Il Castello di Sovicille, suite per 4 ospiti

Sovicille castle is located in the small, picturesque town of Sovicille. The imposing 17th-century palazzo was built over the ruins of an ancient castle. The T-shaped palace is made up of a central body built on the ancient walls, showing a curvilinear structure, and an extended body that stretches out to the main square of the village. The part below the main building is characterized by a unique combination of particularly elegant, indented stairs that lead to the private park & swimming pool. Sovicille is located in the Val di Merse, an area of lush forest and mediaeval villages, and has played a remarkable role in the history of Republic of Siena. The village is located about 10 km west of Siena on the old via Maremmana, the road running from Sienna to the coast of the Maremma. Suavis locus ille, the pleasantness of the place, or Sub illice, - under the oaks, are the most probable origins of Sovicille, the name given to the ancient village facing the Montagnola Senese. The village Sovicille dates back to the 7th century AC, when Siena was a chamberlainship due to its strategic position. The town of Siena seems to have been dominated by the Longobards in that period. This is testified by the presence of numerous castles in the most strategic areas around Siena, not least in Sovicille. Castles represented at that time the centre of military, family, economic, and social life. They were also used to stock all the harvest (or part of it) that the losers had to pay as a tribute (“terzia”) to the winners. La Sala, the name given to the village of Sovicille at the beginning of the 11th century further testifies the presence of Longobards in that area. Various different cultures, -Etruscans, Romans, Germanics – succeded in the village up till the year one thousand (1004). From that date on, till mid 12th century, the castle appears as property of the Serena Abbey. The Sovicille castle has been documented since the year 1004 under the ancient name of "Suffichillum", Throughout the centuries the castle became a village which houses the town hall. The castle has kept its original shape and dimensions which were reconstructed in the second half of the year 1400. The prosperous city-state of Sovicille and its territory finally declined at the end of the 14th century, as a result of conflicts and incursions. Sovicille and its surrounding area are rich in abbeys and Romanesque parish churches. One of the main monuments of the Sovicille area is the Pieve di San Giovanni Battista a Ponte allo Spino (Parish Church Ponte allo Spino - dedicated to John the Baptist), located close to the remains of a gothic cloister, the Eremo di Santa Lucia (Hermitage of Rosia), the Villa Lechner, for Italian garden enthusiasts, there are the Villa di Celsa gardens and the Villa Cetinale gardens. About 35 km to the south west, is one of the most famous sights in Tuscany, the ruined Cisterician Abbey of San Galgano. There are several occupied and also ruined Augustinian monasteries in the area, most notably the Hermitage and Monastery of Lecceto. Last but not least is the River Merse, one of the most beautiful of this region, and the Farma stream, flowing through a very interesting natural area.