Overview
Along the Via Cassia, which runs along the Chianti, from Florence towards the south, since 2019 there has been a new toponym, Barberino Tavarnelle, born from the administrative union of the municipality of Barberino Val d 'Elsa with the municipality of Tavarnelle Val di Pesa.
At the junction of the valleys that give their names to these two localities, a number of places rich in history and tradition are revealed, nestled between the olive groves and vineyards typical of this bucolic part of Tuscany.
The oldest nucleus of Barberino Val d 'Elsa arose after the Florentines destroyed the settlement of Semifonte in 1202, remembered by the chapel of S. Michele Arcangelo in the countryside around the town. The Gigliati citizens, named after the flower symbol of the city of Florence, occupied the land surrounding Semifonte and forbade its reconstruction. Indeed, many of the materials of the ruins of Semifonte were reused to complete the compact urban fabric of Barberino Val d 'Elsa, closed between the Florentine gate to the north and the Senese gate to the south.
The town of Tavarnelle val di Pesa, on the other hand, preserves some gems of ancient architecture in its immediate surroundings, such as the Castle of Poppiano, at the centre of a well-known Chianti agricultural estate, and the monastery of Badia a Passignano. At the southern end of the Barberino Tavarnelle area, the monumental complex of the Pieve di S. Appiano stands out.
Thanks to its cultural and scenic offerings, Barberino Tavarnelle is part of the Italian Touring Club's Orange Flags initiative, which brings together hundreds of small inland villages scattered throughout the peninsula, united by an excellent tourist accommodation system.
