Montespertoli
Encyclopedia
Montespertoli is a comune
(municipality) in the Province of Florence
in the Italian
region Tuscany
, located about 20 km southwest of Florence
.
Montespertoli borders the following municipalities: Barberino Val d'Elsa
, Castelfiorentino
, Certaldo
, Empoli
, Lastra a Signa
, Montelupo Fiorentino
, San Casciano in Val di Pesa
, Scandicci
, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa
.
The presence of human settlements in the area dates to Roman and Etruscan times, although the villages of the modern municipality are known from the 11th century, when San Pietro in Mercato and Lucardo are mentioned. In 1393 the borough of Montespertoli was acquired by the Machiavelli family.
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 20 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....
.
Montespertoli borders the following municipalities: Barberino Val d'Elsa
Barberino Val d'Elsa
Barberino Val d'Elsa is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 30 km south of Florence.The township of Barberino Val d'Elsa is located above the valley from which it takes its name...
, Castelfiorentino
Castelfiorentino
Castelfiorentino is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 30 km southwest of Florence.The population is approximately 20,000 inhabitants...
, Certaldo
Certaldo
Certaldo is a town and comune of Tuscany, Italy, in the province of Florence, located in the middle of Valdelsa. It is about 35 kilometers southwest of the Florence Duomo....
, Empoli
Empoli
Empoli is a town and comune in Tuscany, Italy, about 20 km southwest of Florence, to the south of the Arno in a plain formed by the latter river. The plain has been usable for agriculture since Roman times. The commune's territory becomes a hilly one as it departs from the river...
, Lastra a Signa
Lastra a Signa
Lastra a Signa is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 12 km west of Florence.-References:The hospital building was...
, Montelupo Fiorentino
Montelupo Fiorentino
Montelupo Fiorentino is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 20 km southwest of Florence...
, San Casciano in Val di Pesa
San Casciano in Val di Pesa
San Casciano in Val di Pesa is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 15 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:...
.
The presence of human settlements in the area dates to Roman and Etruscan times, although the villages of the modern municipality are known from the 11th century, when San Pietro in Mercato and Lucardo are mentioned. In 1393 the borough of Montespertoli was acquired by the Machiavelli family.
Main sights
- PievePieveIn the Middle Ages, a pieve was a rural church with a baptistery, upon which other churches without baptisteries depended.The Italian word pieve is descended from Latin plebs which, after the expansion of Christianity in Italy, was applied to the community of baptized people...
(pleban church) of San Pietro in Mercato, consecrated in 1057. - Pieve of Santa Maria a Coeli Aula, known from the 9th century
- Church of Sant'Andrea in Montespertoli (16th century), housing 12th century fragments of a baptismal font from Santa Maria a Coeli in Aula, and a Madonna with Saints attributed to Niccolò di Pietro GeriniNiccolò di Pietro GeriniNiccolò di Pietro Gerini was an Italian painter of the late Gothic period, active mainly in his native Florence. Niccolo di Pietro Gerini's works can be found in major art galleries in Rome, the Vatican, Florence, London, Milan, New York, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, St Petersburg,...
. - Church of San Michele Arcangelo at Castiglioni (12th century)
- Castle of Montegufoni, a former residence of the Acciaioli family