Piazza Dante. The origions of the this building are uncertain, but it was built in a neo Renaissance style in the second half of the 18th century.
Cassero del Sale faces the Piazza on the opposite side to Porto Vecchia. It was built during the 13th century as a place for the production, distribution and exportation of salt from the salt pan areas which at that time lay along the coast. For several centuries it was used by customs officials who controlled all activity linked to the salt business.
Teatro degi Industri is the internal part of a 18th century building. It is one of the main cultural centres of Grosseto and is used for many events.
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| The Abbey of San Pancrazio al Fango straddles the land of both Grosseto and Castiglione della Pescaia councils, in the heart of the Diaccia Botrona nature reserve. The church which seems to be a ruin, was built in the medieval period on a slight elevation above the marshy ground which surrounds it. This at one time was Lake Prile.
The Abbey of San Rabano is at the extreme south of the council’s district in the middle of the Nature Park of Maremma that goes along the ridge of Mount dell’Uccellina. In medieval times the structure was a Benedictine monastery which subsequently passed into the hands of the Order of the Horsemen of Jerusalem. It was abandoned in the 15th century when a new church was built near the Villa Granducale di Alberese.
The Chapel of Santa Maria a Grancia is nearby the river Ombrone built on a slight elevation south of the city where there once was an important Benedictine monastery. The monastery was in close contact with the nearby Abbey of San Rabano. The whole ancient complex was transformed in to a factory stronghold in subsequent centuries. Only the chapel remained as a memorial to the pre-existing monastery. The surrounding factory is the headquarters of the Archivio della Riforma Fondaria.
The Fortifications and coastal tower
Along the coastal strip which belongs to the territory of Grosseto, there are several fortifications, which in the past were used as a warning system. These structures were built in strategic locations where the sentries could easily communicate with a colleague in the next tower whenever there was danger of attack from the sea.
The Fortress delle Marte.
This is situated to the north of Marina di Grosseto. It was built in the 17th century right on the waters edge and continued to be radically reconstructed during the 18th century. Shifts in sea patterns means that now the structure is found in the dunes at the entrance to the beach.
The Fortress San Rocco is built along the canal at Marina di Grosseto during the 1700’s. It was used for defence, attack and also as a warning device and furthermore, was used as a logistical headquarters when the land was being reclaimed.
Torre della Trappola built in medieval times south of Principina a Mare on the right embankment of the river Ombrone. It was part of a bigger complex in an area which included the salt pans and a church. It also carried out defence functions and could signal both north and south to the other points of defence along the coast.
Torre di Castel Marino. This is 12th century, and built on a hill at the heart of the nature Park of the Maremma near Marina di Albarese. It was for defence purposes too, but with the construction of the nearby Torre di Collelungo , it fell into disuse.
Torre di Collelungo is built on a small promontory of the Nature of the Maremma right in front of the beach, and is the best preserved of all of the towers in Grosseto. This 15th century site had probably been used as a fortification previously. Torre dell’Uccellina, built in the 13th century along the ridge of Monti dell’Uccellina as a defence tower, is near the Abbey of San Rabano and makes up part of the same complex. |
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The Abbey of San Lorenzo, also known as Abbey Ardenghesca is in the district of Civitella Paganico, It is in the heart of the hunting area near the Lanzo torrent. The abbey also serves as the monastery for the family Ardenghesci and is near the San Lorenzo Castle.
The Convent of San Benedetto alla Nave is on the edge of the Montorsaio district.
The Convent of Santa Croce is just outside the village of Batignano.
The Chapel of Santa Maria a Grancia ( in the district of Grosseto) is built on a small rise near the Ombrone river south of the town; in the medieval age there was an ancient Benedictine monastery on the site, which was then changed into a fortified farmhouse. Both the convent and the farmhouse were abandoned during the second half of the 1600s, and then in the 1800’s the farm was taken over by the Ricasoli family who divided up the land and restored the building in the old style of rural Florence. The only original building is the 17th century chapel, which is quite small with three arches at the entrance.
The inside is decorated with the distinctive trompe l’oeil technique and has two artworks dating from the 1500. Buildings in the farmhouse contain the Archives of the Land Reforms.
The Hermitage of Santa Maria Maddalena is just outside the town of Montepescali and is now a ruin. The old monastery belonged to the Gugliemiti family in ancient times. It was built in the romantic style but there is evidence of many structural changes over the years. It was finally abandoned at the beginning of the 1700s.
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The Maremma
The name is believed to be from the Latin word Maritime, or even derived from the Spanish “marismas” which means marshland. This vast geographical area covers both parts of Tuscany and Lazio near the Tyrrhenian coast. It can be considered as the Maremma in Tuscany, the Maremma in Lazio and the Maremma area covering Grosetto.
In Tuscany ,the Maremma of Livorno or Pisa includes the lower foothills around Pisa which extend to the northern seafront and the inland areas of Rosignano Marittimo , Piombino ,Val di Cecina and Val di Cornia, and the north west side of the Metaliferous hills. The main towns are Cecina, Bolgheri, Castagneto Carducci, Campiglia Marittima, Suvereto, Populonia and Piombino.
The Maremma Grossetana (towards Siena) is the central part of the province of Grosseto, the coast between the gulf of Follonica and the mouth of the Chiarone stream, which borders Lazio, and runs into the sea at the Argentario promontory, and the hills of Albegna and Fiora.
The western part of the region has its coastline on the Tyrrhenian sea and looks out over some of the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago (Elba, Montecristo, Formiche di Grosseto, Giglio and Giannutri) and on clear days you can see the Cape of Corsica.
In this part of the Maremma ,the main towns are Grosseto Follonica, Ortebello and Capalbio, along the coast, and there is Massa Marittima, Roccastrada, Montemassi, Vetulonia, Pitigliano, Sorano ,Sovana and with Saturnia more inland. In its time the Grosseto Maremma was divided into three areas, to the north the plain of the Pecora river around the Gulf of Follonica including a large part of the Follonica district and the strip of coastline at Scarlino. The central part being; the Ombrone plain in the district of Castiglione della Pescaia; the town of Grosseto with the coastal section in the district of Magliano between Ortobello and Mount Uccellina.
The most southern part includes the river Albegna and the plain with the river Fiora in the district of Capalbio. Here is the Lake of Burano which extends into Lazio territory plus the Argentario promontory and the Orbetello lagoon.
The Maremma in Lazio is the most southern part. It includes the province of Viterbo to the west and the extreme north western of the province of Rome in Lazio. The coastline of Alto Lazio is included and the inland plains and hills of Tuscia. The most interesting main towns in this area are Vulchi, Montalto di Castro, Tarquinia, Tuscania and Civitavecchia. The word Maritime is now rather out of date but it describes the entomology of the Maremma. The geographical area relates broadly to the river Tevere and south along the coast until Terracina where years ago forests and marshland covered the land. These days the land has been reclaimed, (Acilia, Agro Pontino).
There is a typical Mediterranean climate along the coast which becomes more continental as you travel inland. The distant mountains of Corsica and the high peaks of Elba tend to divert bad weather coming from the Atlantic. So the rainfall is light along this stretch of coast at Grosseto and Viterbo reaching only 500mm annually near the Mountains of Uccellina and the Argentario. However, inland and along the coast at Livorno, rainfall can reach 600mm to 700mm annually, increasing in the more hilly areas. Autumn is the wettest period while the other seasons are very variable. Along the central southern coast the sunlight hours are above average with 7 hours daily, with a minimum of 4 hours during December. In June and July the rate can reach 11 sunlight hours per day. The average temperature along the coast rarely falls below zero and summer temperatures go to around 30°C, the highest being 40°.
The three areas are broken up by some promontories. They are, going north south; Punta Ala with Bandite di Scarlino separating the Ombrone plain from that of the river Pecora, the Mountains of Uccellina dividing the Ombrone plain from that of the river Albegna. The Ansedonia promontory separates the Albegna and Fiora plains. To the east the whole of the Maremma borders the mountainous territory of Amiata which belongs to the western edge of the province of Grosseto and the eastern side of the province of Siena. The Argentario promontory, which used to be an island, is now linked to the mainland by two narrow cordons of sand, the Tombolo della Giannella to the north and Tombolo della Feniglia to the south. This action transformed the sea in between into the Orbetello lagoon. In the far southern part of the area which is the district of Capalbio, we find the basin of Lake Burano, which has retained all of its original features of the ecosystem.
Regions in Tuscany | The Maremma
Castles, Country houses and Farms
Casenovole Castle (district of Civitella Paganico)
Monte Antico Castle (district of Civitella Paganico: further south)
Porrona Castle (district of Cinigiano)
Castiglioncello Bandini (district of Cinigiano near the Poggio all’Olmo Nature Park)
Colle Massari Farm (district of Cinigiano, between Sasso d’Ombrone , Poggi del Sasso and Campagnatico.)
Vicarello Castle( district of Cinigiano in the heart of the San Martino forest)
Monte Cucco Castle ( in the south west of the district of Cinigiano)
Stertignano Castle sometimes known as Fondana Castle, is not far from the district of Marrucheti, in the heart of the wildlife and hunting area of Grascetone.
Colonne della Sabatina are near the Baccinello area not far from Sabatina Farm. They were mentioned in Dante’s Divine Comedy as the place where Guido di Montfort took refuge during his trail for the murder of King Henry of England.
Tino di Moscona (in the extreme south east of the territory of Grosseto) which is found on the hill overlooking Roselle, is an archaeological site of the Etruscan-Roman period; according to some medieval documents, the town of Grosseto should have been built here, but the site was abandoned after it was conquered by the Senesi.
Tuscany is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Known for its enchanting landscapes, its fantastic and genuine food and beautiful towns as Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Siena.
Podere Santa Pia is an enchanting Tuscan farmhouse, nestled in the vineyards and olive groves of the rolling Maremma hills. This privileged location offers a spectacular vista over the charming medieval town of Cinigiano and the entire Ombrone Valley. It is the perfect place for your relaxing holiday with your friends and family. The property consists of 4 large bedrooms furnished in a classic Tuscan style and 2 bathroom with shower, a big full-equipment kitchen with a fireplace and a big living room and dining room. With its original kitchen and the wood burning pizza oven, Podere Santa Pia offers an upbeat atmosphere.
The impressive garden (9000 square mt.) allows you to enjoy a relaxing holiday and is perfect for taking time out and lounging about while sipping on a glass of local wines, Montecucco DOC and Brunello DOC.
Sitting in the garden, one can enjoy our dawns and dusks, with their jubilee of colours ranging from dark yellow to pink, orange and red. In this scenario, it is often possible to observe the flight of pheasants, falcons and buzzards, great tits, chaffinches and sparrows.
This is an enchanting place far from noise, ideal to regenerate body and mind, where one has the opportunity enjoy pleasant walks or rides on mountain bike. The summer breeze that caresses Podere Santa Pia guarantees "cool" holidays even in the hottest weather.
Tuscan farmhouses | Podere Santa Pia
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Parco Naturale di Sterpaia |
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Fosso Corniaccia
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Vetulonia |
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Diaccia Botrona, Casa Rossa Ximenes
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Principina a Mare
The Ombrone River located along the coast of Maremma Grossetana, where it flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea in Principina a Mare.
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The Maremma is outstanding for its many protected natural areas that offer the chance to appreciate its wide variety of animals, insects and birds, trees, shrubs and flowers and to enjoy its special light and scenic beauty.The Nature Reserves aren't separate from the rest of the territory, but are symbolic of an integral whole. The Maremma affirms a way of life in harmony with nature and the rhythm of the seasons.
Vetulonia was Etruscan city, inhabited even in Roman times and location of a medieval castle, is located within the municipality of Castiglione della Pescaia. At the center of an important mineral area, Vetulonia was once a rich and powerfull etruscan city as one can guess from the imposing tombs of its necropolises and from it's rediscovered precious goldsmith. The visit of it's urban excavations, of the archeological museum and the necropolis will give us a better understanding of the the art, the craftmanship and funeral practices of the etruscans.
The excavations of the city and the necropolis of Vetulonia are accessible throughout the days. The Museum, recently restored, is within the country in Piazza Vetluna.
Diaccia Botrona Marshland is the last relic of a once large Etruscan and Roman lake - lago Prile - that lay between Grosseto and Castiglione della Pescaia. Long coastal dunes, the tombolo separate the marshland from the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The Parco Naturale della Sterpaia stretches along the Livornese Tyrrhenian coast, in the wide gulf between Piombino and Follonica, and occupies an area of about 296 hectares Here we have a rare and highly-prized humid forest, which was typical of the landscape of the ancient coast of the Maremma. Miraculously surviving deforestation, it was reclaimed by the municipal authority after the unauthorised lotting of the 1970s. Magical scenery through which to wander among ancient oak trees and woodland fauna, over the sandy dunes and down to the sea.
Walking in Tuscany | Itinerary in the Coastal Park of Sterpaia
Walking in Tuscany | From Torre Mozza to the Coastal Park of Sterpaia
How to get to the Park: along the Variante Aurelia (SS1) exit at Vignale-Riotorto. Go along the "geodetic" (the shortest route) road in the Piombino direction, then turn left (on the seaward side) into one of the sea access roads signed Parco Costiero della Sterpaia.
The Valle d'Ombrone
The
river Ombrone makes its way through the southern part of the Chianti hills and the area of Crete in the province of Siena and then extends in to the province of Grosseto via the Ombrone hills.
The entire geographical area borders the province of Siena and Val d’Orcia to the north. To the east it’s closed in by the volcanic cone of Mount Amiata, the hills of Albegna and Fiora are to the south east, south west is the Maremma of Grossreto while north west the territory continues up to the edge of the Metallifiere hills.
The Ombrone river marks the border with Montalcino (SI) and then continues through the districts of Civitella, Paganico, Cinigiano, Campagnatico, and Grosseto, before running into the Tyrrhenian sea at Bocca d’Ombrone.
The area encompasses three districts in the province Montenero d’Orca, Istia d’Ombrone, with Grancia, Batignano, and Montepescali in the province of Grosseto.
The landscape alternates between river vegetation, woods and vast areas of cypress trees and cork oaks which shade the roads and separate the various farmhouses. East of Cinigiano , the first signs of chestnut trees appear below Mount Amiata. In its last phases before the mouth of the river, the Ombrone passes over the huge plain of Grosseto in the heart of the Maremma.
This valley has similar temperatures to those of the Maremma at Grosseto but with added daily thermal influxes, a minor maritime effect, and some climatic features similar to those of the continent.
Mount Amiata is part of the Apennine range in Tuscany with a portion in the province of Grosseto and another in the province of Siena. It covers the districts of Abbadia San Salvatore, San Fiora, Arcidosso, Castel del Piano, Seggiano, Piancastagnaio and Castellazzara. Amiata is an extinct volcano with rocks and small lakes formed from the volcanic activity. It is rich in water which is collected by the Acquedotto del Fiore and transported all over southern Tuscany and central Lazio.
The name is also used to identify a vast area with the group of mountains at the centre, surrounded by a fascinating residential area with a interesting history ( the mountain itself is not cone shaped but rather a green range of mountains that gradually slope towards the south). This is a fascinating area for tourists who appreciate the scenery and the artefacts of history. Through the centuries many artefacts and sites related to past times have been found.
They go back as far as the Etruscans times, the medieval era through to the time of Carolingi, the era of the Republic of Siena and finally during the time of the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Down the centuries, man has established a close relationship with the mountain, their history and the past is treated as an important inheritance. This situation is now at risk due to new ways and modern technology. Towns that are trying to save themselves from being extinguished are obstinately conserving the old customs, their old way of life and their ancient rapport with nature.
The chestnut trees and wood from the forests, along with tourism which is on the increase, are the principal resources of the Amiata area. Also noteworthy is the production of energy by ENEL, who use the geothermic emissions coming from deep underground which result from the volcanic activity. Olive trees and grapes are grown on the lower slopes of Amiata. There is a highly praised production of oil and wine which is starting to be successful on the markets abroad, especially that of Montecucco and Orcia, both DOC.
Traditional forest fruits and plants, which for years have been the staple diet of the local population, are found on the higher elevations. Two of the most important are chestnuts (picked in the Casteldelpiano and Arcidosso areas) and mushrooms that found almost everywhere in the area, but especially at Bagnolo, Saragiolo, Selvena and Abbadia.
These products are celebrated at the appropriate times of the year in shows and festivals, where you can sample for free everything on offer.
Historical and artistic remains can be found today in the towns of the Monte Amiata.
There are some examples of figurative art of the 1300’s, ancient architecture like the medieval castles, the abbeys of the Roman period (Abbadia San Salvatore, and Sant’Antimo), the Sforzesca di Castell’Azzara Villa, the mansion Bourbon del Monte a Piancastagnaio, the renaissance and baroque churches, and the park at Peschiera a San Fiora.
They bear witness to the fusing of civilization and culture in the territory of the Amiata which is included in the amazing historical background of southern Tuscany.
David Lazzaretti, a mystic and revolutionary and the prophet of Amiata, must be remembered in this story. He sacrificed himself in 1878 for religious reasons, and he was opposed to injustice in the world and the decline of the roman clerical order.
Regions in Tuscany | Monte Amiata
The Monte dell’Uccellina is a hilly promontory running along the coast of the Maremma in the Grosseto area. It separates the Ombrone plain in the north from the plain of the river Albegna in the south and covers the districts of Grosseto, Magliano in Tuscany and Orbetello.
The entire range of these hills, which are more than 400metres high, are included in the Maremma Nature Park; they are mostly high and rocky with the exception of the pretty Cala di Forno that is open to the mistral winds.
The most noteworthy historical sites in this area are the numerous watch towers and the majestic ruin of the Abbey of San Rabano, outlined on the ridge of the hillside.
The watch towers of Torre di Castel Marino, the Torre di Collelungo, the Torre dell’Uccellino, and the Torre di Cala di Forno are worth noting.
The Albegna and Fiora hills | These hills take up the central southern part of the province of Grosseto, they run between two water courses and cover the entire district of Magliano in Tuscany, Scansano, Roccalbegna, Semproniano, Manciano and Capalbio.
The area to the north is closed by the vucanic cone of Mount Amiata, to the east, apart from the Tufa area, there is the river Fiora, and to the south the border with the region of Lazio.
The south west slopes gradually down to Maremma at Grosseto, while north west there are continuing layers of hills south east of the Ombrone valley. There are several watercourses running in the valleys between these pleasant hills and they converge towards the main rivers in the area the Albegna and the Fiora.
The landscape is full of chestnut trees covering the highest peaks of the hills in the area between Roccalbegna and Semproniano, while lower down there are woods with typical Mediterranean vegetation and cork oaks.
The climate in the area is divided into three different categories. In the most inland area between Roccabegna and Semproniano temperatures are below average and the rainfall highest at around 1000mm annually; in the middle around Scansano and Manciano the temperatures are higher and the rainfall, about 800mm a year; whereas Magliano in Tuscany and Capalbio feel the sea’s influence and reach temperatures equivalent to those of Maremma at Grosseto with much lower rainfall at around 600mm annually.
In general the highest rainfall is during the autumn months, with some rain occurring in spring in the inland areas, and in summer months brief but intense afternoon or evening storms.
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