Castello di Meleto

by Chris Lord

Title

Castello di Meleto

Artist

Chris Lord

Medium

Photograph - Digital Photography

Description

Our last stop in Tuscany was a beautiful castle winery in Chianti. We had a great tour of the interior and a wonderful lunch accompanied, naturally, by a tasting of several of the local excellent Chianti's

The Castle of Meleto is first documented as a possession of the monks of the nearby Badia a Coltibuono in the 11 C. The first vassal of the Castello di Meleto seems to have been a certain Guardellotto, but he was stripped of all of his possessions as a result of a difference of opinion with the Emperor Federico Barbarossa. The latter then entrusted Meleto to the local Firidolfi family who were already in possession of several other castles of the area. This was the origin the branch of the Firidolfi known as "di Meleto" while another branch of the family, known as the Ricasoli Fibindacci, soon became prominent in the history of this part of Chianti, based at their castle at Brolio.

The Castello di Meleto was strategically very important for a number of reasons. It was very near the border between Siennese and Florentine territory, and was, indeed, the last Florentine fortification in this direction. It is located on a hill that dominates the important road running between the Val d'Arno and the Chianti valley, and hence also became one of the principal fortifications of the terzieri of the Chianti League which consisted of Gaiole, Radda and Castellina.

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August 25th, 2019

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