Campagnatico

Campagnatico is fascinating town in the Maremma, located in the south of Valle del’Ombrone and only 20 kilometres from Grosseto. For its visitors it is a location rich in history and art, a small gem of architecture and ancient monuments of absolute fascination and extraordinary beauty.

The Tuscan town is situated amongst the enchanting and charming territory of the Maremma, rising amongst the plains, surrounded by hills, open sea, thick forests and high mountains, creating an environment which is truly unique and spectacular.

The town of Campagnatico boasts great importance and secular relevance and was even mentioned in Dante’s fable The Divine Comedy, in the 11th canto of Purgatorio (Purgatory), which refers to the character of Umberto Aldobrandeschi.

The visitor cannot help but remain fascinated by the beauty of the town of Campagnatico, immersing themselves in an idyllic zone, where art and nature are joined in a perfect and enchanting union.

Not to miss:

Church of St. Maria: one of the principal religious buildings in the town, it a structure was placed over the ruins of a pre-existent construction, built prior to the year 1000. In the past the church was custodian to many wonderful 13th century frescoes, but today these have been moved to the local Parish Church.

Church of the St Antonio Abate: one of the most ancient constructions in the village, it was built in the High Middle Ages and is a fantastic example of Romanesque art, decorated with stunning frescoes and precious works of art.

Church of the Saints Michele and Cerbone: built in an ancient era, it was heavily reconstructed during the 18th century.

Church of St. Giovanni Battista: built in the 14th century in the Romanesque style, it is located in the highest part of the town and is the perfect place to enjoy the splendid views of the Maremma.

City Wall: constructed in a stretched out form it was used in ancient times to encircle the fortified part to the ancient city.

Rocca Aldobrandeschi (Aldobrandeschi Fortress): an ancient defensive fortress, of which today there remains only important ruins and an impressive stone tower.

History:

The origins of the city of Campagnatico began under the dominion of the Abbey of San Salvatore, before falling under the control of the Aldobrandeschi family, who managed to maintain power from the end of the 10th century to the end of 1259. This was the year, as mentioned by Dante in The Divine Comedy, that Umberto Aldobrandeschi was assassinated and the dominion of Campagnatico passed into the hands of the Republic of Siena. The town then spent some time under the Grand Duchy of Tuscany before finally being annexed by the Kingdom of Italy.