The abbey of Saint Galgano with the Montesiepi hermitage rise in the valley of the river Merse, between the medieval villages of Chiusdino and Monticiano, in the province of Siena. Leggi di più

The Round or Montesiepi’s Hermitage was built right after the death of the saint, over the ancient hut where St. Galgano spent his last year of life.The Hermitage was consecrated in 1185 by Volterra’s bishop Ildebrando Pannocchieschi, with the imprimatur of Pope Lucio III. Leggi di più

West of San Galgano in beautiful countryside with interesting old farmhouses, is Chiusdino St Galganos birthplace. It is a typical hilltop village 564 mt. with a cluster of grey stone houses on narrow steep and winding streets, often with steps and archways. The simple Romanesque parish church has been extensively modernised. Nearby, in a picturesque little piazza, is the Chapel of the Compagnia with a relief of .St Galgano over the door by Urbano da Cortona dated 1466.

In the territory of Chiusdino the fraction of Ciciano is found, where one of the tornei of Ball is carried out every summer eh! (said also Ball 21), an analogous game to the Spanish and diffused Pelota in the zone of from Tuscany Metalliferous Hills. Little and uncertain are the news that we have on the origin of Ciciano: it was in a 1300 small "country house" (is worth to say one borgata) situated over one hill crest on the road that gives to Chiusdino door to Montieri. The last urbanistico development was had to the end of the century slid with the opening of the new Chiusdino-Montieri road: around to it numerous buildings rose and in the intersection point with the old one via nacque it it puts into effect them public square; from then puo' saying that the inhabited nucleus has not endured particular modifications.

The digging of Miranduolo gives the occasion to us already while still alive to inquire a castle at the beginning of XI the century (therefore ascrivibile between the from Tuscany castles first phase), its origins and its transformations until to the half of XIII the century (period of the abandonment), the types of rioccupazione of the hill in the course of XIV the century, the insediative shapes tied to the family comita them of the Gherardeschi in Val di Merse.