Monteriggioni

Agrandir le plan

Shortened history of the castle:

The fortified village of Monteriggioni has been built entirely in the thirteenth century by the inhabitants of Sienna (Sienese), who needed a strategic position (Monteriggioni is located on a hill overlooking the old road Francigena) to fight against their rival, the City of Florence.

In 1269, after the battle of Colle, the entire army of Siena, defeated, took refuge in Monteriggioni, besieged, but unsuccessfully, by the Florentines.

After the plague of 1348 - 1349 the Sienese troops decided to reside in Monteriggioni to protect the soldiers to die from this disease.

In 1380, the residents of Monteriggioni were considered as "citizens of Siena."

In 1526, the Florentine besieged Monteriggioni with more than 2000 infantry soldiers and 500 horsemen, bombarding the walls with modern artillery. The Castle of Monteriggioni, however, resisted, and on July 25 of that year, at the Battle of Camullia, Siena defeated the papal army, an ally of Florence, who immediately broke the siege.

On April 27, 1554 Monteriggioni was sold to treason, without any fighting, to the Marquis Marignano of Florence. Florence finally defeated the Republic of Siena in 1555. This episode is often regarded by historians as one that marked the end of the period of Italian Municipalities.

Opening times and additional information:

Medieval Festival each year during the two first weeks of July.