San Casciano in Val di Pesa
Encyclopedia
San Casciano in Val di Pesa is a comune
(municipality) in the Province of Florence
in the Italian
region Tuscany
, located about 15 km southwest of Florence
.
San Casciano in Val di Pesa borders the following municipalities: Greve in Chianti
, Impruneta
, Montespertoli
, Scandicci
, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa
.
times, as evidenced by archaeological findings in Montefiridolfi (The Bowman’s Grave) and Valigondoli (Poggio La Croce’s excavations). In Roman
times San Casciano was a post-stage (mansio
) posted at the tenth mile from Florentia
. The toponym "Decimo" (i.e. tenth) is still attached to the Pieve di Santa Cecilia a Decimo (a parish church near San Casciano which was mentioned in 1043 in a document by Charlemagne
) and commemorates a milestone
(decimum lapidem) on an important Roman road
(probably that linking Florentia and Sena Julia). Archaeological findings and toponymic evidence are clear evidence of the town’s antiquity, and that there was a significant population is indicated by the large number of parish
churches in the area (e.g. Pieve di Santa Cecilia a Decimo, Pieve di San Pancrazio, Pieve di San Giovanni in Sugana and Pieve di Santo Stefano a Campoli), not to mention the significant number of subordinate churches. There is little doubt that the area was still densely populated in the Middle Ages
, based upon the many castles which were built at the time for the bishopric of Florence
or powerful families like the or Cavalcanti.
San Casciano was originally mentioned as a fief of the Bishop of Florence, who made its first statutes in 1241. In 1278, the domain shifted to the Republic of Florence
. A few years later San Casciano became the capital of a local alliance, including the Alliance of Campoli, and the seat of a podestà
, therefore having the government of forty parish churches. By 1325 San Casciano had become so important that a statute of the Florence podestà described one of the main roads departing from the city as follows: “strada per quam itur ad ‘"Sanctum Cassianum"’ (…) versus civitatem Senarum et versus romanam Curiam” (i.e. “the road going through San Casciano towards Siena
and Rome
”). That San Casciano's history is bound to its roads is shown also by its shape,which is in the form of a cross: one side going from Florence to Siena and the other, following the hills’ ridge, linking the Chianti
area with Montelupo
and the Arno river basin. Furthermore, a major role in San Casciano’s development was played by the improvement in agricultural productivity resulting from sharecropping
, which led to population growth and the formation of commercial centres like Mercatale and the castle
of San Casciano “a Decimo” itself.
The walls of this castle were built in the second half of the 14th century (and their ruins still exist today). Indeed, in the first half of the same century, San Casciano was completely undefended and therefore became an easy prey for condottieri
and mercenary troops. San Casciano was occupied by the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII
from November 1312 to January 1313, the Duke of Lucca
Castruccio Castracani
in February 1325, and the French mercenary Moriale D'Albarno in July 1343. In consequence of these attacks, the Republic of Florence decided to fortify the village in 1354. The walls were in place by 1355 and, in addition, a “cassero” (i.e. a castle
serving as barracks
) was added in 1356.
A few years earlier, Walter VI of Brienne
, Duke of Athens had planned to transform the village into a castle, to be called “Castel Ducale”, but the plan died with him. In 1494 Charles VIII of France
camped near the village without entering it. Before his departure, he donated a large sum of money to the local Franciscan
convent
. In 1512 at the Albergaccio (near to Sant'Andrea in Percussina
) Niccolò Machiavelli
started his exile during which he wrote The Prince
and The Mandrake
. When the Grand Duchy of Tuscany
rose to power, San Casciano lost its military and strategic role and its history followed that of Tuscany.
In 1893, after the annexation of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany to the Kingdom of Italy
, a steam-engine railroad was built to link San Casciano and Florence.
On 26 July 1944, during World War II
, San Casciano was almost entirely destroyed by an Allied bombardment. It has been slowly but finely reconstructed.
and olive oil
. The principal cellars of the worldwide famous wine company Antinori are established in San Casciano. A mutual bank (Banca di Credito Cooperativo del Chianti Fiorentino) is established and has its main offices in San Casciano. The rest of the economy is mainly based on handicraft
and tourism (especially agritourism
). In the twentieth century it was a quite important centre of the Italian typographical industry
.
, Belgium Mahbes, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
(municipality) in the Province of Florence
Province of Florence
The Province of Florence is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. It has an area of 3,514 sq. km and a population of 933,860 in 44 comuni....
in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
region Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, located about 15 km southwest of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
.
San Casciano in Val di Pesa borders the following municipalities: Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti is a town and comune in the province of Florence, Tuscany, Italy. It is located c...
, Impruneta
Impruneta
Impruneta is a town and comune of the province of Florence in the Italian region of Tuscany. The population is about 15,000.-Name and production:...
, Montespertoli
Montespertoli
Montespertoli is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 20 km southwest of Florence....
, Scandicci
Scandicci
thumb|250px|Pieve of Sant'Alessandro a Giogoli.Scandicci is a comune of c. 50,000 inhabitants in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 6 km southwest of Florence....
, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa
Tavarnelle Val di Pesa
Tavarnelle Val di Pesa is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 25 km south of Florence.-Main sights:...
.
History
San Casciano’s territory was inhabited since EtruscanEtruscan civilization
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
times, as evidenced by archaeological findings in Montefiridolfi (The Bowman’s Grave) and Valigondoli (Poggio La Croce’s excavations). In Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
times San Casciano was a post-stage (mansio
Mansio
In the Roman Empire, a mansio was an official stopping place on a Roman road, or via, maintained by the central government for the use of officials and those on official business whilst travelling.-Background:The roads which traversed the Ancient World, were later surveyed,...
) posted at the tenth mile from Florentia
History of Florence
Florence is a major historical city in Italy, distinguished as one of the most outstanding economical, cultural, political and artistic centres in the peninsula from the late Middle Ages to the Renaissance.-Prehistoric evidence:...
. The toponym "Decimo" (i.e. tenth) is still attached to the Pieve di Santa Cecilia a Decimo (a parish church near San Casciano which was mentioned in 1043 in a document by Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
) and commemorates a milestone
Milestone
A milestone is one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road or boundary at intervals of one mile or occasionally, parts of a mile. They are typically located at the side of the road or in a median. They are alternatively known as mile markers, mileposts or mile posts...
(decimum lapidem) on an important Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
(probably that linking Florentia and Sena Julia). Archaeological findings and toponymic evidence are clear evidence of the town’s antiquity, and that there was a significant population is indicated by the large number of parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
churches in the area (e.g. Pieve di Santa Cecilia a Decimo, Pieve di San Pancrazio, Pieve di San Giovanni in Sugana and Pieve di Santo Stefano a Campoli), not to mention the significant number of subordinate churches. There is little doubt that the area was still densely populated in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, based upon the many castles which were built at the time for the bishopric of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
or powerful families like the or Cavalcanti.
San Casciano was originally mentioned as a fief of the Bishop of Florence, who made its first statutes in 1241. In 1278, the domain shifted to the Republic of Florence
History of Florence
Florence is a major historical city in Italy, distinguished as one of the most outstanding economical, cultural, political and artistic centres in the peninsula from the late Middle Ages to the Renaissance.-Prehistoric evidence:...
. A few years later San Casciano became the capital of a local alliance, including the Alliance of Campoli, and the seat of a podestà
Podestà
Podestà is the name given to certain high officials in many Italian cities, since the later Middle Ages, mainly as Chief magistrate of a city state , but also as a local administrator, the representative of the Emperor.The term derives from the Latin word potestas, meaning power...
, therefore having the government of forty parish churches. By 1325 San Casciano had become so important that a statute of the Florence podestà described one of the main roads departing from the city as follows: “strada per quam itur ad ‘"Sanctum Cassianum"’ (…) versus civitatem Senarum et versus romanam Curiam” (i.e. “the road going through San Casciano towards Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
”). That San Casciano's history is bound to its roads is shown also by its shape,which is in the form of a cross: one side going from Florence to Siena and the other, following the hills’ ridge, linking the Chianti
Chianti
Chianti is a red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. It was historically associated with a squat bottle enclosed in a straw basket, called a fiasco ; however, the fiasco is only used by a few makers of the wine now; most Chianti is now bottled in more standard shaped wine bottles...
area with Montelupo
Montelupo Fiorentino
Montelupo Fiorentino is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 20 km southwest of Florence...
and the Arno river basin. Furthermore, a major role in San Casciano’s development was played by the improvement in agricultural productivity resulting from sharecropping
Sharecropping
Sharecropping is a system of agriculture in which a landowner allows a tenant to use the land in return for a share of the crop produced on the land . This should not be confused with a crop fixed rent contract, in which a landowner allows a tenant to use the land in return for a fixed amount of...
, which led to population growth and the formation of commercial centres like Mercatale and the castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
of San Casciano “a Decimo” itself.
The walls of this castle were built in the second half of the 14th century (and their ruins still exist today). Indeed, in the first half of the same century, San Casciano was completely undefended and therefore became an easy prey for condottieri
Condottieri
thumb|Depiction of [[Farinata degli Uberti]] by [[Andrea del Castagno]], showing a 15th century condottiero's typical attire.Condottieri were the mercenary soldier leaders of the professional, military free companies contracted by the Italian city-states and the Papacy, from the late Middle Ages...
and mercenary troops. San Casciano was occupied by the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VII was the King of Germany from 1308 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1312. He was the first emperor of the House of Luxembourg...
from November 1312 to January 1313, the Duke of Lucca
Lucca
Lucca is a city and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plainnear the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca...
Castruccio Castracani
Castruccio Castracani
Castruccio Castracani degli Antelminelli was an Italian condottiero and duke of Lucca.-Biography:Castruccio was born in Lucca, a member of the noble family of Antelminelli, of the Ghibelline party. In 1300 he was exiled with his parents and others of their faction by the Guelphs "Black" party,...
in February 1325, and the French mercenary Moriale D'Albarno in July 1343. In consequence of these attacks, the Republic of Florence decided to fortify the village in 1354. The walls were in place by 1355 and, in addition, a “cassero” (i.e. a castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
serving as barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
) was added in 1356.
A few years earlier, Walter VI of Brienne
Walter VI of Brienne
Walter VI of Brienne was Count of Brienne, Conversano, and Lecce, and titular Duke of Athens. Walter was the son of Walter V, Duke of Athens, and Jeanne de Châtillon , the daughter of the Count of Porcien, a constable to King Philip IV of France.As grandson of Hugh of Brienne Walter VI of Brienne...
, Duke of Athens had planned to transform the village into a castle, to be called “Castel Ducale”, but the plan died with him. In 1494 Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII, called the Affable, , was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. Charles was a member of the House of Valois...
camped near the village without entering it. Before his departure, he donated a large sum of money to the local Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
. In 1512 at the Albergaccio (near to Sant'Andrea in Percussina
Sant'Andrea in Percussina
Sant'Andrea in Percussina is a frazione of San Casciano Val di Pesa in the province of Florence, Tuscany, Italy.It is a small village of ancient origin and one of the most picturesque places in the area between San Casciano Val di Pesa and Florence....
) Niccolò Machiavelli
Niccolò Machiavelli
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was an Italian historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer based in Florence during the Renaissance. He is one of the main founders of modern political science. He was a diplomat, political philosopher, playwright, and a civil servant of the Florentine Republic...
started his exile during which he wrote The Prince
The Prince
The Prince is a political treatise by the Italian diplomat, historian and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli. From correspondence a version appears to have been distributed in 1513, using a Latin title, De Principatibus . But the printed version was not published until 1532, five years after...
and The Mandrake
The Mandrake
The Mandrake is a satirical play by Italian Renaissance writer Niccolò Machiavelli. Its tale of the corruption of Italian society was written while Machiavelli was in exile, allegedly having plotted against the Medici...
. When the Grand Duchy of Tuscany
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a central Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Duchy of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence...
rose to power, San Casciano lost its military and strategic role and its history followed that of Tuscany.
In 1893, after the annexation of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany to the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
, a steam-engine railroad was built to link San Casciano and Florence.
On 26 July 1944, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, San Casciano was almost entirely destroyed by an Allied bombardment. It has been slowly but finely reconstructed.
Pievi (Parish churches)
- Pieve of San Pancrazio, located on the hill dividing the valleys of the Pesa and Virginio streams. Known since the 10th century, it has noteworthy apses of Lombard architectural style. The interior has a nave and two aisles with matronaei. Works of art include a Madonna with Child of Agnolo GaddiAgnolo GaddiAgnolo Gaddi was an Italian painter. He was the son and pupil of the painter Taddeo Gaddi.Taddeo Gaddi was himself the major pupil of the Florentine master Giotto...
's school and a Crucifixion by Santi di TitoSanti di TitoSanti di Tito was an Italian painter of Late-Mannerist or proto-Baroque style, what is sometimes referred to as Contra-Maniera or Counter-Mannerism.-Biography:...
dating from 1590. Also notable is the studiolo by Cosimo Gheri, a pupil of Santi di Tito, with precious frescoes depicting the liberal arts and poets and scientists of the Classical Era. - Pieve di Santo Stefano, in the frazioneFrazioneA frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
of Campoli, built in the 9th century. It was a possession of the bishops of Florence, including the future Pope Clement VII, who served here as priest. In the 18th century, the interior was renovated along Baroque lines and a portico was added. - Pieve di Santa Cecilia is located in the frazione of Decimo. It is mentioned in a document by CharlemagneCharlemagneCharlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
dated 774. Heavily restored in 1728, it has a nave and two aisles; only the bell tower remain of the original Romanesque edifice. - Pieve di San Giovanni in Sugana, located 232 metres above sea level near to the frazione of Cerbaia. It was mentioned in a document of 1019 with the name of Pieve di Soana. The façade presents an original Romanesque portal and single lancet window.
Other churches
- Chiesa del Suffragio (Santa Maria del Gesù), now housing the Museum of Holy Arts, with a Madonna Enthroned (1319) which is the first known and dated work by Ambrogio LorenzettiAmbrogio LorenzettiAmbrogio Lorenzetti was an Italian painter of the Sienese school. He was active between approximately 1317 to 1348. His elder brother was the painter Pietro Lorenzetti....
, and the Stories of St. Michael Archangel (c. 1250) by Coppo di MarcovaldoCoppo di MarcovaldoCoppo di Marcovaldo was an Italian painter active in Tuscany.-Biography:He was born in Florence, and is mentioned as active in Pistoia in 1265, where he frescoed the St... - The Church of Santa Maria al Prato or della Misericordia, founded by the DominicansDominican OrderThe Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
in 1304. It has a single nave with four altars on its sides: the second right altar houses the important Crucifix by Simone MartiniSimone MartiniSimone Martini was an Italian painter born in Siena.He was a major figure in the development of early Italian painting and greatly influenced the development of the International Gothic style....
. Also noteworthy are the white and green marble pulpitPulpitPulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
by Giovanni di BalduccioGiovanni di BalduccioGiovanni di Balduccio was an Italian sculptor of the Medieval period. He was born in Pisa, and likely did not train directly with the famous Pisan sculptor Andrea Pisano. He travelled to Milan to help sculpt the arc of St. Peter Martyr now in the Portinari Chapel, in the Basilica of...
(1336–1339) and a wooden Crucifix from about 1470.
Castles
- Castle of Bibbione. Built before 1000, this castle belonged to the Buondelmonti family who restored it in the 11th century. In the 16th century it passed to the Machiavelli family who keep it as hunting manor till 1727. The castle has magnificent courtyards and halls. From outside it has an impressive shape, something between a fortress and a sixteenth century manor house.
- Castle of Gabbiano. According to 11th century sources, it was originally built around a square tower which served as a bulwark on the road to Greve in ChiantiGreve in ChiantiGreve in Chianti is a town and comune in the province of Florence, Tuscany, Italy. It is located c...
, one of the most important routes between Florence and Siena. It was enlarged in the 13th century by the BardiBardiBardi can refer to:*Bardi, Emilia-Romagna, a city in the province of Parma, northern Italy*Bardi, Western Australia, a town in Australia*Bardi bush, an Australian plant, Acacia victoriae...
family of Florence. The rounded towers, revealing a French influence, were added in 1505. - Castle of Pergolato. Built by the family, Pergolato was originally used as a bulwark for the defence of the family's feudal domains, then served as a hunting lodge. It has huge decorated halls and elegant arcades. It is built on the steep cliffs standing on the left bank of the Pesa river.
- Castle of Montefiridolfi, also owned by the family. Today mostly rebuilt, but the original structures and architectures are still visible.
Others
- The Bowman’s Grave. Found in 1978 during agricultural works, it is an Etruscan graveEtruscan civilizationEtruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
dating back to the 7th century BC. Its name derives from a large slab with a bas-relief representing a bowman. The original slab is preserved at the Museum of Holy Arts in San Casciano.
Economy
San Casciano is highly renowned for the production of wineChianti
Chianti is a red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. It was historically associated with a squat bottle enclosed in a straw basket, called a fiasco ; however, the fiasco is only used by a few makers of the wine now; most Chianti is now bottled in more standard shaped wine bottles...
and olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
. The principal cellars of the worldwide famous wine company Antinori are established in San Casciano. A mutual bank (Banca di Credito Cooperativo del Chianti Fiorentino) is established and has its main offices in San Casciano. The rest of the economy is mainly based on handicraft
Handicraft
Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanic handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to traditional means...
and tourism (especially agritourism
Agritourism
Agritourism, as it is defined most broadly, involves any agriculturally-based operation or activity that brings visitors to a farm or ranch. Agritourism has different definitions in different parts of the world, and sometimes refers specifically to farm stays, as in Italy...
). In the twentieth century it was a quite important centre of the Italian typographical industry
Typography
Typography is the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading , adjusting the spaces between groups of letters and adjusting the space between pairs of letters...
.
Sister cities
San Casciano in Val di Pesa has three sister sities: Morgan Hill, USA NieuwerkerkenNieuwerkerken
Nieuwerkerken is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2006 Nieuwerkerken had a total population of 6,606. The total area is 22.46 km² which gives a population density of 294 inhabitants per km². It consists of 4 villages: Binderveld, Wijer, Kozen and...
, Belgium Mahbes, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a partially recognised state that claims sovereignty over the entire territory of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony. SADR was proclaimed by the Polisario Front on February 27, 1976, in Bir Lehlu, Western Sahara. The SADR government controls about...
Famous people
- Giuliano Dami (1683–1750), ItalianItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
adventurer, intimate friend of the last Gran Duke of Tuscany, Gian Gastone de' Medici, born in the frazione of Mercatale. - Niccolò MachiavelliNiccolò MachiavelliNiccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was an Italian historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer based in Florence during the Renaissance. He is one of the main founders of modern political science. He was a diplomat, political philosopher, playwright, and a civil servant of the Florentine Republic...
(1469–1527), Italian writerWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
exiled in 1513 in Sant'Andrea in PercussinaSant'Andrea in PercussinaSant'Andrea in Percussina is a frazione of San Casciano Val di Pesa in the province of Florence, Tuscany, Italy.It is a small village of ancient origin and one of the most picturesque places in the area between San Casciano Val di Pesa and Florence....
. - Antonio Petrocelli (1953), ItalianItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, member of the San Casciano in Val di Pesa's City CouncilCity councilA city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
. - Sidney SonninoSidney SonninoBaron Sidney Costantino Sonnino was an Italian politician.Sonnino was born in Pisa to an Italian father of Jewish heritage and a Welsh mother...
(1847–1922), Italian politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Italy, elected at the Italian ParliamentParliament of ItalyThe Parliament of Italy is the national parliament of Italy. It is a bicameral legislature with 945 elected members . The Chamber of Deputies, with 630 members is the lower house. The Senate of the Republic is the upper house and has 315 members .Since 2005, a party list electoral law is being...
in 1880 for the San Casciano in Val di Pesa’s constituency.