Poppi @ In the Heart of the Casentino Forests Monte Falterona and Campigna National Park
Poppi is situated on an isolated hill inthe Casentino valley. This Medieval town began to develop in the 12th century, when the Counts Guidi chose it as their feudal residence. The castle that dominates the town was built in 1274 and enlarged in 1291. In 1440, the castle passed under the government of the Florentine Republic and Poppi became the seat of the local vicariate.
Moated and surrounded by baileys, the castle houses a terracotta by one of the Della Robbias and a painting by Botticelli`s disciples. The
Biblioteca Rilliana (Rilliana Library) inside the castle houses thousands of Medieval manuscripts and incunabula. The Chapel of the Counts is decorated with frescoes attributed to Taddeo Gaddi,
Poppi Castle
one of Giotto`s disciples.
The
church of the Madonna del morbo is one the rare examples of Tuscan late baroque style. The erection of the hexagonal building began in 1657 and ended in 1705. The altar is decorated with a
Madonna with Child and Saint Giovannino attributed to Fra` Fiorentino disciples.
The
abbey of San Fedele dates back to the 12th century and is decorated with paintings by Naldini, Lingozzi, Passignano and Morandini - also known as Poppi - and a 13th-century Madonna attributed to the Master of Maddalena.
A few kilometres from Poppi there is the plain of Campaldino, where on June 11th, 1289 the famous battle between Florentine Guelphs and Arezzo Ghibellines took place, one of its protagonists being Dante Alighieri, the poet.
