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Montemignaio

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Inhabitants in 1991 : 532

The Municipal territory of Montemignaio in the Valdarno Casentinese extends for 26,06 square kilometres on the woody north eastern slopes of the Pratomagno, between Monte Secchieta and the Consuma Pass. It was originally a seignuerial centre ; with the separation from the municipality by Castel San Niccolò in 1808 it became Seat of the community, reaching its present day aspect in 1868 when five hamlets were taken from it and were joined to Castel San Niccolò. 

Montemignaio, documented for the first time in 1103 in an edict in which the Pontiff Pasquale II confirmed the parish church of Santa Maria to the Fiesolana diocese, it was feudal to Count Guidi di Battifolle, as is attested by the privileges conceded to them by Arrigo VI and Federico II ; and here, with the intention of fortifying the zone, they constructed a fortification called Castel Leone or Castiglione. The Count Galeotto, the last of the family branch, was deprived of the dominion when in 1342 the inhabitants of Castel San Niccolò rebelled, together with the inhabitants of Montemignaio. The whole territory became part of the Firenze republic who made it, by all accounts, a Podesta office of the Montagna Fiorentina, comprising Battifolle, Borgo alla Collina, Castel San Niccolò (which was the capital)and Ortignano ; the acquisition of the community was ratified in 1359 with a public deed renouncing it in favour of Firenze made by Marco Novello dei Guidi of Modigliana . For the following century there was nothing significant recorded except the news of the substantially unpleasant living conditions of the inhabitants : in the first half of the 1800s it was discovered that the community territory was not crossed by carriageable roads, did not have a district Doctor nor elementary Schoolmaster. During the second world war the population of Montemignaio on several occasions had to submit to violence and reprisals.

Places to Visit :
S.Maria Assunta, Roman parish church founded in the XI century
Castle, 873m high, the ruins of the majestic Leone Castle built by the Guidi in the XII century dominate the village.

Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford


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