Certaldo

Certaldo is a common place at the centre of Valdelsa in the province of Florence. This location was the home of Giovanni Boccaccio, consists of numerous buildings high historical and artistic interest. Certaldo is touched by the waters of river and stream Elsa Agliena which ends his Corsican. The town lies on the side of the 429 state forming two nuclei well diversified, which will include a medieval, with the Palazzo Pretorio, said Certaldo Alto on top of a hill. The area it is possible through the use of the machine or even a funicular rail Piazza Boccaccio. In plain instead extends the "modern" Certaldo next to medieval settlements, which has experienced its largest development since the end of'700. The origins of Certaldo are etruscha-dating back to Roman times. Your name derives from Latin, cerrus with the meaning of "hill covered with cerri". The first news of the village, we receive from 1100, when Frederick Barbarossa, the territory ceded to the Counts Alberti which dominated until the end of the thirteenth century. With the Florentine power, Certaldo, was the seat of the Vicariate in early 1400. In part of Certaldo Alto, are still intact medieval village-type, Palazzo Pretorio, the birthplace of Giovanni Boccaccio, author of the Decameron, the beautiful churches, as Jacopo Saints and Philip, noble palaces and tower-houses, and by Boccaccio streets leading to circle the walls.