Historic sites
The church of San Francesco stands at the place where Saint Francis of Assisi was granted land by the commune of Carmignano in 1211 and a monastery was erected.
On the site, in 1330, the parish church of San Michele was built in honor of the town’s patron saint. The church contains Pontormo’s undisputed masterpiece of the Visitation (1530), one of few works left by the eccentric artist whose real name was Jacopo Carrucci. Also to be viewed there a Madonna with child and saints by Cosimo Lotti and the 17th century altar pieces by Giovan Pietro Naldini.
The remains of la Rocca, the medieval fortress overlooking the town, are now marked by a bell tower with a clock. Constructed between 1125 am 1138 and reinforced in succeeding eras, the strategically situated fortress was frequently fought over by rulers of Florence, Prato and Pistoia.
When captured by Castruccio Castracani degli Alteminelli in 1325, instead of destroying it, as had been the practice of the ruthless war lord with previous conquests, he reinforced it, realizing the importance of its position with views over the vast plain between the Montalbano range and Florence.
The Medici villas of Carmignano and Poggio a Caiano are considered masterpieces of Renaissance architecture. Several lie within the Barco Reale, epitomized by the Villa Ferdinanda at Artimino, also known as the Villa dei Cento Camini for the hundred chimneys protruding from its roof.
Carmignano is noted for its Romanesque churches and chapels dating to the Middle Ages. Five of special note in the commune are San Giusto al Pinone, San Jacopo a Capezzana, San Leonardo ad Artimino, San Lorenzo a Montalbiolo (with a panel by the Florentine painter Giovanni Bizzelli), and San Martino in Campo.
The Etruscans
The Etruscans who settled in the Artimino area as early as the seventh century B.C., used the Arno River for their flourishing trade Tuscany and beyond. They built an acropolis and what later became the site of villa of the hundred chimneys at Artimino, where remains of tombs have also been found. Other necropolises have been located at Montefortini, Prato di Rosello and Comeana, while traces of a settlement have been discovered at Pietramarina. Etruscan relics are collected in the Museo Comunale Archeologico at Artimino.
Artisan crafts
Stone carving has been a specialty of Carmignano since Etruscan times, when pietra serena for cutting and sculpting was extracted from caves along the right bank of the Arno river. In the Middle Ages, stone was quarried along the Ombrone stream at the village of Comeana where stonecutters known as Scalpellini della Gonfolina were renowned for their work. Hand cut stone, often of masterful realization, adorns villas, churches, palaces, fountains, gates and even simple country homes of the area. The craft continues today among scalpellini, assisted by machinery that makes their work easier and safer though none the less artistic.
Modern art
Il Parco Museo Quinto Martini at Seano displays a collection of 36 sculptures in bronze created by the artist Quinto Martini between 1931 and 1988. The works are distributed through a park believed to constitute one of the largest displays by a single artist anywhere. Martini, a native of Seano who died in 1990, was well known in Europe for his work. On permanent display in Carmignano’s town hall are the pastels of another local artist, Aldo Cigheri, who died in 1995 at the age of 86 after decades of depicting colorful scenes throughout Italy.
The wines of Carmignano
In 1990 red Carmignano was elevated to DOCG, leaving three other types of wine – the red Barco Reale, the Rosato (often called Vin Ruspo) and Vin Santo as Carmignano DOC.
CARMIGNANO DOCG
BARCO REALE DI CARMIGNANO DOC
ROSATO (OR VIN RUSPO) DI CARMIGNANO DOC
VIN SANTO AND VIN SANTO OCCHIO DI PERNICE DI CARMIGNANO DOC
Alternative wines
In addition to the four types described above, some produces of Carmignano make alternative wines, some of which are covered under the IGT Toscana. These cover a range from Chianti Montalbano DOCG to the red “Super Tuscans” made from various varieties to whites from the noted international vines, including some barrel fermented types. Among the varieties planted in the zone are Merlot, Syrah, and Chardonnay. Cellars in the zone may also produce wines covered by Colli dell’Etruria Centrale DOC (Bianco, Rosato, Rosso or Vermiglio and Vin Santo). Some cellars produce wines of various type and color to be sold at moderate price for daily drinking.
Special events
Carmignano, with a population of 11,450 inhabitants distributed through the villages of the commune, is an unusually lively town, noted for its markets, fairs and cultural events. The following are noteworthy:
Mercato Antiquariato (antique market) is held on the first Sunday of each month in the main square of Carmignano.
Antica Fiera di Carmignano the traditional town fair is held in the first ten days of December.
Festa Della Ciliegia celebrates the cherry harvest in early June.
Sagra Del Fico, a celebration of the famous dried figs, is held in early September at Bacchereto.
Festa Della Castagna signals the chestnut harvest in the last two weeks of October at Bacchereto.
Festa del Vino Novo marks the arrival of the fist wine of the vintage at Artimino late in October.
Estate Qui presents a series of theatrical and musical performances and films late June to mid-August.
Hiking, biking and horseback riding
The commune of Carmignano has organized four hiking trails that follow specific itineraries and themes.
Itinerario Mediceo leading to villas and other historic sites originated by the Medici. Starting at the Villa Medicea of Poggio a Caiano, the path leads to Barco di Bonistallo, Condotti Medicei, Villa Medicea di Artimino, Barco Reale Mediceo, Barachetto della Pineta, Fattoria Le Ginestre and ends at Artimino. Distance 12.4 kilometers. Estimated walking time 5 hours.
Itinerario Archeologico leading to archaeological sites, primarily Etruscan. Starting at the Etruscan tomb at Boschetti the trail leads to Montefortini, Grumaggio, Prato di Rosello, Pietramarina to end at Artimino. Distance 10.30 kilometers. Estimated walking time 4 hours.
Itinerario delle Fonti leading to noted fountains and wells of the area. Starting at La Fontina the trail leads to the fountains of Nocchio, Docciolina, Scodellino, Frescolini, Bruceto, Rio di Fornia, Gattice, Rio Dell’Acqua Calda, Il Pilino, Fosso degli Ontani, Palla, Fondo (or Fossi di Fornia), Piaggi, Borri to end at Castagnati. Distance 23.4 kilometers. Estimated walking time 9 hours and 30 minutes.
Itinerario delle Abbazie leading to the noted churches, abbeys and chapels of the area. Starting at San Michele in Carmignano (with Pontormo’s painting of the Visitation) the trail leads to San Lorenzo a Montalbiolo, San Leonardo, Abbazia di San Martino in Campo, Abbazia di San Giusto, Prioria di Santa Cristina a Mezzana, Pieve di Bacchereto to end at the Chiesa di Verghereto. Distance 23.6 kilometers. Estimated walking time 9 hours and 30 minutes.
Eating in Carmignano
Carmignano’s traditional food and ways of cooking are similar to those of Florence and Prato, based largely on locally grown produce, though cooks are known to add touches of their own. Some of Tuscany’s finest extra virgin olive oil comes from hand-picked olives still sometimes processed by antique methods of crushing under giant stone wheels, though most is done by modern centrifuge methods. Honey is also made in the area with flavors based on the various blossoms and flowers of the Montalbano hills.
Bakery goods and pastries are a specialty of the area, first among them the crunchy almond biscuits known as biscotti di Prato. Carmignano is also known for the cookies called amaretti di’ Fochi, based on almonds and apricot pits that accaunt for the characteristically bitter flavor.
Perhaps the most prized gastronomic product of Carmignano are the dried figs, fichi secchi, also known as le picce, made following a local practice that has been traced back to Roman times. Le picce are regularly served with a bit of butter, freshly cracked walnuts and Vin Santo, though recent experiments with the mortadella sausage of Prato, lardo di Colonnata and ricotta from the nearby mountains of Pistoia have also been impressive.
How to reach Poggio Alla Malva:
Motorway A1: Firenze Signa Exit - FI/PI/LI Highway Lastra A Signa or Montelupo Fiorentino Exit - SS 67 - Artimino - Poggio Alla Malva
Motorway A11: Prato Est Exit - SS 325 and SS 66 for Poggio A Caiano - Comeana - Artimino - Poggio Alla Malva
FI/PI/LI Highway: Lastra A Signa or Montelupo Fiorentino Exit – SS 67 – Artimino – Poggio Alla Malva
Florence airport: 20 km from Poggio Alla Malva
Pisa airport: 60 km from Poggio Alla Malva
Please note: You can easily reach Florence by train! From Signa Train Station (about five minutes by car from LE CASACCE) train to Firenze Santa Maria Novella Train Station (centre of Florence) every quarter.
Taxi service from and to Pisa and Florence Airport and also from and to Florence Santa Maria Novella Train Central Station