Castellina in Chianti and Its History

Chianti is a place of the soul, even before its geography. In this strip of land between Siena and Florence, every year, thousands of tourists, look for everything that is expected of Tuscany: breathtaking sceneries, villages rich with history, works of art and products of this land of great traditions. If, for many aspects, this “postcard” vision transcends reality, for many others it is possible to find in this corner of Tuscany a charm and suggestion that make this place unique in the world. Castellina is a village in the heart of Chianti which is found in a magnificent territory, surrounded by vast forests and cultivated lands with vineyards and olive trees. The sweet scenery where the village is found comes from the balance between culture and nature created by man, but also from the many wars and blood shed through tumultuous centuries, that saw Florentines and people of Siena face each other for the control of this precious strip of land. In reality, the origin of Castellina goes back to the Etruscan time, when the first settlement took place, consolidated in Roman times. After this we must go back to the Middle ages to find traces of this city which, through the centuries and with the development of Siena and Florence, became more important for its strategic position. If wars filled the middle ages, it is the transformation from military location to rural center to characterize the years of the grand duke, starting from the government of Cosimo I dei Medici. The rest is history of our days, with the birth of the province and the drama of the II World War, until today when Castellina in Chianti is appreciated as a unique place of culture, history and tradition.

(Portions of this article first appeared in "Toscana & Chianti News")
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