On a hilltop in the heart of Chianti stands the Castle of Tornano, which displays one of the most beautiful quarterdecks among all the of medieval castles of the area.
Starting from the first few years after the year thousand, the castle of Tornano was home to a “curtis” and its name often appears in the documents preserved in the nearby Abbey of Coltibuono as a place of ratification of many contracts.
The castle was owned by the noble Sienese family of Guarnellotto dei Mezzolombardi. The Emperor Frederick I got possession of the castle in 1167 since Guarnellotto rebelled against the emperor’s authority, and it was given to Ranieri de’ Firidolfi Ricasoli. However this happened only on the written documents as Guarnellotto, who was supported by Siena, continued to maintain control on the castle of Tornano and on the nearby castle of Campi, and both territories were the stage of his bravery against the emperor.
Only when the castle passed into Florentine territory, it was subtracted to Guarnellotto. But Siena did not forwent the castle so easily, since it had a very strategic position in the control scheme of the Chanti.
After a long siege, in 1229 the Sienese armies conquered the castle, but definitely lost its sovereignty to Florence only six years later.
In 1400 the castle of Tornano was massively fortified by the Ricasoli family, so that during the invasion of the Aragonesi it managed to resist siege. However, when in 1530 the imperial troops attacked the castle, Tornano capitulated and nothing could be done to save it.
Nowadays most of the many walls and other buildings are missing. The original quarterdeck still resists dominating the hill with its trapezoidal shape.
The whole structure has been recently restored and hosts a wonderful complex where you can find accommodation rentals and apartments for Tuscan holidays, and a farm.
Here are the pictures of nowadays Tornano:
Click on a picture to pass onto the next one
How to get to Tornano (only 5 km from Gaiole):
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