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The tiny village (borgo) of Stomennano was built on ancient Etruscan and Roman ruins that are visible to this day, and it is indeed as a Roman outpost that it first appears in written records dating back to 1059. The name Stomennano may be of Etruscan origin, but it most probably derives from the latin "strumentum" of "pacis" after peace treaties stipulated between the local population and the Romans invasors.
Around 1100 the Sienese made agreements to acquire the control of Strove, Castiglion Ghinibaldi, Stomennano and Staggia, and in 1164 Ubaldino and Ugolino Soarzi gave their lands between Poggibonsi and Siena to Siena itself. This transfer of property included Stomennano and its farmlands then crossed by the Via Francigena, an important road connecting the pilgrims from Paris to the Pope in Rome.
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The church on the hilltop of Stomennano - Santa Maria al Poggiolo - is mentioned as early as 1100, and its remains are still visible in the cellars of the villa.
Documentation of this church may also be found in the Vatican Archives that record parish incomes of the region, all elements that make it possbile to establish that Santa Maria al Poggiolo predates th church built inside the castle of Monterggioni. |
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On the 11th of June 1254 in front of the church of Stomennano a peace treaty was signed between the warring towns of Siena and Florence, which resulted in Siena surendering possession of Montepulciano and Montalcino to Florence. One of the Florentine delegates was Maestro Brunetto Latini, tutor of Dante Alighieri, and when the two visited Stomennano together years later Dante was so struck by the sight of the powerfull towers of Monteriggioni emerging from the mist that he decided to mention them in the "Divine Comedy" in the XIII canto of Hell, describing them as giants emerging from the mud.
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In 1555 The Republic of Siena was incorporated into the Granducate of Tuscany, bringing Stomennano and Monteriggioni into the Medici family. Successive ownership of Monteriggioni and Stomennano passed to the nobel family of Golia, then to that of the Accarigi and finally - in 1700 - to the Griccioli family of which the curent owners are direct discendents.
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The villa of Stomennano is surrounded by
woods, vineyards and olive groves,
and with its final transformation
in 1700 was converted into the holiday
residence it remains to this day.
It is included in the list of
National Historical Buidings, and enriched
with gardens and fountains both on
the front and back of the building
represents a unique and prestigeous
example of family estate.
An arch connects the two identical buildings of the villa, each of which has a distinct utilization: one - with its large drawing rooms and bedrooms - is the residence, while the other contains the wine cellars that produce Chianti Classico and the ancient barn whose airy spaces are now used for social events hosting up to 300 guests.
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All around the italian-style garden are several buildings of the ancient borgo that once housed the farmers, the workshops, the oil mill and the stables that made Stomennano a self sufficient village.
Some of these farm houses have been transformed into elegant and confortable appartments for peacefull holidays, while the farm itself still produces wine and olive oil.
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The Grassi's, current owners of Stomennano,
are an old sienese family dating back
to the Middle Ages. Members of this
family have for centuries been important
representatives of the government, administration
and army of the Sienese Republic - to
this day the family coat of arms is
still visible in Siena city hall - and
they represent the last generation of
a family that has lived permanently in
this unique Tuscan borgo for over 250
years.
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