Pontassieve
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| Comune di Pontassieve | |
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 Municipal coat of arms |
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| Country |  Italy |
| Region | Tuscany |
| Province | Province of Florence (FI) |
| Mayor | Marco Mairaghi (since June 2004) |
| Elevation | 108 m (354 ft) |
| Area | 114.4 km² (44 sq mi) |
| Population (as of 2004-12-31) | |
| - Total | 20,581 |
| - Density | 180/km² (466/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CET, UTC+1 |
| Coordinates | |
| Gentilic | Pontassievesi |
| Dialing code | 055 |
| Postal code | 50065 Pontassieve, 50060 Cusio, 50060 Molino del Piano, 50060 Santa Brigida, 50069 Sieci (Le Sieci), 50065 Pontassieve (altre frazioni) |
| Frazioni | Acone, Colognole, Doccia, Le Falle, Le Sieci, Fornello, Lubaco, Madonna del Sasso, Molino del Piano, Montebonello, Monteloro, Monterifrassine, Petroio, Podere Prato, San Martino, San Martino a Quona, Santa Brigida |
| Website: www.comune.pontassieve.fi.it/ | |
Pontassieve is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 14 km east of Florence, nearby Fiesole, at the confluence of the Arno and Sieve rivers. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 20,581 and an area of 114.4 km².[1]
The territory of Pontassieve borders the following municipalities: Bagno a Ripoli, Borgo San Lorenzo, Dicomano, Fiesole, Pelago, Rignano sull'Arno, Rufina, Vicchio.
 Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II |
 Porta Filicaia |
[edit] History
The first dominators of the territory were the Quona nobles, whose Lordship is documented from the XI century. These, a branch of whom at a later date also appeared under the name of Filicaia, urbanised themselves in Firenze at the end of the XII century and in 1207 sold a large part of its territory of jurisdiction to the Fiorentino Episcopate.
The village of Pontassieve formed and consolidated under the Florentine domination. In 1375 Firenze decreed the erection of a castle for an essentially strategic use on the land of Pontassieve. First the town took the name of "Castel Sant’Angelo" (Saint Angel Castle) and then it took its actual name referring to the importance of the bridge on the river, that was the main way joining the Republic of Florence to the territories of the Mugello, Casentino and the city of Arezzo.
The first houses of the village had spontaneously built up around the bridge, which were then developed becoming a village which was situated lower in respect to the castle built by the Fiorentini. The population carried out just the cultivation of foods to supply itself because Pontassieve was considered by the Florentines just a military stronghold of the Republic, so that Florence did not promoted its economic growing.
At the end of the XVIII-th century the coming of the Lorena’s Dukes to the power gave a great impulse to the town economy. Thanks to the Ducal works for the reclamation of the territory and the opening of two new roads that joined Pontassieve to the Casentino and the Emilia Romagna, Pontassieve had a remarkable economic growing.
Under the Lorena’s domination Pontassieve reached a great importance so that the town was elevated to the rank of Vicarship’s Town Hall comprising part of the territories belonging to the Arno and Sieve valleys.
In 1859 the building of a railway that joined Florence to Rome gave an additional impulse to the economic growing. The construction of this important railway and later the contrution of also the Florence-Borgo San Lorenzo railway allowed the city to grow also as an industrial hub.
In 1861 Pontassieve was annexed to the Reign of Italy by the King Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoia.
During the second world war Pontassieve, for its importance as a rail junction, suffered substantial damage: the railways and the town itself were repeatedly bombed by Allied planes remaining destroyed almost entirely and its present day aspect is due, for the most part, to the post war reconstruction. Even though, the town has kept it's original medieval look in the city center.
[edit] Economy
The economy of the town is based on the industrial activities in the fields of food, mechanic and electronic industries, and on the manufacture of glass and pottery. Flourishing is also the artisan manufacture of leathers and remarkable are the productions of the "Vino Chianti Putto" and of a very valuable oil.
Among the several celebrations periodically taking place in Pontassieve we remind here the traditional "Toscanello d'oro" held yearly on May. The celebration consists of a show-market where it is possible to taste and buy valuable local wines and typical courses of Pontassieve.
[edit] Places to visit
At Pontassieve it is possible to visit the Old Town Centre, all that remains of the Castello di San Michele Arcangelo al Ponte a Sieve. Of this fortified wall built by the Florentine Republic in the second half of the 14th century, the three gates are still visible: to the East the Porta dell'Orologio, to South the Porta di Filicaia and to the West the Porta Fiorentina. In the centre of the castle we can find the Palazzo Sansoni-Trombetta (now the Town Hall). Leaving from the Porta dell'Orologio we can visit the ancient commercial street connecting the Castle to the monumental Medici Bridge on the River Sieve (16th century). After leaving Pontassieve and travelling along the river Sieve, the road rises to the Villa della Pievecchia with its mediaeval tower.
Continuing along this road we reach the villa-farmhouse of Grignano where, on the right, we can see Poggio di Vico, at one time the seat of a castle of the same name. The road rises again to the Monterifrassine Pass. On the ridge we find the deviation for Montefiesole with the Romanesque style Pieve di San Lorenzo and at the top of the hill are the remains of the castle (during the 12th century this was the feudal seat of the Florentine Archbishop). A short distance before the Pieve is a 4-way crossroads, where we can take a footpath to Villa Tassinaia and the peak of Bardellone, where there is the tabernacle. From the Monterifrassine Pass, looking downhill to Sieci it is possible to see the downhill path to the small church of Santa Maria a Novoli. The road continues past the Bossi. Villa-farmhouse. As we continue along the avenue, we reach the junction to Pontassieve.
On the right, descending towards Sieci, we find the Poggio a Remole villa, a 17th century building constructed by the Albizi family around a mediaeval core. Downhill to the left, towards Pontassieve, we find the road leading to the Chiesa di San Martino and then to the spur where the Castello di Quona once stood (destroyed by the Florentines in 1143).
Again leaving from Pontassieve, we can follow another itinerary. Keeping to the road which follows the River Sieve and after passing the slopes of Poggio a Vico, we can see the mediaeval della Torre residence (above the road). We then arrive in Mulino di Ponte a Vico and thence on foot to the remains of the Bridge, possibly of Roman origin, but which was used until the 15th century. Returning to the road, we find the Casellino farm and then move on to Montebonello. Going uphill towards Acone we come to the tall Torre di Montebonello (11th century). At Acone there is the 16th century style Pieve. After Acone we go downhill again, into the valley of Argomenna and cross the road leading to the Villa di Petroio (built by Olivetan monks between the 16th and 17th century). Continuing along this road, we reach Santa Maria in Acone and descend to the bridge of Montebonello. Shortly before the bridge, on the right, we find the deviation for the small churches of San Piero a Sieve and San Martino a Farneto. After returning towards the Casellino farm on the right, we take the road uphill to Villa di Vetrice (an enlarged mediaeval tower).
Continuing along this road we reach Monterifrassine, from whence we can reach the tower-houses of Tigliano. From Tigliano in a left direction we reach Doccia, whereas to the right we climb to Galiga. Taking the second road, to the right, we reach the farm of La Sturaia and shortly afterwards Montalto, with its abandoned church of S. Bartolomeo on the left, which has been surrounded by the rural buildings which now occupy the ancient castle’s site. At Galiga there is the church of San Lorenzo a Galiga.
To visit the most northerly part of the Comune, follow the State Road S.S. 67, go through Rufina and Scopeti until you reach the road on the left leading to Colognole. Following this road we find the Villa di Colognole on the left, then the church of Sant'Ellero with the farm of Palagio opposite. Go through the village of Vicoferaldi and continue along the road, which then becomes an unsurfaced track leading to the Pieve di Scopeto. Close by the Casa del Tamburino we find the path which leads to the peak of Monte Giovi and to the Monument to the Resistance, from which there is a steep path to reach the ancient Chapel of San Giusto.
[edit] Churches
[edit] Chiesa di Sant'Eustachio ad Acone
Also referred to as Sant'Eustachio in Jerusalem, used to be the mother church of the vast Acone parish.
[edit] Chiesa di Santa Maria ad Acone
It's foundation dates to, 925. Protectors of the church were, among many, the Donati family and the San Matteo Hospital in Florence.
[edit] Chiesa di Sant'Andrea a Doccia
Mentioned for the first time in 1024 in official vatican papers by bishop Ildebrando. In the document it is refeered to as being propery of the San Miniato al Monte monastery .
[edit] Pieve di San Giovanni a Rèmole
Dating to 955 , was head of a parish extending on both sides of the Arno river.
[edit] Pieve dei Santi Gervasio e Martino a Lobaco
The old church, dedicated to San Gervasio is located in Alpiniano, and dates back to the XI century.
[edit] Santuario della Madonna delle Grazie (della Madonna del Sasso)
This sanctuary is also know as "Madonna del Sasso" because of a series of apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1484. The building has been erected in 1490 and it took the place of a medieval oratory.
[edit] Chiesa di San Martino a Molin del Piano
First documented in the XIII century . Ruled by the bishop of Fiesole and the Saltarelli family.
[edit] Pieve di San Lorenzo a Montefiesole
Existing since 1190 but transormed into parish in 1461 , it lies next to the ruins of the castle belonging to the bishop of Florence, who ruled these lands.
[edit] Prepositura di San Michele Arcangelo
The church of Sant'Angelo a Sieve was so called till the XVII century when it took the name of San Michele, is is documented since the beginning of the XIII century . Completely redone in the XVIII century, it was consecrated in 1788.
[edit] Chiesa dei Santi Martino e Giusto a Quona
Originally dedicated to San Martino, later called San Giusto after the first church was demolished.
[edit] Chiesa di Santa Brigida (Pontassieve)
Built, according to tradition, on the cave chosen by the saint for meditation in the X century , has been enlarged throughout the centuries XVI|XVI and XVII|XVII and deeply restored and modified in 1938 and 1954.
[edit] Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista a Monteloro
Documented since 1102, the small building lies next to the ruins of the homonymous castle, since the IX century feud of the Fiesole bishop.
[edit] Villa Martelli
The former summer villa of the Martelli family lies in Gricigliano in the località of Sieci. It has been converted into a seminary of The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (Institutum Christi Regis Summi Sacerdotis) and of Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest.[2]
[edit] Demographic evolution
[edit] References
- ^ All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat.
- ^ Our Seminary. Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
[edit] External links
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