A visit to the six buildings comprising the complex offers one the rare
occasion of taking a few steps through the most fascinating moments of a
historical period which lasted at least a thousand years, but probably more than
two thousand five hundred years.
HistoryIn the area of Barberino Val d’Elsa, on the summit of a hill, 310 metres
above sea level lie a group of houses and a villa which preserve the name of the
ancient “Castello di Cortine” (Castle of Cortine) attested to it in 1037. The
word “cortine” comes from neo-Latin; from the term “curtis” meaning court.
Cortine, this very ancient Tuscan castle, stands among vineyards, olive groves
and woods on the watershed of the Elsa and Pesa valleys. Here the silent magic
treasure of a thousand years of collaboration between a generous soil and an
extraordinary line of descendants is preserved.
Oh Guests of this ancient abode, now is the time to lose yourselves in these
surrounding lands which are rich in traces of Etruscan roads and memories of
Roman conquerers.
In medieval Tuscany Cortine was an important meeting point between Florence and
the Via Francigena for Rome; it lies very near the scene of the deadly duel
between the council powers of Florence and the aristocratic pride of Semifonte.
In 1260 the people of Cortine were forced to contribute an onerously high
quantity of their precious grain to support the Florentine army in their
Montaperti campaign. As a result the small village church later became enriched
with beautiful works of art, four of which are presently preserved at the Museum
of Tavarnelle.
It was not until 1774, by virtue of a Grandducal regulation, that the people of
‘San Lorenzo a Cortine’ became incorporated into the Community of Barberino Val
D’Elsa.
The Villa is an admirable example of architecture from the “Lorenese” period on
a par with the most famous Medici Villas from the fifteen hundreds; this
beautiful building still has an ancient oil mill within its walls thus showing
itself to be intimately connected to agricultural demands.
Scholars have established that the present church was restored in the eighteen
hundreds and completed in 1850. The bell tower was completed in 1880.
What remains of the Castello di Cortine It has been suggested that parts of its
foundations make up the impressionable walls of the Villa’s underground
passages: the fascination of the eternal youth of medieval Tuscany lies in
thousands of secrets like these. Here, following the flight of a falcon in the
sky, you may recognise the green hills painted by the Renaissance masters, and
when you wish to join the pleasure of the eye with the delights of the … spirit,
the traditional food and the miraculous wine of this land can only be unequalled
guides for you!
The historical references were taken from the work of Francesco Donnini, Cortine:
una traccia attraverso i secoli (Cortine: a path through the centuries).
The Coat of Arms of the Falciani and Fusi families, which counter-distinguish
the local fruits of agriculture and craftsmanship chosen for guests at the
Canonica di Cortine, pays homage to the forefathers of Lucia and Stefano who,
for many generations, by hard work and an instinctive love for perfection,
contributed to creating the finest landscapes and products from our own
Chianti’s oil.