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Inhabitants in 1991: 1.793
 The
municipal territory of Murlo extends for 114,79 square kilometres between
the valley of the river Merse and that of the Ombrone. Its origins
as feudal go back to at least the XII century and the first capital
was probably the castle of Crevole. In 1777 the community was restructured
and in 1833 the districts of Campriano, Bagnaia and Frontignano were added.
There was news of the Murlo castle from the Medieval era,
but archaeological finds from the Etruscan era make it seem the territory
was inhabited from that time. In 1151 the feudal of Murlo was donated
by Count Ugolino di Ranuccio Ardengheschi to Bishop Ranieri (from here
comes the name of Murlo din Vescovado, used even today) and the donation
was ratified in 1189 by the Emperor, even though in the following
decade the presence of this singular enclave inside their county somewhat
upset the governing Senese. So for nearly two centuries the territory
of Murlo was the object of bitter controversy among the government
of Siena and the Episcopate, who was, from 1274, forced to concede
a military obligation for his subjects to the Siena army; The contention
was eased definitively in 1387 with the recognition, even if only partially,
of a sort of sovereignty by Siena over the castle, whose inhabitants
from then on had to pay the census at Siena and buy salt from them; however
the civil and penal jurisdiction over the place remained with the Bishops.
After 1554 and the conquest of the Siena territory by the Medici,
Murlo continued to be subjected to the Episcopal jurisdiction until 1766
when Pietro Leopoldo decreed the suppression of feudal in the Grand Duchy.
Places to visit:
The Fortified Village, the Medieval nucleus isolated on a hill,
surrounded by ancient walls which also enclose the church of S.
Fortunato, with a Medieval plan and remodelled in 1500, and the
Civic Archaeological Museum. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |
