Learning while walking in the Old Town of Impruneta

The marble bas-relief of year 1400 describes the miraculous discovery of the image of the Virgin of Santa Maria of Impruneta. Tradition has it that it was painted by San Luca Evangelista and taken to Tuscany by the followers of San Romolo who then, following persecutions, hid it by burying it. When they decided to build a temple dedicated to the Virgin (on the current Mount of Santa Maria) the walls built during the day, miraculously collapsed at night, so they decided to rely on a divine judgment for the choice of the place. They chose the oxen that with their carts, walked up to kneel where the new temple was to be built and where, by digging, the Holy Image emerged. The original is in the Museum of the Treasure of Impruneta (Museo del Tesoro) that can be visited to enjoy other unique and priceless beauties

Ferdinando Paolieri was born in Florence on May 2nd 1878. Two months later, the family moved to Impruneta, where he died in 1928. Protagonist among the most famous of Tuscan literature between 800 and 900. Narrator, playwriter, journalist, he also wrote texts for theater and was a painter. He was an editor for many years, of the newspaper “ La Nazione” and the street next to the building of “La Nazione” still bears his name. In Impruneta, he will spend his best years mixing with local people, keeping in touch with original and unconventional people. He considered Impruneta his “native wild town”, a title that he will also give to his most mature work.

The intersection of Via Paolieri with Via Cavalleggeri is remembered to be the favorite place for straw workers to gather. They were named “trecciaiole” and were linked to the memory of the “Florence straw hat”, that became famous in many parts of the world. From a census in 1985, the straw hat workers were 1005, but now have completely disappeared. Too many middlemen brought the price of labor lower and lower, triggering serious protests. Various alternative materials to straw and mechanized production from abroad, have determined the slow extinction of this profession .

4 N. 4 Draining Gallery Years of excavation drained on the second half of XIX Total development: 171.1 meters Precision survey (9th September 2016): eng. Alessandro Bonini. The tunnel crosses fractured rocks of magmatic origin (mainly Gabbro) that constitute a good “reservoir of rainwater that infiltrates on Monte Sant ‘Antonio, towards the top of which the tunnel is completely excavated by hand with the pickaxe in Via Cavalleggieri, on the floor, on the side of the road, by a simple manhole cover, and a narrow staircase going down for approx. 2 meters you will arrive at the beginning and then continue in the bowels of the mountain in an exciting path. The water drained from the gallery feeds the fountain near the Municipal Building and the well in the middle of Buondelmonti square. Here it is collected in a deep tank about 18 mt and lifted by hand by maneuvering a piston pump with an iron wheel (now missing) which is present inside.

The Commenda of Impruneta, founded in 1746, had the task of giving hospitality to those who pilgrimmed to the Sanctuary of Impruneta, coming from afar. The “Casa Commendale”, erected opposite the Basilica with environments suitable to offer shelter and assistance for pilgrims. The “Casa Commendale” also acted as a farm for the management of the various ranches whose income was used by the “Preceptor” (almost always a Buondelmonti) to carry out the purpose for which it was established. After the suppression of the Commenda, the “Casa Commendale” was not destroyed, but disappeared to the view, as it was incorporated into a larger building, built on the Piazza della Basilica, within which the structures of the ancient hospital are preserved.

Piazza Buondelmonti with an image of the plaque in which it looks particularly crowded for the presence of the first market stands. It’s interesting to notice the many horses and carts, that connected Impruneta to Tavarnuzze. They would leave on time from Impruneta to take the train leaving from Tavarnuzze.

Accursio, known as “Accursio da Bagnolo” is a jurist and a commentator. He was born in Bagnolo (Impruneta) in 1184. He taught and lived in Bologna, where he died in 1263. Author of a collection of 97.000 glosses within the entire text of the Corpus luris Civilis, called Magna Grossa, foudation of the common European law. Glossa, in the ancient world, was the expression and interpretation of obscure, hermetic or out of use words through current language. Starting from the twelth century after Christ, the gloss began to indicate a comment to a legal text and glossator was the scholar who elaborated it.

The photo of the plaque shows how the town presented itself in 1909 to those who came from Strada in Chianti. Other towns were very similar, with rural settings, muddy unpaved roads, eletricity on wooden poles etc. The road leads to the main square which was also unpaved and then continues towards Florence. You can notice the “muraglione” (wall) from which you can enjoy a beautiful view and take souvenir pictures.