Bloody History of a Tiny Town. Italy is renowned for its rich history, vivid landscapes, amazing cuisine and iconic ‘boot’ shape. If you’re a lover of all things Italian like me, the province of Tuscany will be your paradise. The seemingly endless rolling green hills, contrasting hues of yellow and orange vineyards, and thousand year old fort villages create one of the most beautiful sceneries on earth. However, being the birthplace of the Renaissance, Tuscany has a graphic history that some seem to forget. Right in the heart of Tuscany lays the ancient city of Siena, and 14 kilometers northwest of Siena you will find an amazing fort village called Monteriggioni. Built on top of a hillock, the buildings inside Monteriggioni are barely visible over the high stonewalls. The town is surrounded by 14 iconic watchtowers (three of which have been reduced to the height of the wall) and has two main gates located at either end. A main road runs between the two gates, however you cannot drive into the town. It is possible to walk around the entire 570-meter circumference of the walls, which makes for an amazing means of viewing the entire town and surrounding landscape.
Monteriggioni was built in the 13th century, by the Sienese to protect the front against the Florentines. Considered one of the most well preserved medieval forts in Italy, Monteriggioni is a magnificent window into the history of Italy and its provinces. Monteriggioni withstood many attacks from the Florentines, who were trying to expand their reach throughout Tuscany. The Sienese that fought inside Monteriggioni were brutal and fought with an intensity that continuously defeated their enemies. Some of the locals told stories of the town, of how the Sienese would pour boiling hot milk, water and sand on their enemies, and ruthlessly kill anyone who dared to scale the walls, displaying their heads high up on crude pikes. The Sienese relied heavily on the strength of the fortification as they greatly lacked in numbers compared to the Florentines. However, what they lacked in manpower, they certainly made up for with ferocity and tactics. If the name of the town is ringing a bell to you, then you might be a fellow gamer like myself. Monteriggioni is the home base of Ezio Auditore, who is the main character in Ubisoft’s Assassins Creed 2 and Assassins Creed Brotherhood.
Image:assassinscreed.ubi.com
A lot of the game is based on history, and Ezio’s home base is most definitely a real place. If you know anything about the gruesome games by Ubisoft, you would know that they aren’t for the faint hearted. The games give theatrical insight into the Renaissance, elaborating on the intense feuds between families and power hungry dictators. Today Monteriggioni has a similar number of people inside its walls, but instead of fearless warmongers, the town consists of friendly local Italians who love to entertain the visitors of their fortified home. If you have time, I would recommend spending a night or two in Monteriggioni’s beautiful four-star hotel, ‘Hotel Monteriggioni’. Or if you aren’t too fussed about luxury, why not spend a night in the adorable bed and breakfast, ‘B&B in Piazza’. The fort village also boasts some excellent Italian restaurants and unique shops. Whether you love history, are an avid gamer, or simply want to enjoy the serenity, Monteriggioni is a perfect place to experience the wonders of Tuscany.
Jordan Costigan is 23 years old and studies photo media and communications at Avondale College. In his spare time, Jordan loves taking his camera and macro lens into nature and taking photos of insects and other small creatures. A collection of Jordan’s photography can be viewed on his Instagram – https://instagram.com/tinylife_images/