| 
Inhabitants in 1991: 11.583
 The
municipal territory of Sinalunga extends for 78,60 square kilometres on
the hills which separate the Val di Chiana from the Valle dell’Ombrone.
Lordly centre then Podesta office and Vicariate Seat, it was raised to
community in 1777 and its borders enlarged to include Scrofiano, Farnetella,
Rigomagno and Fratta.
About Sinalunga ( whose name until 1864 was Asinalunga) there is well
documented news since the XII century, when it belonged to the
Count della Scialenga family, even though under the jurisdiction of the
Siena municipality, while its parish church of San Pietro ad Mensula
is documented since the VIII century. As frontier castle Sinalunga
was often the centre of the struggles between Siena and its enemies:
in 1253 it was involved in the war between Siena and Firenze, in 1269
after the battle of Colle it took in those banished from the Siena republic,
and in 1289 it was then conquered bySiena. Rebelling more than once
against the Siena dominion and occupied for a brief time by Deo Tolomei
at war with his town of Siena, towards 1330 Sinalunga became part of
the Siena State. In 1399 it passed temporarily in the hands of Galeazzo
Visconti who had the fort constructed which was then demolished by Grand
Duke Ferdinando I in 1590. In 1553 it was conquered by the Imperial
troops and consigned to the Medicei Duchy.
Places to visit:
Palazzo Pretorio, 1300s construction with the façade
in terracotta and dominated by a tower.
S. Lucia, church now an auditorium built in c.1300 on a pre-existing
pagan building.
S. Pietro ad Mensulas, founded in the IV century on a pre-existing
Roman site. The three nave interior preserves interesting frescoes
and paintings. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |
