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Inhabitants in 1991: 17.040
 The
municipal territory of Colle di Val d’Elsa extends for 92,21 square
kilometres in an area of medium hills in the high Val d’Elsa. It
had origins as a free municipality until the end of the XII century; became
seat of Community in 1776 with the Leopoldina reforms.
The first news of the Colle territory, which since ancient times had
the Bishops of Volterra as Lord, goes back to the XI century and
it referred to two Ecclesiastic authorities in possession appointed by
the Volterra Bishop: the parish church at Elsa and the church of Santa
Maria di Spugna; in 1007 the latter was ceded to the Nobles Aldobrandeschi,
who transformed it into a monastery with a large jurisdiction over the
surrounding land. In one of these, Piticciano, was born the first nucleus
of the present day Colle, recorded as “Colle Nuovo” (new)
in contrast to a “Colle Vecchio” (old) (therefore pre-existing)
which was mentioned in a document of 1115. Occupied and destroyed by
the Fiorentini during the war against Siena (1172), it was quickly
reconstructed; already in the last decade of the XII century it was
organised in free municipality with its own consuls and then, from
1201 its own statutes. In an attempt to maintain a balanced position
between Siena and Firenze, for the whole of the first half of the
1200s Colle took sides with one or with the other, until in 1260 it found
itself at the side of Firenze in the war of Montaperti, and was devastated
by the Siena troops. Again in the following years Colle saw, at first
hand, the warring and diplomatic events which marked the rapport between
the two powerful municipalities and they alternated from the Ghibellina
to the Guelfi parties until the epilogue which occurred in their countryside
and which marked the defeat of Siena by the Fiorentini (1269). Colle fought
again by their side between 1284 and 1293 against Pisa: by now tied
to the municipality of Firenze (and always more frequently governed
by a Podesta or Captain belonging to the Fiorentino management class),
at the beginning of the 1300s they were officially placed under the protection
of Firenze. Loyal and subordinate to Fiorentina politics, when Arrigo
VII came into Italy, Colle was aligned to the Guelfa league, and sent
militia against Uguccione della Faggiola (1315). After several years of
internal instability characterised by a series of civil struggles, it
was first occupied by the exiled Ghibellini (1322) and then they had as
Lord Archpriest Albizzo dei Tancredi, member of the most powerful
local magnate family (1326-1330); in 1333, it decided to subject itself
to Firenze for a period of three years, then extended it to fifteen after
a new scheme of exiles. Other civil disturbances and a question of borders
between Colle and Poggibonsi caused Firenze to intervene; it is not
know how spontaneously, but Colle in 1349 opted for an act of perpetual
dedication to Firenze. In the war which had the Pope, the King of Napoli
and the Siena republic lined up against Firenze (1478-79), Colle was besieged
and taken by storm, but in 1481 it return to being part of the Fiorentino
State. In 1592 it obtained the dignity of City in consequence to the
concession of the Episcopal Seat. Colle is the birth place of famous
artist like the sculptor and architect Arnolfo di Cambio (died
1302) and the artist-treaty writer Cennino Cennini (XIV.-XV cen.)
and in contemporary times the artist and writer Mino Maccari (1889-1991)
and the writer Romano Bilenchi (1909-1989).
It was here that the art of printing began in Italy around about
1400 with the installation of one of the first printing presses.
The modern part of the town has developed beneath the old medieval
town (Colle Alta), which still has its ancient walls, 13th century towers,
and Renaissance palaces. In the town centre there is also a tower-house
built at the beginning of the 13th century called Torre di Arnolfo
di Cambio because the artist is said to have been born here.
Places to visit:
House of Arnolgo di Cambio ,tower house of the 1200s where
it seems the artist was born.
Palazzo Pretorio, 1300s construction, with the façade
decorated with Podesta coats of arms.
Palazzo Campana, it was erected in 1539 projected by Giuliano
di Baccio d’Agnolo. It is preceded by a bridge which connects
the two nuclei of the Città Alta.
Porta Nuova, flanked by to cylindrical towers from the XV-XVI
century, it was probably designed by Giuliano da Sangallo
“R. Bianchi Bandinelli” Archaeological Museum,
in which is exhibited material which goes from Eneolithic to Medieval
relative to the Val d’Elsa territory.
Cathedral, constructed in the first half of the 600s on the
place of a preceding Romanic parish church. Restored in 1992, the
interior hosts an important collection of 1600s art. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |
