Few kilometers away from Poggibonsi, in Monteriggioni’s direction, the Rocca of Staggia stands as a knight overlooking the Francigena route.
It was founded in 994 by the Longobards, in the middle of a way cozy like a cup of wine, crossroad of ancient ways: Vie Romee, Francigena routes, the Compostela trail.
Intersection of lives and stories, landmark for travellers, it became, thanks to the countess Ava dei Lambardi, one of the main pilgrimage sites.

LA TORRE LONGOBARDA: THE WARRIOR MASTIO

The most rude and squared shapes of the structure Lombard rise in the warrior mastio: the square tower acts as a tree of life to unite earth and sky. Bank of biodiversity, the tower retained precious varieties of cereals, (Staggia: from bushel = measure of grain). Symbol of fertility seals in fountain of light the encounter between man and woman. On the night becomes a shining crown to lead as a beacon the way.

BETWEEN EAST AND WEST, THE POWER OF “FRANZESI”

In the Middle Ages, the castle, far ahead for arts and technology, adopted the elegant and refined style of the Franzesi family, Tuscan skilled businessmen, merchants and diplomats that obtained prestige in France’s court.
The Knights of Philip the Fair made Staggia the centre of their power, strategic point at the border from where they could build diplomatic relationships.
In 1360 the castle was theatre of a pact’s signature between Sieneses and Florentines and the Francigena route became path of peace: the Castle would become the architectural expression of their will with the square that turns in smothness through the dungeon. Round tower, extraordinary architectural pattern of the fourteenth century influenced by the crusades, it symbolizes the union between East and West and preserves a dome rotating cone shaped, diagram of seconds where each stone is a grain of time in a hourglass-shaped tower.
The vault is in the form of concentric rings: orbits of rotating planets around a sun that remind the plant of Jerusalem and the image of a labyrinth, path of the pilgrim that loses just to find himself again following a star.

FILIPPO BRUNELLESCHI AT STAGGIA

Watchman made of stone, the washer realized by Brunelleschi stands magnificent and golden at sunset, equipped with fire openings destined to threatening bombards, military forefront wanted by Florence.
In 1432, as it’s documented in an official act, the wall circle of the Rock joints with the walled land of Staggia, built by Florentines: arial walkway, partly accessible still today, it gave the possibility to walk through the castle and the village without step on the ground.

START FROM THE HISTORY MEMORY TO BUILD CONTEMPORARY WAYS

The Rock of Staggia, cutting-edge in the Middle Ages, hosts contemporary trails.
Artists, today’s pilgrims, are invited to reinterpret the location, rewriting the space with their artworks. The project “PARTIRE DALLA STORIA, MEMORIA PER COSTRUIRE ITINERARI CONTEMPORANEI” its curated by the FONDAZIONE ROCCA DI STAGGIA and the association OTTOVOLANTE, which every year renovate the charm of the path, revealing segrets of the Castle. The Rock opens to visitors not only with guided tours but also organizing events like tastings, shows and excursions on the territory such as “Tavola Magra: tra storia, arte e gusto” in September.

Via dell’Ospedale, 2 - Staggia (Poggibonsi)                                

GUIDED VISITS
Opened all days:
10.30 - 17 (winter)
10.30-19 (summer)

Monday and Friday opened just in the afternoon:
14.30 - 19

Reservation is suggested - compulsory for groups.
8€ for adultsi and 5€ for partcipants under 11 y.o.

Tel: 0577 1395515
Cell: 366 4792092
www.laroccadistaggia.it
info@laroccadistaggia.it
www.facebook.com/LaRoccaDiStaggia