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Inhabitants in 1991: 1.300
 The
municipal territory of Tadicofani extends for 118,46 square kilometres
in hills and mountains between the Val d’Orca and the Val di Paglia.
Feudal centre, then free municipality, it reached its present day aspect
in 1777 with the Leopoldina reforms, when it was aggregated to the
community of Contignano. The Radicofani castle is found nominated for
the first time in 973, while its village, called “Callemala”,
was attested at least a century before. Royal property, the castle was
the object of dispute during the XI century between the Abbey
of San Salvatore al Monte Amiata, who had numerous possession in the
zone and the Aldobrandeschi Counts; it passed under the Lordship
of the Counts of Chiusi, part of it was donated by these in the first
half of the XII century to the Siena Episcopate, even though formally
the Abbey maintained the rights over it. But the danger of falling under
the Siena dominion induced the Abbots to ask for help from the Church
and to cede Tadicofani in perpetual lease (1153). Involved in the war
between Ottone IV and the Pope (1210-1214) and then in that between Firenze
and Siena (1229-1235), in the middle of the XIII century Radicofani
was organised in municipal with its own statutes and with ample autonomy;
but in 1263, having given shelter to the exiling Siena Guelfi, it was
for the most part destroyed by the Ghibelline forces. Still at the
centre of political struggles in Toscana between the 1200s and 1300s,
it was in this period that the legendary figure of Ghino di Tacco of the
Count di Guardavalle stock, and Ghibellino rebel took over the fortress
of Radicofani in 1295, making it the base of his venture of highwayman-gentleman
recorded by Dante and Boccaccio. In 1352 Siena managed to obtain the submission
of Radicofani, where at the end of the century after lengthy negotiations
the Salimbeni settled there who in 1405 ceded the possession of the castle
to the Siena republic. Again occupied by Salimbeni rebels and then by
Adventurer Captain Tartaglia di Lavello, Radicofani was sold by him to
Siena which in 1417 had a new fortress constructed. During the war of
Siena the castle was besieged in vain by the troops of Cosimo dei Medici,
until in 1559 it became part of the Mediceo State. The nucleus, collected
at the feet of a solid cliff on which rise the ruins of the castle, preserves
the Lordly characteristics of a Medieval habitat.
Places to visit:
The Fortress, certainly the oldest part of the fortifications
of the village, built in diverse times, the restored keep holds archaeological
finds.
Palazzo Pretorio, today the Municipal Seat, it has its façade
enriched with coats of arms.
S. Agata, church dedicated to the towns patroness, it façade
is Gothic style. The interior holds a work of Andrea della Robbia.
S.Pietro, church erected in the XIII century. There are some
works from the Robbiana school in the interior. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |
