Description of the attraction
Montepezcali is a small town in the Italian region of Tuscany, part of the commune of Grosseto. This place, which offers a wonderful panorama of the coast and the islands of the Tuscan archipelago up to Corsica, is known as the "Terrace or Balcony of the Maremma". The city was founded in the early Middle Ages as a fief of the Aldobrandeschi family, then it was part of the Siena Republic, and in the first half of the 15th century it received an autonomous status. After joining the Grand Duchy of Tuscany in 1627, Montepezkali became the feudal domain of the Counts of Elchi, later they were replaced by the families of the Ptolemies and Guadagnas. The last local rulers were members of the Federighi family.
Montepezkali has always been an agricultural center - on the hills, you can still see vast olive groves and vineyards. Tourists are attracted here by monuments of history and architecture. First of all, it is worth seeing the elliptical city walls that have surrounded the entire settlement since the Middle Ages. Their defensive functions are confirmed by towers located at an equal distance from each other along the entire perimeter, and a pointed bastion built in the 16th century. Next to the semicircular tower of Torre Belvedere stands the Church of Santissima Annunziata, and the tower of Torre Guascone bears the name of the military leader who defended Montepezcali during the siege of 1555.
The attraction of the town is Cassero Senese - a medieval architectural complex with a clock tower. Once it was the monastery and church of Santa Cecilia, then - the fortress of the Aldobrandeschi family and, finally, the Sienese fortification, which was later used as a courthouse. The medieval Palazzo dei Priori was the headquarters of the free commune of Montepezcali, and after the loss of independence, the latter was sold to private hands. From other palaces in Montepezcali, it is worth visiting Palazzo Grottanelli, Palazzo Guadagni, Palazzo Tolomei, Palazzo Ladzeretti Conchalini.
The churches of Montepezcali are no less interesting: San Nicola of the 11th century with a cycle of frescoes of the Sienese school, Santi Stefano e Lorenzo of the 12th century, Madonna delle Grazie, unfortunately, lying in ruins, the hermitage of Santa Maria Maddalena, also abandoned, but retaining its features Romanesque style.
The Ildebrando Imberciadori Ethnographic Museum is dedicated to the history of Montepezcali. It displays collections of agricultural machinery and tools of peasant labor, archaeological exhibits and various historical documents.
