X-ONE.IT - Touristic Information - VINCI (FI) (engl.vers.)

Panoramica aerea (foto G.Pierozzi)

La Rocca dei Conti Guidi oggi
sede del museo Leonardiano
(foto G.Pierozzi)

La Chiesa di S. Croce
(foto G.Pierozzi)

La casa natale di Leonardo
(foto G.Pierozzi)

Piazza della Libertà e l'Istituto
Regionale Studi Ottici e
Optometrici (foto G.Pierozzi)

Vinci town extends along the southern slopes of Montalbano, in the north-west direction of Empoli, is located few kilometres far from Lucca, Pisa and Siena.
First reliable news about Vinci go back to the year 1000 about and it is almost sure that Vinci castrum stood with the growing of conti Guidi and conti Alberti feudal ownership in this area, so important from the strategic point of view for the interests, often opposing, of Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Pistoia.
In 1180 relations between Florence and conti Guidi improved thanks to the marriage of Guido Guerra and Gualdrada, daughter of Bellicione Berti, who had continuously kept inself friend of the florentine people.
But briefly the conti Guidi star turned down the emperor Frederik II, in 1220, with big benevolence, invested each branch of the Guidi family with the forth part of ancient privileges, among which Empoli, Monterappoli, Cerreto and castrum de Vincio.
The village and the castle of Vinci were then involved in the events of the feudal age, untill they were included with the feud assignment to the Florence municipality, in the florentine country.
The peoples of Vinci rebelled against the florentine rule in 1315 at the arrival of the army led by Uguccione Della Faggiuola.
After alternate events the florentine government turned to the reconquest of Vinci and in 1318 the same government sent a reliable castellan.In 1320, anyway, Castruccio Castracani laid waste Vinci, sowing damages and fear; only the peace of Montopoli in 1329, between Pisa and Florence, succeeded in bringing again a brief period of calm.
Vinci inhabitants wrote their own page of glory in 1364, foiling the assault of Pisa people who had taken at their service the skilled english captain Giovanni Hawkwood, called the "Acuto" and when in 1368 they unmasked some florentine refugee who vainly tried to make Vinci arise against Florence republic.
In 1538, the valiant captain Giovanni from Vinci distinguished himself for his bravery and diplomatic skill obliging to go back the spanish army who wanted to sack Vinci and Cerreto Guidi towns.
With these events Vinci history get rich, but we find again its name forever linked to the incomparable genius of Leonardo, to whom Vinci gave birth in 1452.
As reminder of this story, now almost thousand, year gold, Vinci keeps the fortress and the ancient tower, and, around them, the small street, the rustic houses, the arcades keep the medieval mark.
Inside the "conti Guidi" fortress there is the "leonardiano" museum; just underneath there is the library, rich of valuable works which allow thorough research on Leonardo life.
In the wine vault of the castle there is the private gallery "museo ideale Leonardo da Vinci di arte, utopia e cultura della terra" which in addition to the ancien agricultural implements, it keeps a lot of material coming from shows about Leonardo.
Near the fortress there is "Santacroce" church, contemporary of the castle, but completely transformed and enlarged during the years.
At about 2 kms far from Vinci there is Anchiano, where we can visit the Leonardo supposed house of birth.
The old house of "da Vinci" family is located inside a landscape which is still today similar to the one that Leonardo was seeing and painting since his childhood.
Further to the name of Leonardo, also other interesting historical and artistic events are unked to Vinci: the birth of Pierino da Vinci, nepew of Leonardo and precocious genius of sculpure; the house of Renato Fucini; the historical villas of Ferrale and Borgo.
At 4 kms far from the capital town there is the romanesque parish of San Giovanni in Greti in Sant'Ansano, mentioned in a degree of Ottone III in 997.
Vinci produces a great quality of wine (chianti d.o.c.g.) and oil; its agricoltural traditions have beed maintained during the centuries, the grape wine is still cultivated near the flat stretch or in some terracings on the hills towards Montalbano, olive trees dominate higher places.
Recently and in particular on the right side of Arno river in Spicchio and Sovigliana hamlets, there has been a big industrial developments on garments, wood and upholstery, food industry, shoefactories, glassworks and ceramics sectors, which have imposed their products on the italian and foreign market.

Bibliografie
- Il Medio Valdarno Visto dall'Alto
ed. Erba d'Arno - Fucecchio
- G.P.3 Informatutto
ed. GP3 srl - Vinci
- Empolese-Valdelsa
"Viaggio nel cuore della Toscana"
a cura: APT - Firenze
Foto
- APT Firenze
- G.Pierozzi
foto aeree aut.S.M.A.
n° 1359/'90 e 1469/'91