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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