Certaldo
Comune
Comune di Certaldo
Coat of arms of Certaldo
Coat of arms
Location of Certaldo
Map
Certaldo is located in Italy
Certaldo
Certaldo
Location of Certaldo in Italy
Certaldo is located in Tuscany
Certaldo
Certaldo
Certaldo (Tuscany)
Coordinates: 43°32′52″N 11°2′28″E / 43.54778°N 11.04111°E / 43.54778; 11.04111
CountryItaly
RegionTuscany
Metropolitan cityFlorence (FI)
FrazioniBagnano, Fiano, Marcialla (part), Sciano
Government
 • MayorGiacomo Cucini (PD)
Area
[1]
 • Total75.28 km2 (29.07 sq mi)
Elevation
67 m (220 ft)
Population
 (30 June 2017)[2]
 • Total16,004
 • Density210/km2 (550/sq mi)
DemonymCertaldesi
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
50052
Dialing code0571
Patron saintSt. Thomas the Apostle
Saint dayJuly 3
WebsiteOfficial website[dead link]

Certaldo is a town and comune of Tuscany, Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Florence, in the middle of Valdelsa. It is about 35 kilometres (22 mi) southwest of the Florence Duomo.

It is 50 minutes by rail and 35 minutes by car southwest of Florence, and it is 40 minutes by rail north of Siena.

It was home to the family of Giovanni Boccaccio,[3] author of the Decameron, who died at his home in Certaldo and was buried there in 1375. The actor Ernesto Calindri was born in Certaldo.

Geography

The town of Certaldo is divided into upper and lower parts. The lower part is called Certaldo Basso, whilst the medieval upper part is called Certaldo Alto. Certaldo Alto has limited vehicular access, for use by residents only. Visitors can park outside the walls or in the lower part and go to Certaldo Alto by the Certaldo funicular.

History

Etruscan-Roman period

Certaldo had Etruscan-Roman origins, as shown by the numerous archaeological finds that are scattered around the city's territory, including ceramics, utensils and Etruscan tombs, some of which were found just recently.[4] The Etruscan origins were discovered mostly thanks to the toponymy of some localities and streams, for example the Agliena and the Elsa river (which flow near Certaldo), and the foodstuffs deposits in the hills. There are two hills in Certaldo where Etruscan tombs have been found, Poggio del Boccaccio and Poggio alle Fate. There was also a necropolis. All of the finds of Etruscan-Roman origin are today kept in the ground floor of the Palazzo Pretorio, in the medieval part of the town.

Culture

The town hosts several festivals a year. The largest and most famous is Mercantia,[5] a week-long party in Certaldo Alto. It involves numerous street performers from across Italy, Europe and the Americas.

Twin towns

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Certaldo.
  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat.
  3. ^ a b c  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Certaldo". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 5 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 762.
  4. ^ De Marinis. Topografia Storica della Val d'Elsa in periodo etrusco.
  5. ^ "Mercantia". Archived from the original on 2013-07-26. Retrieved 2013-09-07.


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