Idea #618 – Visiting the village of Certaldo Alto in Tuscany
In the heart of the Valdelsa, perched on top of a hill and surrounded by walls is a beautiful little town, Certaldo, known as the birthplace of the famous Italian poet Giovanni Boccaccio. Founded in Etruscan times as evidenced by remains uncovered during archaeological excavations, the city developed mainly during the medieval period, as a stopover on the Via Francigena, the road that connects Western Europe to Rome.
Most of its buildings still visible today date from this period, such as the Palazzo del Vicaro from the 10th-11th century, the church of Santi Tommaso and Prospero from the 11th-12th century, the city wall and its fortified gates. The house of Boccace, where the author retired at the end of his life, can still be visited; it was restored in 1823, then partially rebuilt after the destruction of the Second World War. You will find in the church of San Jacopo and Filippo the tomb of the writer, under a modern stele replacing that of 1503 which had been destroyed in 1783 by detractors of his writings.
His flag is curious: white and red with an onion on the left. This symbol represents a typical product of the area, “Certaldo onion” a sweet and sweet plant, of medium size and also mentioned by Boccaccio in his short story called “Brother Onion”. Do not limit yourself to tasting this specialty, also buy the “mercacci”, typical biscuits dedicated to the poet made from dried fruits, chocolate and almonds.
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
Certaldo Alto, Tuscany, Italia
