Already inhabited since the times of the Etruscans, the territory of Marciano della Chiana has hosted one of the most important historical pages of the Val di Chiana. The control of its fortress, located on the hills between Arezzo and Siena, was at the center of the war fought in the summer of 1554, in the Scannagallo ditch, between the Spanish-Medici army of Cosimo I de 'Medici and the Franco-Sienese army.
The small walled village of Marciano still bears traces of this past, whose construction was started by Arezzo and continued by Siena, was finally completed in the 1400s by Florence. The fortified enclosure, equipped with a single and imposing door, has preserved the characteristics of the medieval settlement and is dominated by a fortress, which is today the distinctive symbol of the municipality.
The tower, seat of the garrison and built with a predominantly military function, has recently undergone restoration works that have recovered the floors and which make it one of the main places of art and culture in Marciano. The ancient walls, partly destroyed or incorporated into the houses, are embellished with an external keep of exquisite beauty, with the entrance door to the village, three decorative coats of arms, a large Medici emblem and a crenellated tower with a clock.
However, the village of Marciano is not remembered only for its history: visiting it, you will be captivated by a hilly landscape among the most suggestive of the valley. Although its municipal area is one of the smallest in the province of Arezzo and, perhaps, the smallest in the Val di Chiana, Marciano will be able to fascinate you with its exceptional wealth of dirt roads, farms, fields of sunflowers and vineyards and olive groves.
Gastronomic festival organized by the Municipality of Marciano della Chiana to support the values of the associative tradition and promote popular culture. "A terrace on the festivals" proposes every year a path capable of enhancing the typical agri-food products of the Valdichiana area, among numerous stands, food and wine offers diversified and collateral initiatives ranging from the world of theater to that of music.
A bicycle race in vintage clothing prior to 1987: these are the two requirements to participate in the cyclostoric which, with departure and arrival in Marciano della Chiana, leads through the dirt roads and the most beautiful views of the valley, offering a beautiful experience of sport and fun. A rich program of collateral events allows participants from all over Europe to discover the area through its gastronomic, artisanal, cultural and artistic peculiarities.
The village of Marciano Chiana was at the center of the battle of Scannagallo which, in 1554, resolved the clash between Florence and Siena, placing an important step towards the establishment of the future Grand Duchy. Re-proposed through the historical re-enactments promoted by the Scannagallo association, these historical events relive every year among figures, weapons and period clothes for a real dip into the past at the time of the Renaissance.
Symbol of the town, the castle of Marciano retains all the characteristics of a medieval settlement: the wall perimeter, whose access is from the door of the Clock Tower, encloses the oldest part of the town. Inside the walls stand the fortress and the monumental tower, characterized by a defensive-military architecture, and recently returned to the community after a twenty-year restoration that has allowed a new use through the creation of a center multifunctional culture at the service of the territory.
Renovated starting in 1591, the one dedicated to Saints Stephen and Andrew is the main church of Marciano della Chiana: a structure with a Latin cross plan, a square apse and three naves with a trussed roof. Inside it is preserved "The Madonna with Child and Saints James and Christopher" made by Bartolomeo della Gatta in 1486, while on the back wall stands a fine seventeenth-century Florentine school painting depicting the Madonna del Rosario.
The church of Santa Lucia and San Michele Arcangelo is located in Cesa, built in the old oratory of the feudal villa which became a parish church in 1772. Despite its simplicity, it preserves artistic treasures such as "The Virgin with Child and Saints Lucia and Michele" by Salvi Castellucci (1655-1657), the stuccos that enrich the chapel and the choir with organ from 1867 placed above the entrance door.
TheAssociated paths of MARCIANO DELLA CHIANA
