Inhabitants in 1991 : 1,913
The Municipal territory of Monterchi occupied for a good half by coppice
woods, chestnut trees and grasslands extends for 28,73 square kilometres
of the Val Tiberina. Stationed along the road which travels to Umbria
and crosses the Apennines in the Marche it was a feudal centre,
joined to the province of Perugia in 1927, the community became part of
the province of Arezzo
in 1939.
Mentioned for the first time in a deed of donation in 1095,
Monterchi was a feudal to the Marquis del Monte Santa Maria, who
in 1194 surrendered it in trust to the community of Arezzo
together with all the plebeian of Sant’Antimo in Val Tiberina of
which Monterchi was a part ; it remained with the Del Monte until
during the first decade of the XIV century the Arezzo Bishop Guido
Tarlati took possession of it with his brother Pier Saccone.
The dominion of the Tarlati family lasted until 1440, when
in consequence to the Fiorentina victory at Anghiari, the last
regent, who had allied himself with the Visconti., was deposed and Monterchi
became part of the Fiorentino State. A few years later (perhaps in
1460) in memory of this mother who was born at Monterchi, Piero della
Francesca completed the admirable fresco of the Madonna del Parto,
which became the object of singular veneration. The town suffered a ruinous
earthquake in 1917.
Places to Visit :
S. Maria in Momentana, the chapel in which the above mentioned
fresco was realised around 1460. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford
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