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Inhabitants in 1991: 4.378
 The
municipal territory of Sartiano extends for 85,27 square kilometres between
the Val di Chiana and the Val d’Orcia, partly in hills and partly
on the heights of Monte Cetona. It was Lordly centre then Podesta office.
The Sarteano area was inhabited since the Neolithic era and had
notable development in the Etruscan period in the orbit of the more powerful
Chiusi to whom it remained dependent, seemingly in Roman times and until
the Longobarda domination. In XI century it returned in the possession
of a feudal lineage, ancestors of the Counts Manenti, who dominated Sarteano
until 1280, when it constituted itself in autonomous municipality
(but from 1171 it was enjoying a certain grade of auto determination,
being governed by a College of Consuls) even though under the influence
of the Siena municipality. Positioned on the territorial limits
of the republics of Orvieto, Perugia and Siena, at that time in
full expansion, the municipality had a difficult life for the diverse
attempts to conquer it, and it alternated its dependence between the
three cities: seized by Siena at the beginning of the war against Orvieto
(who were barricaded in the castle) with the defeat of Siena and the peace
of 1235 Sarteano entered under the jurisdiction of Orvieto, to
whom it remained loyal until the middle of the XIII century. Meanwhile
in that same year the municipality tried to liberate itself from the Lordship
of the Manenti acquiring from the Counts property assets and Lordly rights.
Around 1350 Sarteano with the decline of Orvieto, was subjected by
Perugia and in 1379 after a brief Orvieto interlude, it submitted
itself to Siena with whom it remained until the integration with the
Mediceo State in 1556.
Places to visit:
Piazza Bassa, where is found a cylindrical keep and the ancient
Porta di Mezzo covered with coats of arms.
Palazzo del Comune, which faces onto Piazza Alta; 1300s building,
several times remodelled, it hosts the 1700s Teatro Comunale degli
Arrischianti.
The Castle, X century fortification.
S. Francesco, 1300m church had an elegant façade in
Travertino stone from 1400. The interior holds some frescoes detached
from the unroofed church of S. Vittoria. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |
