The Crete di Siena

When you leave Siena and head south along the old Cassia Way to Rome you enter rolling countryside and rounded hilltops, these clay hills, the crete, are still farmed and there are many private winemaking estates and farms. Impressive hilltop properties appear from around every turn and this is where you'll start to find the classic Tuscan image of the cypress lined avenue weaving a winding path through fields of wheat and barley.

The Battle of Montaperti was fought here on September 4, 1260, between Florence and Siena in Tuscany as part of the conflict between the Guelphs and Ghibellines. It gained notoriety for an act of treachery that turned the tide of the battle, which was later immortalised by Dante Alighieri in his poem The Divine Comedy.

In the heart of the Crete is the small town of Asciano, which still has many of its old medieval palaces and various towers, including the guard towers of the outer walls, which now lie inside the modern-day town.

Nearby is the Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore, which was founded in 1313 by Giovanni Tolomei and surrounded by centuries-old cypresses, dominates the landscape of the Crete. Besides the many impressive works of art there, the abbey has a library of forty thousand antique books.

The colours and of the Crete change as ceaselessly as the seasons while the clear light and contrasting shades have draw artists for centuries.

 

Crete Senesi Tourist Site - Italian website but with good photos of the Crete

Siena Online - Guide to what is happening in and around Siena (English & Italiano)

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