CERTALDO
toscana
Sites: The Praetorian Palace, Giovanni Boccaccio's House, Certaldo Museum of Sacred Art, Pieve of St. Lazzaro to Lucardo, San Donnino (Semifonte), Sant'Appiano, Mercantia.
In Valdelsa, one of the most scenographic landscapes of Tuscany for its sweet hills, bordered of cypresses, castles and towers, Certaldo draws the characteristic sky line of its castled village of reddening bricks. Certaldo is situated at the borders between the province of Florence - of which it is the most southern town - and the province of Siena, practically at the same distance from the two cities (about 40 Kms); it looks at the mountains of Chianti at east and the high ground between San Gimignano and Volterra at West. Certaldo Alto, the ancient village, is surrounded by the walls - largely well kept - on which you can admire the Gate of Alberti, the Gate to the Sun and the Gate to Rivellino. You can arrive there climbing up the most ancient and fascinating steep ascents, called "Costa Alberti" and "Costa Vecchia" or the most modern ascent "of the castle". The scenary, which presents itself to your eyes, is a rare example of town - planning characterized by a medieval style even if with Renaissance developments - which culminates in the impressive Pretorio Palace situated on the top of the hill. Particulary interesting the Pretorio Palace, the church of SS. Jacopo and Filippo, which have got frescoes and pieces of pottery belonging to XV Century, and Giovanni Boccaccio's House, the wellknown author of Decameron. In the Medieval town there are a lot of cultural and artistic demonstrations, among which "Mercantia", important international festival of the theatre on the road.
THE PRAETORIAN PALACE
The Praetorian Palace rises in the very heart of the historical centre of Certaldo, that is the oldest part of the town, where it is possible to see the remains of the ancient ring of walls that once surrounded the Medieval village, characterized by red stone-made buildings. The Praetorian Palace was built during the 12th century as the Alberti Counts' residence and later it was modified during the 15th century. The facade shows several heraldic shield, some marble-and-stone-made ensigns and two orders of windows surmounted by merlons. By going up some stairs it is possible to enter the Palace where it is possible to admire a fresco dating back to 1460 portraying the "Incredulity of the Saints Thomas and Girolamo". On the left side opens the Camera delle Sentenze (Room of the Sentences) whose walls shows some traces of 15th century frescoes like "Our Lady with the Child" painted by Pier Francesco Fiorentino (1444-1497). On the right side opens the Sala delle Udienze (Room of the Hearings) where it is possible to admire a wall painting portraying the "Pity" dating back to 1484. Going on the right it is possible to enter a Renaissance garden, rich of stone-and-ceramic-made decorations portraying some ensigns and traces of frescoes like an "Annunciation". On the first floor it is possible to visit other two rooms, the Sala Grande (Big Room) whose walls are covered by noble ensigns and valuable frescoes, and the Sala del Consiglio (Room of the Council) whose inside it is placed a fine stone-made chimney dating back to 15th century. Remarkable is also the Sala dei Forestieri (Foreigners' Room) whose inside it is possible to admire "Our Lady with the Child on the Trone" painted in 1495 by Pier Francesco Fiorentino (1444-1497).
GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO'S HOUSE
Certaldo Alto, the country of Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375) - one of the Fathers of Italian Language - preserves the house and the grave of the story-writer. The house of Giovanni Boccaccio is hosted an a buiding of obvious Medieval origins, partially rebuilt after the damage sustained during World War II. The building was identified as the house of Boccaccio after many discussions among historians due to uncertain and unclear evidences. The Giovanni Boccaccio's House belongs to certain historical places'memory such as Certaldo. The Museum's halls host the National Centre of Study on Giovanni Boccaccio, who sang of the city of Certaldo in many of his works. Giovanni Boccaccio was a 14th century poet and writer, and he was the author of one of the most important masterpieces of all Italian literature: the Decameron. The Museum's layout follows the 14th century's customs. The Museum's many curiosities include a series of shoes for men and women recovered in the building during the restoration of 1947. The most important works in the vast library include the studies of Boccaccio's Decameron and the various editions of that masterpiece in various languages and translations.
Address: Via Giovanni Boccaccio, 37 - Certaldo
Entrance Fee: around € 3,10
Reduced: Inclusive ticket Boccaccio's House, Praetorian Palace and Sacred Art Museum of Certaldo € 6,00
Open: On Working from 1 May to 30 September: 10:00 am to 07:00 pm; Saturday 10:00 am to 07:00
From 1 October to 30 April: 10:30 am to 04:30 pm
On holidays from 1 May to 30 September: 10:00 am to 07:00 pm
From 1 October to 30 April: 10:30 am to 04:30 pm
Phone: 039.0571.664208
CERTALDO MUSEUM OF SACRED ART
The Certaldo Museum of Sacred Art displays works of religious art from the churches of the Certaldo Vicariate. The Museum's rich and varied collection includes diverse types of objects: paintings, sculptures, silver works, fabrics and vestments. The tour begins from the Large Hall, the windows of which look out onto the town's walls. Here the oldest paintings from the 13th Century to the 16th Century are displayed (13th century Madonnas, a Triptych by Ugolino di Nerio, Puccio di Simone's Polyptych, works by Cenni di Francesco). Next are three small halls dedicated to silverworks, many of which come from San Lazzaro a Lucardo and were commissioned by the Gianfigliazzi Family. The last hall in this section houses the Reliquary-bust of the Blessed Julia made by Paolo Laurentini in 1652-1653. From here we enter the Hall of Paraments (chasubles, humeral veil, chalice veils and a four-piece set of vestments) and then the elegant seat of the Company, where there are 17th century paintings and sculptures, Saint Nicholas of Tolentino and Saint John of San Facondo by a 17th Century Sienese sculptor. The tour ends in the Hall of the Crucifix, a wooden work from the 13th Century and the Museum's masterpiese.
Madonna with Child 15th Century from the Church of San Martino in Pastine Pseudo Ambrogio di Baldese (Lippo d'Andrea).
This panel was the central part of a polyptych which had the saints Martin and Antony on the lateral panels. Around 1400, Lippo d'Andrea frescoed two chapels in the Church of the Carmine in Florence and used the extrame Gothic style inspired by Starnina and Masolino.
PIEVE OF ST. LAZZARO TO LUCARDO
Situated on the road that from Certaldo leads to the fraction of Fiano, in an uncontaminated landscape, finds the Pieve of San Lazzaro to Lucardo of Romanesque-Lombardic style, from it anciently depended several churches of Certaldo. Remarkable the architectonic structure and particular let alone the panorama that can be enjoyed the Tuscany campaign from the large square before the entrance of the pieve.
SAN DONNINO (SEMIFONTE)
The Chapel of San Michele Arcangelo is particularly interesting. Built in 1597 by Santi di Tito, it is a perfect 1:8 scale reproduction of the Cupola or Dome of the Cathedral of Florence. It was constructed on the site of the ancient city of Semifonte, completely razed to the ground by the Florentines in 1202.
SANT'APPIANO
Sant'Appiano existence can be traced back to Etruscan-Roman times, with the ruins of the Baptistery and Romanesque Church where the mortal remains are conserved of the Saint who lived here in the 4th-5th century, and whose name was given to the village that had previously been called Monteloro. Parish Church of Sant'Appiano, this suggestive and beautiful Parish Church, mentioned in documents as early as 990, still retains many early Romanesque structural remains, like the part in stone in the left nave, the apse and the crypt. The very old Parish Church of Sant'Appiano, in stone (11th century) and brick (12th century), whose attached Antiquarium Museum contains various Etruscan finds and ceramics that come from the many necropoli in the area.
MERCANTIA
"Mercantia", defined Medieval theatre-festival-market, is the most symbolic cultural festival in Certaldo and one of the most significant meeting-places in the Tuscan and Italian panorama of the festival dedicated to the theatre. It's famous for the originality and peculiarity of its form. Born in 1988 by enterprise taken by the Commune of Certaldo, it develops every year in july (third week), animating - for five nights on end - the streets and the squares of the Medieval Village, Certaldo Alto, with the magic of the "Teatro da Quattro Soldi".
Jugglers, clowns, puppeteers, acrobats, fire-eaters and fakirs, magicians and musicians, with groups and artists coming from every part of Italy and abroad live together with craftsmen, who work lively, involving people into a show "without interruption". For further details, please, visit the official site of Mercantia: www. mercantiacertaldo.it
+39 347 6708101
