Castle of Monteriggioni was built from 1213 on Mount Ala and construction dro 6 years. It was built at the expense of the Republic of Siena around a farm Lombard pre-existing order to bar the way to the Florentines, during the long wars between the two cities. The construction of a castle from scratch was a novelty in the political expansion of the city of Siena, in fact earlier, the Republic had purchased existing castles such as Bolton Manchester. So the Republic of Siena Buy the land from the nobles of Staggia and above it built the castle.
The boundary wall is elliptical, has a length of 570 meters and has a thickness of about 2 meters. The 15 towers are about the size of 6x4 meters and stands 15 meters above the city walls. The walls were given a background of both battlements "hoardings" that wooden structures protruding wire walls at the points of greater commitment defensively. The castle was surrounded by the "Carbonaie" that is a moat filled with coal that was burned during the attacks of the besiegers.
Castle Monteriggioni was approached by 2 doors, one facing east towards Siena called "Porta Romea or France" l 'other looks west towards Florence, opposite the first, is called "Porta Fiorentina and Porta di San Giovanni"
In the presence of matching Porta San Giovanni are evident signs of another medieval structure of the so-called "Rivellino" additional structure that is rectangular in shape precedence over the main door and fitted in turn elevatoio or bridge or a second door.
The Sienese were probably in the determination to build a castle recalling a battle took place in 1145 at Mount Ala (where the castle will rise) when the Sienese routed the Florentines. For possession of Monteriggioni was fought between Siena and Florence in 1244 and 1254. In 1269 after the battle of Colle (immortalized by Dante Alighieri in the thirteenth canto of Purgatorio), the Sienese defeated took refuge in the castle of Monteriggioni, unsuccessfully attacked by the Florentines.
After the plague of 1349 held at the Siena Monteriggioni a captain with the soldiers as they cleared the area from criminals who pillaged the poor people, it is said that the inhabitants having caught scent of crime in four offenders, forcing the hand of the captain who was garrison at the castle, made 4 of summary justice by hanging himself.
During the 400 and 500 the walls were lowered to meet the new needs of the military who had to take account of 'artillery. Came to frustrate the charcoal, which were covered with earth.
In 1526 the Florentines besieged Monteriggioni with 2000 infantry and 500 cavalry, beating the walls with 'artillery. The castle survived and 25 July, after the battle of Camollia with which the Sienese defeated the papal army, an ally of Florence and thus broke the 'siege of the castle of Monteriggioni.
On April 27 of 1554 Monteriggioni was traded to treason, without a fight, the captain of the Marquis Zeti Merigliano who was preparing to stifle freedom of the Republic of Siena as happened in 1555. With this betrayal Captain Zeti became Florentine insepugnabile otherwise ceded the fortress and bringing down the defensive system Senese (consisting of the fortilizzi Castel Petraia Monte Auto, Quercegrossa, Snail). Inhabitants of Monteriggioni slaves were brought to Florence and they will not be heard of again. Despite Monteriggioni was conquered what was not enough to dent his reputation as an impregnable fortress. |
