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Casole d'ElsaThe lovely rural centre of Casole Val d'Elsa, nearby Siena, at 417 metres above the sea level, will enchant you with a mesmerizing landscape of sweet green hills, covered by olive trees and vineyards. Casole has always represented a marginal land contended, from the beginning of the XIII century, between Volterra and Siena, and later inevitably involved into the battle between Guelphs and Ghibellines. In 1259, the Florentine troops conquered Casole, but keeping the power over the village for just one year. After a defeat suffered during the battle of Montaperti, Casole got in fact annexed to Siena, becoming a bulwark of the Senese Republic. The ancient boundary nature is still evident into the current village conformation: Casole has preserved its town-walls almost intact, as well as the rest of the hamlet and the two circular towers designed by the famous Senese architect Francesco di Giorgio. Among the most ancient and fascinating buildings, we must mention the town hall, built in 1352 and subsequently reinforced by the citizens of Siena: the portal still shows indeed their black and white coat of arms. You cannot miss the stunning Collegiata of St Maria Assunta, consecrated in 1161, where to admire beautiful oeuvres by Marco Romano, Gano da Siena and Rutilio Manetti. Beside the church you'll find the splendid archaeological museum with perfectly preserved lovely frescoes of the Senese Art and numerous findings, coming from the local necropolis, as witnesses of the Etruscan presence in Casole. Casole Val d'Elsa's parton saint is St Isidoro, celebrated every year the second Sunday of July with a funny and enthralling Palio. Following the similar ancient tradition in Siena, the Palio in Casole is a bareback horse ride over a 900 metres course, accompanied by songs, dances and wine in floods. Other towns in the area: Agliana, Anghiari, Arezzo, Asciano, Badia a Ruoti, Badia Agnano, Bagni di Lucca, Bagno a Ripoli, Barberino di Mugello, Barberino Val d'Elsa, Bietina, San Giustino Valdarno, Bucine, Buonconvento, Calci, Calenzano, Campo nell'Elba, Camucia di Cortona, Carrara, Casciana Terme, Cascina, Castel San Gimignano, Castelfiorentino, Castelfranco di Sopra, Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Castiglione Fibocchi, Castiglion Fiorentino, Castiglioncello, Certaldo, Cetona, Chianciano Terme, Chiusi, Cinigiano, Civitella della Chiana, Colle di Val d'Elsa, Cortona, Dicomano, Dudda, Empoli, Fabbrica di Peccioli, Figline Valdarno, Florence, Foiano della Chiana, Follonica, Fonteblanda, Fornacette, Forte dei Marmi, Gaiole in Chianti, Gambassi Terme, Gavoranno, Ghizzano, Grassina, Greve in Chianti, Grosseto, Iesa Palazzo, Impruneta, Isola del Giglio, Lamporecchio, Laterina , Livorno, Loro Ciuffenna, Lucca, Lucignano, Marciano della Chiana, Marina di Grosseto, Empoli, Masotti, Massa, Massa e Cozzile, Moggiona, Molazzana, Monsummano Terme, Montaione, Montalcino, Monte San Savino, Montecatini Terme, Montefollonico, Montelopio, Montepulciano, Monterchi, Monteriggioni, Monteroni d'Arbia, Montespertoli, Montevarchi, Monteverdi Marittimo, Monticchiello di Pienza, Monticiano, Montisi, Nievole, Orbetello, Panzano in Chianti, Pari, Pergine Valdarno, Pian di Sco', Pienza, Pietrasanta, Pievasciata, Pieve Fosciana, Pisa, Pistoia, Pitigliano, Poggibonsi, Policiano, Ponsacco, Pontassieve, Ponte a Elsa, Ponte a Moriano, Pontedera, Poppi, Porciano di Lamporecchio, Porciano di Stia, Porto Ercole, Pozzo della Chiana, Prato, Puntone, Radda in Chianti, Radicofani, Rapolano Terme, Reggello, Rignano sull'Arno, Rigomagno, Rigutino, Riparbella, Ponte a Moriano, Rosignano Solvay, Rufina, San Baronto, San Casciano dei Bagni, San Casciano in Val di Pesa, San Donato in Poggio, San Gimignano, San Giuliano Terme, San Giustino Valdarno, San Miniato, San Quirico d'Orcia, Sansepolcro, Sarteano, Saturnia, Scandicci, Scarlino, Segromigno in Monte, Seravezza, Serre di Rapolano, Sesto Fiorentino, Sieci, Siena, Sinalunga, Sorano, Staggia Senese, Subbiano, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, Terontola, Terranuova Bracciolini, Tirrenia, Torre del Lago Puccini, Torrita di Siena, Trequanda, Uliveto Terme, Vagliagli, Vecchiano, Venturina, Viareggio, Vicchio, Vinci, VolterraYou might also be interested in reading about the following Casole d'Elsa topics:
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