The real estate buying process in Italy. Wheather forecast in Chianti.

Wheather forecast in Chianti and Tourist Information

The Chianti territory

The city of Florence and Siena, north and south, bordering the Chianti that extends for about 900 sq km and with its hills where the vineyards stretch of lush grapes, valleys traced by olive trees, its medieval villages standing still in time, its green and leafy woodland, its rows of cypress trees, visitors to portray one of the most beautiful and fascinating Italy.

Places of excellence and unique features that, thanks to the consistent work of man, have combined in a harmonic pattern to preserve them, the taste of the landscape and the quality of products they supply.

A fascinating territory where nature, history, landscape and traditional hospitality and eno-gastronomy around the visitor and lead him into a really relaxing holiday.

Radda in Chianti

Population: 1720. Height a.s.l. m. 535

Stretching over the hills occupying the first reaches of the Pesa and Arbia valleys, it extends over 80.56 squares kilometres. The highest point is Monte Querciabella (Chianti Mountains) at 845 meters, and the principal town is 533 meters above sea level. It is entirely comprised within the Chianti Classico region, and borders on the municipalities of Cavriglia, Gaiole in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Castellina in Chianti and Greve in Chianti.

comune radda History: Located in the center of Chianti, the Radda territory reveals the antiquity of its settlements in toponyms of both Etruscans (Garbina, Modane, Spanda, Vècine, Vercenni etc) and Latin origin (Bracciano, Ceperano, Livernano, Lusignano, Pornano etc.). But it is only recently that significant archaeological evidence has emerged, with the excavations at Poggio La Croce and La Malpensata, where important Etruscan finds have come to light.

In the Middle ages numerous castles in the area were controlled by powerful feudal lords such as the Guidi counts, or by local nobles as the Monterinaldi family, all of wich very soon came under the control of Florence. The first documentary evidence of the hamlet and castle of Radda dates back to the beginning of the eleventh century, when they were in possession of the Florentine Badia.

When, from the mid-thirteenth century on, the Florentine Republic organised the towns of its regions into "Leagues", the territory of Chianti went to make up one of the largest - being consequently divided into "thirds" - documented among the first at the beginning of the fourteenth century. The principal town of one of the Thirds, and later of the entire league was the Castle of Radda, which had by now assumed the character and dimentions of a "walled-town", as is shown in the fifteenth century Palazzo Pretorio, where the facade is still adorned with the coats of arms of the successive Podestà. Among the other castles of the Radda territory, only Volpaia was particulary extensive, with a fine ring of walls with towers and a keep, still largely preserved. Of most of the other castles only fragments remains, as at Albola and Monterinaldi, while others such as Castelvecchi were transformed into villas, or farmhouses like Castiglione, il Trebbio and Paterno. Other rural dwellings preserve the tower structure of the medieval "lord's mansions", as in the case of Borracolli, Camporempoli, Casa Vecchia, Montevertine, il Palazzo, Pornano, le Ripe and il Fornale. Instead Selvole appears to have always had the features of an unfortified rural village. Finally, among the noble residences we have to remember the spendid mansion house "Le Marangole" situated not far from the center of the town.

The evidence of the ancient religious organisation of the territory is also interesting and significant, starting with the parish church of Santa Maria Novella. Altough this underwent significant renovation during the last century, it still preserves the original plan, as revealed in the fine Romanesque capitals, and also houses numerous works of arts.

Various other churches reveal more or less consistent Romanesque remains, such as those of Albola, Bugialla, Livernano, Montemaione and Radda itself (in spite of the modern restoration by Coppedè), but these are particulary visible in the "canonical" churches of San Fedele in Paterno and Santa Maria in Colle (la Badiola). The latter is now single-naved, but retains the arches of the original basilica layout. The remains of the camaldolite Abbey of Montemuro (now la Badiaccia) have been incorporated into various buildings of the present village. Also from a Romansque nucleus, the beautiful convent of Santa Maria in Prato developed over subsequent centuries; in the interior we can still admire Neri di Bicci's famous "Madonna and Child" (1474)

Another religious edifice, which was dedidedly unusual in the countryside in view of its evident connection with the great architecture of the Florentine Renaissance, was the church of Sant'Eufrosino in the vicinity of Volpaia. This was know as "la Commenda" because linked to a benefice granted in 1443 in favour of a hospital of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem (a clear sign ofa road of a certain importance). By now eighteenth century, in spite of its connections with the tradition of Tuscan Mannerism, is the small chapel of Mercatale, near Radda, the name of wich recalls the presence in the past of an area devoted to trade