Monteriggioni Castle – a medieval fortress in Tuscany

Monteriggioni DSC 1990 mini
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Monteriggioni Castle, a medieval fortress in Tuscany

Monteriggioni Castle is a medieval fortress in Tuscany, located a short distance from Siena, south of Florence and San Gimignano. Its construction was approved by the Sienese in 1213, and soon the town and the garrison stationing here were surrounded by a defensive wall.

The defensive fortress was necessary to prevent the expansion of Florence, the historic enemy of Siena as well as to insure the protection of the important route that was Via Francigena.

Monteriggioni Castle
Monteriggioni and the Tuscan vineyards by night
Conflicts between Siena and Florence

Over the next centuries, all sieges of the castle ended in failure. In fact it withstood subsequent Florentines’ attempts to conquer it. Until finally, in 1554, the castle’s crew was betrayed by their captain. The following year, Siena surrendered to Florence and Monteriggioni lost its strategic and military importance forever.

Impressive defensive walls

Inside the fortress, in the main square, there is still the same tiny church from 1219, the Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the medieval town seems peaceful and dormant.

medieval fortress in Tuscany
Porta Fiorentina

The defensive walls surrounding Monteriggioni are 570 meters long and have as many as 14 towers. Their simple, medieval character means that the distant times still fascinates newcomers. 🙂 After all, the sight of such walls from a distance might once have aroused respect. Additionally, the fame of a fortress that had never been conquered… What more could a pilgrim want looking for a safe place to stay on his way to Rome. 🙂

 

Photographs of Monteriggioni Castle – stop along Via Francigena

  • Monteriggioni DSC 1818 mini
  • Monteriggioni DSC 1856 mini
  • Monteriggioni DSC 1846 mini
  • Monteriggioni DSC 1862 mini
  • Monteriggioni DSC 1877 mini
  • Monteriggioni DSC 1897 mini
  • Monteriggioni DSC 1920 mini
  • Monteriggioni DSC 1947 mini
  • Monteriggioni DSC 1958 mini
  • Monteriggioni DSC 1984 mini
  • Monteriggioni DSC 2003 mini
  • Monteriggioni DSC 1990 mini
  • Monteriggioni DSC 2026 mini
  • Monteriggioni DSC 2072 mini

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Carly BB

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