Strozzavolpe Castle
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The stairway that brings to the main gate. |
The walled curtains. |
The castle of Strozzavolpe rises on a hill just out of the city of Poggibonsi
and from here It's easily reachable.
The castle of Strozzavolpe is the most important of the small fortifications
that surrounded the inhabited area of Poggibonsi and the only arrived practically
intact to us. It rises on a hill in front of the "Poggio Bonizio"
where was begun, and never completed, the Medicean project of the construction
of a fortress ("Emperor Fortress") and
of a new strengthened city. Strozzavolpe is remembered as 'Scoriavolpe' in a
1154 document, passed during 1330 from the family Salimbeni to the Adimari of
Florence. The castle still preserves the irregular perimeter of the medieval
walls with the only access through a tower, the ancient keep, whose actual aspect
derives from a last century reconstruction. The image of the construction,
embattled and towered, it is one of the most scenographic of this area but the
perfection of the castle has gone at damage of its originality, having been
restored in more parts. Today it's a private residence, visible on application,
and in its halls entertains a beautiful collection of ancient weapons.
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The tower with the principal entry originally endowed with
a drawbridge. |
The embattled enclosure walls. |
The main gate overhung by a coat of arms in stone. |
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