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Gaiole in Chianti www.comune.gaiole.si.it The Chianti Classico Area offers a wide range of opportunities, historical routes, itineraries, excursions and theme tours. Learn what to visit in the area of Gaiole in Chianti: Castles Visiting the parishes Small towns and villages Churches of the area Ancient and famous villas Other excursions... WHERE TO GO Itineraries through Gaiole in Chianti Encircled by castles, Gaiole (its name comes from Villa Gaio) was born as a market-place. Historical sources testified of small populaces (before 1000) lived in the villages on the hills that still today surround the village of Gaiole (Vertine, Montegrossi, S. Donato e S. Piero). As those people moved to the valley, the village Gaiole developed as a market place, situated in a strategic position along the communication road between Chianti and the Upper Valdarno. This origin is also revealed by its urban structure: the houses are lined up along the street and there is a characteristic square in the shape of a funnel, created to receive and clear commodities. The importance of this place of exchange raised during the 13th century and Gaiole became one of the chief towns of the three districts of the League of Chianti. Sacked by the Aragonese troops in 1478, Gaiole suffered the battles between Siena and Florence and was the centre of the conspiracies of the Sienese refugees, so that the podestà of Radda decided in 1492 to move there in order to control personally the situation. Until 1555, when the whole region felt into the hands of Florence. In 1774 it became an administrative division thanks to the Grand Duke Leopoldo. At the beginning of the 19th century Napoleone – during the reign of Etruria – put Gaiole under Siena,as it remained until today. The territory of Gaiole, among the hills, is the ancient Chianti valley (Chianti was probably called also the river), and shows the character of the Chianti region more than anywhere: the hills are bristlier, the wood of oak is diffuser and opens sometimes for wide islands of vines; the valley are small and narrow; the human sign of houses, churches and castles is not so intense. The Chianti Mountains (800 m) divided the region from the Arno valley. CASTLES PARISHES VILLAGES CASTLE OF BROLIO CASTLE OF MELETO CASTLE OF MONTEGROSSI CASTLE OF TORNANO CASTLE OF BARBISCHIO CASTLE OF CACCHIANO CASTLE OF LUCIGNANO CASTLE OF SAN GIUSTO A RENTENNANO SANTA MARIA A SPALTENNA SAN MARCELLINO IN AVANE SAN VINCENTI SAN PIETRO IN AVENANO SAN DONATO IN PERNANO VERTINE ARGENINA CETAMURA MONTELUCO DI LECCHI SAN SANO CHURCES VILLAS OTHER BADIA A COLTIBUONO	SPECIAL OFFERS Last minute offers arranged for you by Chiantishire OUR SUGGESTIONS Look at our accommoda- tions' suggestions all over Italy  ART CITIES Spend your holidays in one of the italian beautiful art cities  PHOTOGALLERY Enjoy our photogallery, and send a beautiful postcard of Chianti  MAILING LIST Subscribe to receive info about Chiantishire PRIVATE AREA Click to enter the private area
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