Featured Accommodation

History of Montespertoli in the Elsa Valley, Tuscany

The place-name of the chief township is found in documents dating back only to the 11th century, and it is reasonable to believe in the existence of a castle and an inhabitated center in other areas of the territory, which may have been of lesser importance, in more ancient times, as far back as the 400’s.

In the vicinity, Lucardo, one of the most ancient and important towns in the area, was founded during the era of the Longobards and Cadolingi, and passed under the jurisdiction of Florence in 1203, after having been under the Cadolingi and the Alberti.

Poppiano is the cradle of the Guicciardini family and Montegufoni, a castle, belonged to the Acciaioli family, before they became one of Florence’s most distinguished families. It is presumed that the area was annexed as a Florentine county in the second half of the 12th century.

The most important market in the area took place traditionally – as the place-name confirms – in the podestà of San Pietro in Mercato, less than two kilometres from Montespertoli.

But in 1465, Montespertoli, aided by its important position on the direct road to Volterra, became the seat of this profitable weekly appointment. The transfer of the market preceded that of the podestà seat, whch took place in the 16th century. The municipal territory reached its present extention in 1839.

Articles