| Walled towns in the Florence area |
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One town that should definitely not be missed is Barberino Val d’Elsa, the medieval town centre and two entrance gates of which are still intact. Then there is Castelfiorentino, which developed at the crossroads between the Via Francigena and the Volterrana. The walls and brick towers are still partially intact, but unfortunately only one of the five original gates survived the development of the town in the 19th century.  Certaldo has fared better: the perimeter walls linking the three original gates are still intact. And at Figline Valdarno, although ancient palaces have given way to modern buildings, the 14th-century perimeter walls are still standing, including twelve towers. Remaining in the Valdarno and moving to Incisa, one can find not only the remains of the ancient walls but also the house of Petrarch, which is built on the walls, and the towered Palazzo Pretorio. Lastra a Signa and the nearby Malmantile were Florentine defensive bulwarks against Pisa, and the remains of impressive fortifications, gates and towers can still be seen today. Then there are the practically intact walls of San Casciano in Val di Pesa, with corner towers and a keep, and those of San Donato in Poggio, also intact and with a tower. Finally, there is the fortified town of Scarperia, with its fortified keep, and Vinci, which is dominated by the Rocca dei Conti Guidi.The province of Florence also holds other interesting surprises for anyone interested in fortified towns – Empoli, Pontassieve, Calenzano, Montefioralle and many more. There are photos of all these places in the APT publication. |
Walls, gates, towers: the appeal of fortified towns 
