Monticiano

A FEW STEPS FROM SAN GALGANO AND THE BATHS OF PETRIOLO

The town itself is located on the right side of the Valley of the River Merse, surrounded by chestnut, oak and pine trees. Its origins are not very clear, it is customary to make it back to the Etruscans and the Romans; What is certain is that the territory was sparsely populated in the middle ages. The first mention of the castle of Monticiano are 1189 when it was under the authority of the Bishop of Volterra, the municipality then passed under the Dominion of Siena. In 1554 Monticiano, is finally under the Medici Government.

The municipality contains within it 3 different nature reserves: the reserve of Alto Merse, the Basso Merse nature reserve and the Reserve Farma, in which they are types of oak trees that have risked extinction as a result of deforestation related to agriculture.

Just 5 km from the beautiful Abbazia di San Galgano, impressive example of Gothic church, famous for the legendary sword in the stone. Not far from Monticiano, finally, you can visit the Petriolo's thermae, already known in Roman times and known for the curative properties of its sulphurous water. The baths are available both at the spas-equipped that freely.

 

Traditions and typical products

The chestnut culture has played an important part for the town of Monticiano, two chestnuts, particularly remembered rossoline domestic and carpinesi, are excellent for the production of chestnut flour.

 

Photo Credits [ecomuseovaldimerse.org]