What to see in Colle di Val d’Elsa, itinerary including the main monuments and places of interest, including the Castle, Palazzo Pretorio, the Archaeological Museum, the Cathedral and the Church of Sant'Agostino, as well as interesting excursions to do in the surrounding area.
Tourist information
Located in Tuscany in the province of Siena, on the left side of the Elsa river and divided into Colle Alta and Colle Bassa, Colle di Val d’Elsa in the Middle Ages was subjected to the government of the Bishops.
In the twelfth century, after becoming a free municipality, it was disputed between Siena and Florence, with the latter winning in 1333.
In the medieval village of Colle Alta, where the ancient walls are preserved, via del Castello begins under the arch of Palazzo Campana, a building built in the sixteenth century by Giuliano di Baccio d’Agnolo but remained unfinished.
The arch connects the palace with the Castle, dating back to the 10th century and reworked in the 15th century.
The 14th century Palazzo Pretorio houses the Bandinelli Archaeological Museum, where Campania and Volterra-style vases, bronze and iron objects, coins and funeral objects are collected.
The Cathedral, rebuilt in the seventeenth century, originates from an ancient Romanesque church of which only the side arches remain.
Inside there is a remarkable Crucifix made by Giambologna.
Not far from the Cathedral is the Palazzo dei Priori, which houses the Civic Museum, while at the end of the same street is the Arnolfo di Cambio House, dating back to 1200.
What see
In Colle Bassa it is possible to see the unfinished facade of the thirteenth-century church dedicated to Saint Augustine, as well as its interior, rebuilt in the sixteenth century by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder, which preserves interesting works of art.
Among the excursions to do in the surrounding area is that of Casole d’Elsa, about 15 km away, a medieval village located on a hill where there are still the remains of the city walls with a tower.
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In Piazza della Libertà overlook the fourteenth-century Palazzo Aringhieri and the Collegiate, of ancient origin but rebuilt in the fifteenth century, with subsequent restoration.
Nearby is the fourteenth-century fortress.
In Mensano, a town located 21 km away, there are the interesting ruins of the Castle and the remarkable Church of the Thousand dedicated to San Giovanni Battista, with valuable capitals.
Monteriggioni, 21 km away, is an evocative medieval village dating back to the thirteenth century, built as a defensive bulwark of Siena and protected by a round wall, interrupted by fourteen powerful towers, which were originally of greater height.
