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Radda in Chianti www.comune.radda-in-chianti.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 Radda in Chianti:
Castles
Visiting the parishes
Small towns and villages
Churches of the area
Ancient and famous villas
Other excursions...
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Itineraries through Radda in Chianti

Located on a hill in the watershed between the valleys of the Pesa and the Arbia rivers, its origins go back to the 2000 B.C., as the ruins found at the top of Poggio alla Croce testify. The Etruscan origins of the village can also be recognised through its name, formerly “Ramtha”. The name "Ratta" appears in an edict of the Emperor Otto III from the year 1003 and later on 1041 in the form of "Ramda". By 1100, Radda was the most densely populated and - apart from Ricasoli - the most important community of the area. The village of Radda was presented from the Tuscia Marquises to the monks of the Badia Fiorentina. In 1191, it became a feud of Guidi Counts and in the XII century it has been included in the territory of the Florentine Republic. In 1250 the Republic of Florence divided the communities into districts, allotting each a certain amount of territory and together forming the Lega, the League. From 1384, Radda was the seat of the podestà, the chief magistrate, and the oldest statute of the Lega del Chianti (Chianti League) dates back to that year. In 1415 Radda was fortified and declared the Chief town of civil jurisdiction of Chianti, in 1478 it was stormed and burnt by the Aragonese troops, being rebuilt afterward thus being able to defend from the Sienese attack in 1527. In 1554, the village fell into the hands of the Medici family and from 1772 to 1838, Radda has been “Vicariato” over Greve, Gaiole and Castellina. In 1774 the Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo subdivided the zone in commons. During the French domination (1808-1814), Radda was almost the most important city of the region. With the Lorena family (from 1825) the common was put under the jurisdiction of Siena, and remained so till today.
Today, we still can notice the medieval structure of the close village; in the highest part there is the castle, the oldest part allows us to imagine the old fortifications and the two gates: on the western part, the Florentine Gate, destroyed in 1866 – as we can read on the wall-tablet at the start of Rome street – and east the Vardarnese gate, nearby a tower in front of the public garden in the square IV November.

PALAZZO DEL PODESTÀ (‘400):
During the Aragonese invasion (1478), the town hall was completely destroyed; in 1700 it was enlarged with the addition of the second floor and the prison. A long staircases brings to a wide loggia covered by a pillar and two vaults, characterised by ogival arches and leaf’s decoration on the capitals. On the capitals we can be seen a fresco copy, the Virgin Mary with the child and the Saints Johannes Baptist by Cristoforo of the Florentine school of the 15th century – the original one is inside the palace. Of particular interest are the coats of arms that can be seen on the outside facade of the building. Today there are 51 of them, 3 dating back to the 15th century, 25 to the 16th, 16 to the 17th and 7 to the 18th century. Directly underneath the sandstone (brownstone) arcade you find the coat of arms of Francesco Ferrucci, chief magistrate of Radda in 1479. On the first floor you find a recently restored fresco of the 16th century Florentine school.

CHIESA DI SAN NICCOLÒ
Located in the historic centre of Radda, the new facade is dominated by a blind arch constructed to protect the fresco after its restoration at the beginning of the 20th century, on the side a chapel, still the seat of the Compagnia della Misericordia, the Society of Mercy dating back to the 12th century. (“Cappella della Compagnia di san Gregorio Magno e santa Maria delle Grazie”). The church’s inside is simple, has a single nave with truss-beamed ceiling holding a 15th century wood crucifix of the Company of the Penance, that resided permanently in Radda. The existence of this church is documented on the Book of Montaperti (1260); in 1600 it became prioress and in 1616 the baptismal font was added.

ICE-BOXES
The ghiacciaie, the iceboxes, were erected in different parts of Tuscany during the grand-ducal era: some were built in the form of a pyramid, others like that in Radda were constructed like a basement divided into conical sections. During the winter, snow was accumulated and pressed into these boxes. The particular technical construction, the thickness of the walls and the northern exposure allowed the snow to turn into ice blocks.

A seguito della iniziativa della Regione Toscana, in collaborazione con il Touring Club Italiano, è stata assegnata la Bandiera Arancione al Comune di Radda in Chianti. Su 116 Comuni candidati e 49 selezionati per la visita di verifica, sono state attribuite 18 bandiere arancioni all'entroterra toscano: importante riconoscimento nell'ambito dello sviluppo sostenibile e della crescente armonizzazione delle attività turistiche con l'ambiente e le tipicità locali.
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