Enjoy Tuscany: Art, Culture and Tourism in Colle di Val d'Elsa, Siena.
| Colle di Val d'Elsa |
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| Information
Office: via F. Campana 43, Tel. 0577. 922791, fax 0577.922621. Hours: april-october, 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. / 3:30 - 7:00 p.m.; november-march, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. / 3:30 - 5:30 p.m., closed on sunday. |
MONUMENTS Museo Archeologico Museo Civico d'Arte Sacra Abbey of Coneo Santa Maria delle Grazie |
Since the Middle Ages,
this has been a delightful
town, famous for wool,
paper and crystal
industries (the last
one is the only one
still flourishing),
here Arnolfo di Cambio
(1245-1302) and Cennino
Cennini (14C-15C)
were born. The town
is divided into two
areas: the upper town,
made up of Borgo Santa
Caterina and Castello,
and the lower town,
built on the shores
of the Elsa river.
We suggest beginning
the visit from the
upper town, with its
12C walls, crossing
the impressive Porta
Nuova, a gateway attributed
to Giuliano da Sangallo
(1445-1516). The main
street leads through
the Borgo Santa Caterina
passing beautiful
medieval and Renaissence
houses and reaches
the bridge (built
after the destruction
of the drawbridge
in 1501), leading
to the Castello through
the archway of Palazzo
Campana, an interesting
example of mannerist
architecture. The
narrow and tortuous
streets of the Castello
preserve their medieval
character: Via delle
Volte is very picturesque
for its 100 meters
long subway, and the
13C tower-house of
Arnolfo di Cambio
is very interesting,
too. Via di Castello
leads to Piazza del
Duomo, where the 14C
Palazzo Pretorio and
the cathedral (rebuilt
in 1609-19) are; beyond
the Piazza del Duomo
there are the Archeological
Museum, the Museo
Civico and the Teatro
dei Varii, an ancient
theatre enlarged in
the 13C and in 1760.
A steep path descends
to the lower town
and to the central
Piazza Arnolfo with
porticoes. Near the
Piazza Arnolfo there
is the 13C church
of Sant'Agostino,
rebuilt by Antonio
da Sangallo il Vecchio
(1455-1534): the interior
is wide with three
naves and keeps in
the south aisle a
beautiful Madonna
and Child of Taddeo
di Bartolo (1362-1422)
and a wonderful Deposition
with Saints of Ridolfo
Ghirlandaio (1483-1561).
In the surrounding
countryside we recommend
a visit to Santa Maria
delle Grazie and Badia
a Coneo.
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Grand Tour by "Artifex Associazione Culturale"