Colle di Val d'Elsa
In-game article clicks load inline without leaving the challenge.
Colle di Val d'Elsa or Colle Val d'Elsa is a town and comune in the province of Siena, Tuscany. As of June 2017, it had a population of approximately 21,600. Its name means "Hill of Elsa Valley", where Elsa is the name of the river which crosses the town and Valdelsa the name of the valley. It is located in central Tuscany, roughly between Florence and Siena and close to Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, Volterra and the Chianti region. The town developed along the ancient Via Francigena and has long been a thoroughfare for pilgrims and travellers. Colle di Val d'Elsa is internationally renowned for the production of crystal glassware and art (15% of world production), with manufacturing largely concentrated in the industrial area of the lower town.
History
The area was settled by man from at least the 4th millennium BC. The first mentions of the city are from the 9th century AD. In 1269, it was the seat of the famous battle of Colle di Val d'Elsa during the wars of Guelphs and Ghibellines and in 1479 it was besieged by Neapolitan troops. From the 14th century it was a possession of Florence and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany until the unification of Italy.
In the 20th century, it became an important industrial center. During World War II it was bombed by Allied aircraft. The oldest part of the town is the "Colle alta", the higher part, with a well-preserved medieval center. The town developed along the river from the 11th century onwards, building an artificial canal to power various industrial activities, such as wheat mills and paper factories.
Main sights
The village is entered through the ancient and monumental Porta Nova and winds its long and narrow way in a sequence of fine 16th- and 17th-century noble houses (notable are Palazzo Usimbardi, Palazzo Buoninsegni and the Town Hall) to the Palazzo Campana, which marks the entry to the Castle, the oldest part of Colle. Here, the village is characterized by narrow paved lanes, 15th- and 16th-century noble houses (such as Palazzo Luci, Palazzo Morozzi, Palazzo Giusti, Palazzo Dini) and tower-houses, including the one where Arnolfo di Cambio was born. At the centre of the old town stands the Colle di Val d'Elsa Cathedral. Overlooking the valley stands the Convent of St. Francis.
In addition to its historic centre, Colle di Val d'Elsa has also been shaped by urban regeneration projects based on contemporary art and architecture.
Frazioni
The municipality is formed by the city of Colle di Val d'Elsa and the towns and villages (frazioni) of Bibbiano, Borgatello, Campiglia dei Foci, Castel San Gimignano, Collalto, Gracciano dell'Elsa, Le Grazie, Mensanello and Quartaia. Other notable villages within the comune include Boscona, Buliciano, Coneo, Lano, Montegabbro, Onci, Partena, Paurano, Sant'Andrea and Scarna.
Notable people
- Arnolfo di Cambio, architect and sculptor
- Cennino Cennini, painter
- Bartolomeo Scala, politician, author and historian
- Francesco Campana, statesman
- Isabella Cervoni, poet
- Pietro Usimbardi, bishop of Arezzo and secretary to the Grand Dukes of Tuscany
- Ferdinando Morozzi, cartographer and architect
- Antonio Salvetti, architect and painter
- Mino Maccari, painter, engraver and writer
- Romano Bilenchi, novelist, short story writer and essayist
Twin towns
- Morocco Bir Gandus, Western Sahara
External links
Media related to Colle di Val d'Elsa at Wikimedia Commons
- (in Italian, English, German, French, and Spanish)