Le Case di Cosimo

History of this region and things to see

About our territory
The history of the Chianti area has ancient roots. The Etruscans were the first to settle in Tuscany as they were attracted by the favourable climate, the beautiful position and the richness of the land.
Chianti, the geographic area between Florence and Siena, covering a total of eight municipalities, and famous throughout the world for the production of wine and excellent olive oil, is characterised by the continuous succession of valleys and gentle hills, as well as hills covered by oak-groves, cypresses and pine trees. The entire area is covered by ancient villages, parish churches and abbeys, castles, cottages and farm-villas.
The Chianti area and the entire province of Florence possess an extremely important cultural and artistic heritage, the majority of which can be found in local museums which are small in terms of size but very important due to the works exhibited and the cultural identity of the entire area.

Tavarnelle Val di Pesa is in the province of Florence, in the centre of Tuscany, in the heart of Chianti
It appeared for the first time on a map dating back to 780 with the name "Tabernulae" (a rest stop along the consular road between Florence and Rome), although its origin is much older (sepulchral gravestone of 424).
Throughout the centuries Tavarnelle, situated on the green hills of the Chianti area, between Florence and Siena, which has always breathed art and culture, has preserved its natural beauty and its roots and has been capable of creating a balanced development through an intelligent enhancement of local resources and the entire patrimony in terms of landscape, architecture, art and culture.
The natural beauty of the landscape, the austere elegance of its castles and Middle Age villages, the art treasures kept in its parish churches, the harmonious integration of rural tradition and productive development, the innate creativity of craftsmen, and preservation of the ancient and genuine gastronomic tradition of folk wisdom, make Tavarnelle V.P. the ideal place for an unforgettable stay.

We want to highlight in particular:
Romanesque church of San Pietro in Bossolo , ancient Latin name "S.Petrus in Pixide". The present building of the church dates back to the XI century but its origins date back even further as proved by the discoveries of the IV century. The Museum of Sacred Art, located on the first floor of the rectory, preserves works of refined beauty and artistic importance, as the thirteenth-century of Meliore di Jacopo, works of exponents of Florentine painting of the fifteenth century and early sixteenth century, liturgical furniture and sacred paraments from XIII to XVIII century.
Works of art proving the devotion of culture since the Middle Ages: the monastery and the beautiful church of Santa Lucia al Borghetto, both were built by Franciscan friars in the XII century and rebuilt in the XV century; the sanctuary of S.Maria del Carmine in the hamlet of Morrocco, which is situated near the ancient Roman road; the sanctuary of S.Maria a Pietracupa, raised in the area once covered by a tabernacle, with a 15 th century fresco of Paolo Schiavo, situated on the Roman road and also a reference point for travellers.
The hamlet of San Donato in Poggio, one of the ancient fortified hamlets of the area, worthy of the name "castrum" since 1033, was once placed as defence to the road connecting Florence with Siena. The Romanesque parish church since 989 hosts a wonderful crucifix on a tablet, an elegant marble holy water stoup and a baptismal font in glazed terracotta made by Giovanni della Robbia. The Museum of rustic folk art is located in the centre of the village, with free entrance, and it stores tools and instruments that document the productive activities and the small craftsmanship linked to the activities of the rural world in the Chianti area. The Palazzo Malaspina, undergoing restoration, belonging to municipality, hosts important cultural events and qualified exhibitions of artistic handicrafts. In its cellars of the XV century one can admire the best wine and gastronomic production of the territory.

The splendid complex of Badia a Passignano. It is an ancient abbey of Lombard origin, situated as guard on the road, which connected the Pesa and the Greve valley. Research shows that it exists since the IX century. Inside the monastic complex of the order of Vallombrosa, there is the ancient church with a Romanesque base dedicated to San Biagio in 1080. During the centuries the monastery was the protagonist for some important historical and political events, not only from the neighbouring area, but also from the city of Florence .
We remember: the cloister, which was built in 1472 by Jacopo and Bernardo Rosselli; in the refectory the fresco of the "Last Supper", painted in 1476 by the brothers Domenico and David Ghirlandaio; the big kitchen of the abbey with a large Middle Age fireplace and the wonderful Italian garden.
This is a place of cult of the monks of the Vallombrosa order; no tourist visits permitted. Besides the monuments, a lot of other " minor beauties ": austere castles, wonderful historic villas and ancient farms tell stories of culture, awareness and richness of the ancient upper-class families, but also simple farmhouses, which became part of the Chianti landscape and symbol of the "Tuscan cottage" due to their harmonious essence.

What to see: *the beautiful Chianti countryside literally surrounds you.
*Florence is only 15 minutes away by car and so you could stay there as long as you wish.

*Siena is only 30 kms away on the SI-FI highway (no toll), in 20 minutes you’ll be there and can spend 1 day there.

*San Gimignano is only 13 kms away, you’ll be there and can spend 1 day there.

*Val D’Orcia with Pienza is only 60 minutes away, you can spend 1 day there.

*Pisa is at 70/80 minutes away, you can spend 1 day there.