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Poggibonsi (20 km from Siena, 10 km from San Gimignano and 10 km from Certaldo) is dominated by “Poggio Bonizio”, a hill surrounded by the walls of the Fortress of Poggio Imperiale built by Lorenzo the Magnificent at the end of the 15th century.
The University of Siena carried out important recovery and restoration programs on the complex, set in almost two hectares of land: today tourists can visit the excavations that have unearthed the remains of homes and churches of the old Poggio Bonizio, a fortified city that for a long time was contended between Guelphs and Ghibellines and then destroyed by Florence. Our guided tour takes place along the remains of 13th century Poggibonsi, built on a hut village inhabited between the 6th and 10th century.
The tour begins with a scenic walk above the newly restored walls of the imposing Medici Fortress, offering a beautiful view over the Chianti hills and the nearby city of San Gimignano; we we’ll pass by a part of the Via Francigena, travelled by pilgrims going to Rome, where stood the city’s 13th century old stone houses. We will visit Cassero (15th century) that with its cannon and gun system housed the Florentine army troops. Finally we will arrive at the foot of the fortress where, hidden in a natural ravine, you will see the Fairies’ Fountain, which preserves its 13th century stonewalls and great Gothic arches intact.
Our guided tour will continue with the visit of the 13th century Franciscan church of San Lucchese where is worshipped the body of the founder of the Third Franciscan Order.
Upon request, it will be possible to visit the Magione Templare of San Giovanni in Jerusalem.
We remind you that the visit of Poggibonsi can be matched to guided tours of the most charming villages and sacred places of Tuscany, such as San Gimignano, Colle di Val d’Elsa, Monteriggioni and Badia a Isola, the Cistercian Abbey of San Galgano, Castellina in Chianti, Certaldo, the “Jerusalem” of San Vivaldo.
