Sovana is a small town in southern
Tuscany,
Italy, a ''
frazione'' of
Sorano, a comune in the
province of Grosseto.
History
Etruscan by origin, Sovana became a Roman ''
municipium'', and, from the 5th century, an episcopal see.
[
] Conquered by
Lombards in 592–605, it was chosen as their administrative center in the area. Later, when
Roselle was abandoned due to Saracen ravages, it became the centre of the county under the
Aldobrandeschi family. In the Middle Ages it was known as Soana.
Its importance declined when the county was acquired by the
Orsini, who moved the capital to
Pitigliano. In the mid-16th century Sovana was annexed to the
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany ( it, Granducato di Toscana; la, Magnus Ducatus Etruriae) was an Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Republic of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. In th ...
by
Cosimo I de' Medici
Cosimo I de' Medici (12 June 1519 – 21 April 1574) was the second Duke of Florence from 1537 until 1569, when he became the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, a title he held until his death.
Life
Rise to power
Cosimo was born in Florence on 12 ...
.
Main sights
*''Rocca Aldobrandesca'' (Aldobrandeschi Castle), probably built over a pre-existing Etruscan/Roman fortress. The current appearance dates from its 1572 renovation, when the bastions were added. Dismantled in the 17th century, today only the portal, a tower and a stretch of walls remain.
*''Palazzo Pretorio'' (13th-15th centuries).
*The
Romanesque church of ''Santa Maria Maggiore'' (12th-13th church). It houses one of the most ancient pre-Romanesque ciboria (the plural of "ciborium").
*
Sovana cathedral: built in the 11th-12th centuries over a most ancient 8th century edifice, also in Romanesque style, has a nave and two aisles with columns carrying interesting decorations with biblical scenes. Of the 8th century the crypt and the richly decorated portal remain. Also curious is the relief of a two-tailed siren, next to the latter, which has similarity with one of the carved Etruscan tombs recently discovered in the area. Among others, Bishop of Sovana was Antonio
Vegni
The Vegni are an Italian family from Siena. The medioeval origins of the family have limited documentation.
The origin of the family is in Siena, with Bencivenne, father of Aringhieri, whose children Guido, Iacobina and Ranieri are mentioned in a ...
, born in 1686. After a long period in Rome, he was bishop of Sovana and Pitigliano from 1739 to 1746.
*''
Loggetta del Capitano''
*The late Renaissance ''Palazzo Bourbon del Monte'', built by
Cosimo I de' Medici
Cosimo I de' Medici (12 June 1519 – 21 April 1574) was the second Duke of Florence from 1537 until 1569, when he became the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, a title he held until his death.
Life
Rise to power
Cosimo was born in Florence on 12 ...
.
*The ''Church of San Mamiliano'', may be the most ancient of the village. In recent years, during archaeological investigations, there has been found a treasure of near 500 golden coins of the 5th century AD.
The Etruscan Necropolis, Archaeological Area of Sovana
People
Pope Gregory VII
Pope Gregory VII ( la, Gregorius VII; 1015 – 25 May 1085), born Hildebrand of Sovana ( it, Ildebrando di Soana), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 22 April 1073 to his death in 1085. He is venerated as a saint ...
(Ildebrando di Soana) was born here.
Bibliography
*
See also
*
Castell'Ottieri
*
Cerreto, Sorano
*
Elmo, Sorano
*
Montebuono, Sorano
*
Montevitozzo
*
Montorio, Sorano
*
San Giovanni delle Contee
*
San Quirico, Sorano
*
San Valentino, Sorano
References
External links
Sovana
Castles in Italy
Italian states
{{Etruria-stub