How to choose a country to buy real estate?
It all depends on your goal. If you are buying real estate for yourself, proceed from personal preferences, also take into account the local climate, the average cost of real estate in this region, and the state of the infrastructure. If this is an investment to generate rental income, focus on economic indicators: the stability of the local economy, is the population growing in this location, what is the average income level, is there high unemployment, are there large enterprises, universities or tourist attractions that will provide you with a flow of tenants .
Is it possible to get a mortgage abroad?
Depends on the country. For example, German banks willingly issue mortgages to foreigners at 1.5–2% per annum, which can pay up to 70% of the cost of the property. Spain offers less profitable terms: The minimum rate for foreigners is 2.5% per annum. The situation in Greece is different: although the issuance of loans is not formally prohibited, in practice Greek banks do not issue loans to either local or foreign property buyers. You can find out about the conditions for obtaining a mortgage in the country you are interested in by contacting Tranio managers.
What is the purchasing procedure?
The purchasing procedure depends on the country in which you are buying property. In general, it looks like this: having chosen an object, you need to enter into a preliminary agreement with the seller, make an advance payment, and then check the “cleanliness” of the object: the relevant documents and the technical condition of the property. After this, the parties enter into a purchase and sale agreement, and the notary registers the transaction. As a rule, the cost of completing a purchase is about 10% of the price of the property.
Is it possible to obtain a residence permit when purchasing real estate?
In some countries - yes. Such programs for obtaining a residence permit in exchange for the purchase of real estate are called “golden visas”. The most popular golden visas in Europe are offered by Greece, Spain, Latvia and Portugal. A Greek residence permit, taking into account all expenses, is the most inexpensive - it can be obtained when purchasing real estate worth 250 thousand euros, and the cost of paperwork will be about 19 thousand euros. Some countries offer citizenship to real estate buyers - for example, a Cypriot passport can be obtained when purchasing a property at a price of 2 million euros.
What is the minimum amount required to purchase foreign real estate?
The minimum budget required to purchase real estate with Tranio is 50 thousand euros. For this amount, we will help you find real estate in Greece, Montenegro or the Costa Blanca. But you need to take into account that such a facility will most likely need to be renovated, and it will be located far from the center. More interesting offers start in the range of 100–150 thousand euros. You also need to take into account the cost of processing the transaction, which is about 10% of the purchase price.
Is it possible to earn income from an apartment by the sea?
Yes. You can use the purchased apartment yourself during your vacation, and rent it out the rest of the time. short term rental tourists. To free yourself from the hassle of finding tenants and cleaning, hire a management company; its services usually cost about 20% of the rental price. Consider how long it lasts tourist season in the location of your choice: if in some regions the apartment will be in demand among tenants all year round, then in others - only for a few months a year.
How do you make money if your services are free for clients?
The security of the transaction is guaranteed by a notary who draws up a purchase and sale agreement and checks information about former and current owners of real estate, restrictions on use, mortgage encumbrances or the rights of third parties. Tranio is not responsible for the actions of the parties involved in the transaction.
How to get to Grosseto
Grosseto is a province in the south Tuscan Riviera, which includes such famous resorts coasts like Follonica, Punta Ala, Orbetello, as well as thermal resort Saturnia. The undisputed pearl of the province is the city of the same name, Grosseto, located in the center of the province. Its numerous historical attractions make the city very popular tourist place, sometimes it is even called little “Siena” for the abundance of preserved architectural monuments. Grosseto is located just 14 km from the coast. During the “high” season, the resort of Marina di Grosseto is in great demand, which is easily accessible by public transport from Grosseto, so it is quite easy to combine excursion and beach holidays here.
Closest to Grosseto major cities Rome and Pisa are considered to have airports. Direct flights from Russia fly to both Rome and Pisa. You can check flight schedules to one of these cities and purchase tickets on search sites Aviasales, Buruki and others. Then from Rome or Pisa you can get to Grosseto by public transport or taxi (transfer). There is a railway station in the city.
Grosseto is located 190 km from Rome. Direct trains between Rome and Grosseto run more than 10 times a day. Travel time is 1 hour 40 minutes. Pisa is 160 km from Grosseto. Direct trains run once every 2 hours, travel time is 1.5 hours, no transfer is required. You can check the train schedule at the railway service .
From all these cities you can order an individual transfer, which is similar to a taxi, except that the transfer car will be waiting for you in advance, and there will be no need to look for a car upon arrival. A pre-order for a transfer can be made on one of the transfer service booking services , and others.
An equally popular transportation option is car rental. Find items by You can rent a car in Rome or Pisa everywhere, including even arrival airports. Travel time from Rome to Grosseto will take about 2.5 hours, from Pisa - a little less than 2 hours. You can book the desired class of car in advance on the services
,
,
and others.
How to get from Grosseto to the beach resort of Marina di Grosseto
Marina di Grosseto – cozy resort town on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The resort received its moment of fame thanks to an amazing natural combination sea coast and coniferous forests surrounding the city. You can stop here for your own beach holiday, or you can come on vacation from neighboring Grosseto, which is located only 14 km away. The easiest way to get from Grosseto to Marina di Grosseto is to take buses number 1/G or L/G, which go directly to the resort. Travel time is about half an hour, fare is from 2 to 4 euros. In Grosseto you need to get off at the Grosseto Tarquinia Stadio stop, in Marina di Grosseto get off at the Marina Giusti stop.
Allie_Caulfield/Grosseto Where to stay in Grosseto
Grosseto hotels are presented in all star categories; the pricing policy of local hotels is considered quite affordable, so a holiday in Grosseto can be quite budget-friendly. In addition to hotels, you can stay in Grosseto in farmhouses, apartments, country houses, holiday homes and guest houses. As a rule, Grosseto hotels include breakfast in the price; some have an outdoor seasonal or indoor all-season pool. You can also stay in the neighboring town of Marina di Grosseto if the main purpose of your trip is a beach holiday.
Grand Hotel Bastiani, 4 stars, Grosseto: This hotel is located in historical center Grosseto. Guests have access to free Wi-Fi, breakfast included in the price, a terrace, and a shared lounge for relaxation. Laundry, dry cleaning and bicycle rental services are provided. The hotel has standard and superior rooms. You can find out more about availability and hotel costs for specific dates on the booking website Booking.com.
Hotel I Crespi, 3 stars, Grosseto: The hotel is 1.5 km from the city center. It offers free WiFi, free private parking on site (no reservation required), a shared lounge area, a bar and rooms with balconies. Guests are provided with standard double rooms equipped with everything necessary. You can find out more about availability and hotel costs for specific dates on the booking website Booking.com.
Hotel Nuova Grosseto, 3 stars, Grosseto: The hotel is located in the city center, close to the railway station and bus station. Guests enjoy free Wi-Fi and breakfast included in the price. Private parking is available on site at an additional cost and upon reservation. The hotel has rooms of varying sizes. You can find out more about availability and hotel costs for specific dates on the booking website Booking.com.
Hotel Terme Marine Leopoldo II, 4 stars, Marina di Grosseto: The hotel is located a 2-minute walk from the beach. The hotel has a sun terrace, 2 swimming pools (one with thermal water), a sauna, a garden and a restaurant. Wi-Fi is provided free of charge. Private parking is available on site for an additional fee. The hotel offers classic rooms, superior rooms and junior suites that include a spa package. You can find out more about availability and hotel costs for specific dates on the booking website Booking.com.
Lola Piccolo Hotel, 4 stars: The hotel is located on the first beach line and offers guests private beach, restaurant, free Wi-Fi. Paid private parking is available on site. Accommodation is offered in rooms or apartments. The hotel has rooms of varying sizes, as well as apartments. Inside you can find a balcony, TV, telephone, air conditioning, iron, hairdryer, minibar, wireless Internet. You can find out more about availability and hotel costs for specific dates on the booking websiteBooking.com.
Allie_Caulfield/Tuscan Coast Sights of Grosseto
There are many preserved in Grosseto historical monuments different eras. For the number of attractions per square meter, Grosseto is often compared to nearby Siena. Once in Grosseto, you should definitely pay attention to its old part with cathedrals, fortress walls, medieval churches and squares. You can diversify your impressions by visiting natural Park"Maremma", located in the vicinity of Grosseto. In warm weather, it is also worth going to the coast and enjoying the fresh sea breeze.
The historic city center is literally dotted with medieval buildings with majestic exteriors. These include, in particular, the ruins of the bastion and fortress walls, surrounding the old part of the city. The fortress walls were built at the end of the 16th century. On main square old town called Piazza Dante flaunts the city Cathedral of San Lorenzo, its construction dates back to the 13th century. The cathedral is interesting not only externally; its interior decoration is also interesting, where you can find the painting “The Assumption”. In Piazza Baccarini there is Grosseto Art Museum, the museum's collection includes works from the Roman and Etruscan periods. Curiosity arouses Church of San Francesco, inside it there are frescoes from the 14th century. You can continue your acquaintance with the history of the province in the neighboring city of Siena (75 km).
Allan Parsons/Grosseto Historic Center Maremma Nature Park represents mountain-coastal areas and a corner untouched nature in the heart of Tuscany. The park has developed many walking routes, walking along which you can see ancient towers and forts, mountains, coastal area consisting of untouched sand dunes, a variety of local flora and fauna, and stunning landscapes. There are about 14 in total walking routes. There are options to get around the park by bicycle, horseback, and even canoe. Detailed information along the routes you can get on the official website of the Maremma Park —> (in English.). You can get to the park from Grosseto by local bus, which goes directly to tourist center Alberese Visitor Center park. The entrance fee to the park is 20 euros.
Michele/Maremma Natural Park 15-20 km from Grosseto there are coastal resort towns that are good to visit in warm sunny weather; in summer you can swim here, however, most beaches charge an entrance fee. The closest such resort is Marina di Grosseto, a little further away are Punta Ala and Orbetello. The beaches here are fine sandy, the entrance to the water is gentle. All beaches are equipped with sun loungers, sun loungers and umbrellas, showers, toilets, bars open air. The beaches in this part of the Tuscan Riviera are considered some of the best on the coast.
Allie_Caulfield/In the vicinity of Grosseto Grosseto is the central city of the province of the same name in the south of the region (Tuscany), bordering the region (Lazio) and including the hilly area of Metallifere, pine-lined bays and the famous European beaches on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea (Mar tirreno).
There are several specially protected state natural areas here:
- Maremma National Park, located north of the resort of Talamone;
- Biancane;
- Lagoon Orbetello, etc.
The province is popular among holidaymakers for its famous resort centers:
- Town of Punta Talamone, attracting tourists with its picturesque ruins ancient fortress, diversity of flora and fauna;
- The seaside resort town of Castiglione della Pescaia(Castiglione della Pescaia), combining the quarters of the old city with powerful fortress walls on the rock and the busy port quarters;
- Pitigliano, a town in the mountains, surrounded by mountain gorges with rivers running through them and preserving temple buildings representing the stylistic features of the Baroque of the 14th-16th centuries, etc.
Grosseto will bring a lot of pleasure to lovers of gourmet tours and local natural wines. Fans of diving, scuba diving, sea travel, cycling and horseback riding come here.
The province is rich in historical and cultural monuments telling about the times of antiquity and the Middle Ages:
- Acropolis of Etruscan tribes;
- Excavations at sites of ancient Roman settlements;
- Villages preserving ancient customs, etc.
The city of Grosseto is the undisputed historical and cultural center of the province.
The architectural appearance of Grosseto reflects the history of Italy with its brightest pages. The prehistoric culture of highly developed peoples, such as the Etruscans, is presented in the local Archaeological Museum. The majestic fortress walls tell the story of the Medici era. The features of Renaissance culture can be studied in the cathedrals and palaces of the city.
In the central part of Grosseto, fortified walls have been preserved, which were erected in 1574 by Francesco I in the shape of a hexagon. The fortifications were rebuilt in 1593 under Ferdinand I, following the example of the famous fortress at Lucca.
On the main square, Piazza Dante, named after the great Italian poet (Dante Alighieri), is the ancient Cathedral of San Lorenzo (La Cattedrale Di San Lorenzo), built in 1294-1302. The cathedral is of great cultural and historical value, since it was erected on the site of more than ancient building and during its life it changed its appearance several times (in 1611 the bell tower was rebuilt, in 1840-1845 the appearance of the facade changed and restoration work was carried out in the internal space).
Therefore, the cathedral represents an interesting combined portrait of several architectural eras.
The cathedral houses the priceless work “The Assumption” by the master of the second half of the 15th century, Matteo da Siena.
The Museum of Archeology and Art is located in Piazza Baccarini. A rich exhibition of works of Etruscan and ancient Roman art is presented here.
The small Church of San Francesco (Chiesa Di San Francesco), located in Piazza Indipendenza, founded in the 13th century, was built by the Order of the monks of St. Benedetto, later its owners were the monks of the Order of St. Francis (San Francesco). The church is known for surviving fragments of frescoes from the 14th century.
Kitchen
How to get there
Grosseto is easily accessible by train or bus.
Detailed information about train schedules, routes and ticket prices can be found on the website.
↘️🇮🇹 USEFUL ARTICLES AND SITES 🇮🇹↙️ SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Why go
A small Tuscan town, enclosed within a ring of fortress walls by the restless Medici, who recaptured Grosseto from Siena. Since then, Grosseto has been reminiscent of both Florence and Siena combined: Palazzo Publico clearly has Siena roots, the cathedral is also of the Siena school, but the streets are somehow subtly Florentine. The walls and the citadel are most similar to Lucca.
How to get there
By train from Rome. From Tuscany (Florence) get here public transport almost impossible, which is why we planned a trip here from Lazio.
Travel time, fare and departure time, please check at
http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
About the railways of Italy and travel passes in Lazio
We didn’t find a travel agency in the city, but stands were generously scattered along the streets, where all the objects were shown and named. To the city center from the station - to the right to the city gates (there is a spectacular post office), and from there it’s a stone’s throw to the cathedral and Palazzo Publico if you go straight.
Story
Once upon a time, flat lakes and swamps stretched around the town, then almost all of them dried up, the sea retreated, and only mineral springs, near which the Terme Saturnia resort is now located. It is not known for sure whether the primitive inhabitants of the future Grosseto knew what a spa was, but they felt good, warm and free to live here. Then the Etruscans lived here, who founded the town of Roselle, who were replaced by the Romans.
The first mention of the city dates back to 803, when the possessions of the Church of San Giorgio passed to the Aldobrandeschi family. It is to this family that the city owes its development - they played the role of the Medici in Florence in Grosseto. Between 1137 and 1138 the inhabitants of the city withstood the brutal siege of Duke Arrigo di Baviera, at the same time the bishop moved here, and in 1151 Grosseto took the oath of allegiance to Siena, also signing a salt trade agreement with it. In 1204, the city signed the Carta delle Libertà - this document regulated the relations between citizens and between the citizen and the rulers of the city from the Aldobrandeschi family. The coat of arms of the city since the times of the Ghibellines has been the image of a griffin, which symbolizes the origin of the city and citizens from the Etruscans.
The Republic of Siena, torn apart by internal strife between the nobility and popular parties, was nevertheless a serious competitor to Florence, and it was also Ghibelline, as opposed to Guelph Florence! The Florentines could not tolerate this, and an army of thirty thousand Florentines and mercenaries came to the lands of Siena demanding that they destroy the city walls and surrender to the mercy of the besiegers.
“The Battle of Monteaperti became the starting date for the history of the city. From her begins the era of Siena's political maturity, its success in crafts, its artistic flourishing. Her memory is still close: the banner under which Siena once marched on the battlefield, preserved in the Opera del Duomo, still remains a living witness to her feat.” P. Muratov “Images of Italy”
The army of Florence was completely defeated. 15 thousand besiegers were captured, 10 thousand were killed, 5 thousand fled during the battle. The trader Uzilia Treccola entered the Siena chronicles and the history of Tuscany by personally capturing 36 people, tying them with one rope, and after the battle, the Florentine banner and regimental badges were tied to the tail of her donkey, and he dragged it all through the streets of Siena. Almost 800 years have passed, but to this day, when two former enemy cities meet in some kind of sports match (for example, during the Fiorentina - Siena football match), the Sienese shout to the Florentines: “Remember Monteaperti!”
Both the troops of Barbarossa and the Spanish troops marching on Rome trampled around Grosseto, and only when the Medici rose in Florence did the town come under the wing of Florence. At the same time, strong fortress walls rose here and a citadel was built. When, after the Congress of Vienna, the Tuscan Duchy passed to the Habsburgs, they continued to take care of the city - for example, they developed a plan to drain the local swamps, which caused malaria epidemics every year. One of the Habsburgs, Grand Duke Leopoldo II, has a monument erected on central square Grosseto.
City
The first thing you will see in Grosseto on the way to the old town is Piazza della Vasca, which overlooks the facades of the government palace (Palazzo del Governo), the spectacular palace of post and telegraph (Palazzo delle Poste e Telegrafi), as well as Palazzo Cosimini.
Once you've reached the city gates and are inside the ring of walls, getting around becomes much easier: Corso Carducci will take you to Piazza Dante, the central square where the Palazzo Publico and the cathedral stand. Via Aurelio Saffi, which runs along the city walls along the entire perimeter of Grosseto, will lead you to the citadel (if you follow it to the left), or to six bastions (one of which is home to stray dogs, quite harmless) if you follow it to the right. You can walk around the city along the wall, admiring the center and surrounding area, or you can go down and walk through Grosseto, admiring the palazzo and several interesting churches, and only then climb the walls, hiding from the heat in the shade of trees planted along the entire promenade laid out over the walls . Several times we came across stone sarcophagi, even entire “baths” - perhaps this is all that remains of the local Roman temples?
About halfway from the Porta Nuova gate, through which we entered the city, to Piazza Dante, if you do not shy away from Corso Carducci, is Piazza Socci ( Piazza Socci). In the center of the square is a bronze monument to Ettore Socci, one of the authors of the project to drain the surrounding swamps. The facades of three palaces overlook the square: Palazzo Tognetti, Palazzo Berti and Palazzo Moschini, where the state archive is now located.
St. Peter's Church ( Chiesa di San Pietro) is the oldest religious building in Grosseto (X-XI centuries), and it stands on the very old street city - the former Roman Via Aurelia, connecting Piazza Dante and Porta Nuova. At that time, the town had four churches, clearly located according to the cardinal directions: in the north there was San Pietro, in the south San Giorgio, in the east Santa Lucia, in the west - San Michele Michele). Over the course of many centuries, the church experienced many reconstructions and disasters; it acquired its present appearance during the 18th century. The sides of the church are supported by palazzos on both sides, so you can easily run past the church, except for the brick bell tower of the 17th century. with an onion dome will attract attention. The Romanesque façade is visible through the gray plaster; ancient masonry is visible in the lower part, and the window above the entrance is Romanesque. At the bottom of the facade there are several small Byzantine bas-reliefs that depict plants and animals, and one of a human figure.
Piazza Baccarini hiding to the side of Corso Carducci. The building of the old tribunal (Palazzo del Vecchio Tribunale, which now houses an archaeological museum), built in the 19th century, overlooks it. on the site of a medieval palazzo, and the façade of the Chiesa dei Bigi church. In the northeast direction, Piazza Baccarini smoothly turns into Piazza San Francesco with the church of the same name.
Chiesa dei Bigi with a bell tower growing directly from the roof, it was built simultaneously with the adjacent monastery (Convento delle Clarisse) at the end of the 16th century on the site of earlier monastery buildings, which were simply dismantled for building materials. The Claris lived here until the end of the 18th century, then the church and the monastery building gradually fell into disrepair and are now used as university premises (in 2005, restoration work was carried out in the church, its Baroque decoration was restored and there are plans to use it for its intended purpose).
Church of San Francesco
The Benedictine church, originally built in the 13th century and dedicated to Saint Fortunato, was handed over to the Franciscans in the following century along with the adjacent monastery, as a result of which it was reconsecrated in honor of the patron saint of Italy, Francis of Assisi. Over the centuries of its existence, the complex has undergone many reconstructions. The facade of the church is very simple, without any decoration, it is slightly enlivened by a lunette with a fresco, protected from the weather by a special canopy. The interior is also very simple, more reminiscent of some village church far from civilization.
The crucifix was made by Duccio di Boninsegna at the end of the 13th century. On the right side is the chapel of St. Anthony (XVII century) with frescoes by the masters Antonio and Francesco Nazini. Adriano Celentano and Claudia Mori got married here. The church's bell tower was destroyed by lightning in the Middle Ages and rebuilt in the 20th century.
If the door of the sacristy is open, you can look into the courtyard, bordered by a portico with columns. In the center of the courtyard there is a fountain, fed by waters that are collected in a special tank in the fountain (Pozzo della Bufala). The second cistern is located under the square in front of the entrance to the church. It still functions and supplies drinking water to the small Fontanella (the water well even has its own name - Pozzo dello Spedale).
From here you can continue your walk around the city along the semicircular street Strada Ginori - walk to Palm Square ( Piazza della Palma), from where the citadel is just a stone's throw away. On Palm Square we are greeted by the Church of Mercy (Chiesa della Misericordia). Along the way, do not miss the Ginori Palace (Palazzo Ginori), a medieval building with traces of subsequent reconstructions of the Renaissance. The Church of Mercy arose in the 12th century as a small chapel, and for a long time belonged to various monasteries and institutions of the city. In the first half of the 19th century, it was rebuilt, although the most valuable furniture was removed to the Archaeological Museum.
Small square of the martyrs of Istia ( Piazza dei Martiri d'Istia) is located right in front of the Church of Mercy. It is named not in honor of the first Christian martyrs, as one might think, but in memory of eleven children from the nearby town of Istia d'Ombrone who died at the hands of the Nazis during World War II.
Piazza Dante and Duomo San Lorenzo
Since the Middle Ages and the reign of the Medici, this trapezoid-shaped square has been the center of public life in Grosseto. In the center of the square stands the Monumento a Canapone, a monument to Leopold II (1846), right on the very spot where under the Romans there was a huge underground reservoir of water, or simply put, the Cistern (those who have been to Istanbul understand what we are talking about). On the northern part of the square are the buildings of the Duomo, Palazzo Aldobrandeschi and Palazzo Comunale. On the south side of the square, all houses have a common covered arched gallery.
Leopold is depicted in a Roman toga, the composition includes a griffin (the city's coat of arms) biting a dead snake (malaria, which was rampant in the city before reclamation began), a child on the right hand of the Duke symbolizes the future of the city, and a woman (the swamps around the city) symbolizes its sadness past.
Palazzo Comunale on the northern side of Piazza Dante was built in the neo-Renaissance style in 1867. For those who like to claim that only here everything is demolished and broken, I inform you that this building was built on the site of the ancient church of San Giovanni Decollato.
Cathedral San Lorenzo was built on the site of the ancient church of Santa Maria Assunta ( Santa Maria Assunta, 1138) and looks like a magic box.
Construction began in 1294 under the direction of master Sozzo Rustichini from Siena. As usual, construction was delayed, and what ended up happening in 1302 was very different from the original idea. Subsequently, the cathedral was rebuilt several times (including in the Baroque style), the last major reconstruction was carried out between 1840 and 1865. The stunning striped facade, reminiscent of Siena, was, alas, added in the 19th century. True, the figures of the evangelists on the facade are ancient - they were made approximately at the same time as the foundation of the cathedral, they had been waiting for a long time in the wings...
On the right wall of the cathedral there is a carved portal (it is still disputed who was the author - the Florentine Giuseppe Castellucci or the Sienese Giuseppe Partini), no less elegant than the central one, a pair of Gothic windows, a statue of St. Lorenzo in the niche between the windows, as well as a sundial.
The sculptures for the portal and windows were made by Agostino di Giovanni and his son Giovanni d'Agostino between 1320 and 1340. On the right corner of the facade of the cathedral there is a real Roman column, which in the Middle Ages was used as a stand for posters The bell tower was added to the cathedral in 1402, and only in 1611 a staircase was built inside it - the poor bell ringers probably crawled back and forth on a rope.
The interior of the cathedral underwent changes no less significant than the facade: first it was redesigned by the Sienese Anton Maria Lari (1540), then it turned into Baroque decoration, and only in 1865 did it become what it looks like now. Note the painting by Carlo Borromeo in the apse; altar (1649-1692); painting by Matteo di Giovanni (1470) in the Madonna delle Grazie chapel; crucifix from the second half of the 15th century in the chapel del Crocifisso. Finally, I remember the lunette by Giovanni Agostino depicting Christ (above the central portal). The stained glass windows are antique (1470), made by Gerolamo Vantaggioli, and the baptismal font is the work of Antonio Ghini (who also made the altar of Madonna delle Grazie).
Former medieval palace of the Aldobrandeschi family - Palazzo Aldobrandeschi (Palazzo della Provincia)- is now the provincial government building. It is noteworthy that in the early Middle Ages, on the site of Piazza Dante, there was a rock, on top of which stood the Rocca Aldobrandesca - neither more nor less - a castle. The history of Grosseto is bashfully silent about where the hill went - either the cultural layer grew so much, or the rock was razed by order of the Medici (as battle towers were destroyed throughout Tuscany), but the Aldobrandeschi Palace rose again in a new place. From the 16th-17th centuries, when the city fell into disrepair, the palace was slowly but surely destroyed until it completely collapsed. Only in 1898, 500 prominent citizens turned to the provincial government with a request to allocate funds for restoration - and construction under the leadership of the architect Lorenzo Porciatti began to boil (1898). As a result, the city was enriched with both a new façade for the cathedral and a new palace in the Siena neo-Gothic style. True, I cannot say that this sad fact greatly influenced the impression of both buildings - they look very impressive.
In the southwest of the city is the Church of San Giovanni ( Chiesa di San Giovanni), built during the 12th century between the city of Grosseto and the nearby salt mines. From the 16th century gradually fell into decay and lost its importance as a church. Reconstructed in the 18th century, when reclamation of the wetlands around the city began, it is now private property.
Piazza Dante connects with the Old Gate ( Porta Vecchia) small street Strada Ricasoli. There are no elegant Tuscan palazzos here, but that doesn't make the houses any less lovely. There is a construction site near the gate - they are restoring it Cassero del Sale, a building where, since the 14th century, there was a customs point controlling the production and trade of salt. Salt from the surrounding saltworks also came here. TO 19th century the building was rebuilt several times, and eventually turned into several apartments, but now it is given a medieval look. If you are in those parts and it will be ready, take a photo for me
Walls of Grosseto (Mura di Grosseto)
As I have said, Old city Grosseto is surrounded by a fortress wall around its perimeter. In many places you can climb it and walk around the city around the perimeter. The city walls (Mura di Grosseto) were originally built in the 12th century and were destroyed and rebuilt several times. If you look closely at the drawing of the old streets of Grosseto, you will notice that the wall is from the 12th century. covered a much smaller area than it does now - the street pattern has not changed since that time. Walking along the streets at the site of the ancient wall, you come across the remains of a gate, former watchtowers, or even fragments of masonry used to build the palazzo.
The walls acquired their present appearance between 1574 and 1593, being erected according to the design of Baldassarre Lanci and by order and at the expense of the Grand Duke of Tuscany Francesco I de' Medici. The fortress city has the shape of a hexagon, in the corners of which there are bastions, and in the upper right corner there is a real citadel, majestic and impregnable. Until 1757, at the bottom of the walls on the outside there was a ditch filled with water (there was even a dam that controlled the water level). After Tuscany fell to the Habsburgs, Leopoldo II (1855) dismantled most of the defenses on the bastions, turning the wall into a tree-lined promenade. During World War II, part of the wall was badly damaged; the gatehouse where medieval frescoes were kept was destroyed.
If we list the buildings of the Medici wall sequentially, then, starting with Piazza della Vasca,
1. Bastione Rimembranza(1577), in which a park is laid out, and in the center stands the stele Monumento al Milite Ignoto (1921) - in memory of those killed in the First World War. In the Middle Ages there was a gunpowder warehouse here.
2. Bastione Fortezza(1593) of a pentagonal shape, which has two auxiliary bastions facing the city center - St. Lucia (Bastione di Santa Lucia), and Victory (Bastione della Vittoria), now there is a museum and exhibition halls. Inside the bastion-fortress is located Cassero Senese ( Cassero Senese, XIV century) – fortification-tower. Like the Porta Vecchia gate, the fortification was preserved from the ancient fortress wall and organically fit into the Medici fortification system, erected in the second half of the 16th century. The bastion is accessed by Porta di Santa Lucia, built at the end of the 13th century, named after the church of Santa Lucia that once stood nearby. A drawbridge leads to them, and at the top there is the coat of arms of Siena.
Inside the citadel, of course, there is an autonomous water supply - a well Pozzo della Fortezza(1590) in Piazza d'Armi in the center of the fortress. The project was developed by the architect from Fiesole Raffaello Pagni: rainwater is collected in huge underground reservoirs, which is purified and distributed inside the citadel. Externally, you can only see a marble fountain, covered with a lattice and decorated with the Medici coat of arms. In addition to the spring, in the fortress there is a chapel of St. Barbara ( Cappella di Santa Barbara), dating back to the 16th century. It was built on the site of the chapel of St. Lucia, and until the middle of the 18th century. The fallen soldiers of Grosseto were buried here. In the 19th century the chapel was rebuilt.
3. Bastione Maiano(1566), the oldest of the bastions.
4. Bastione Cavallerizza(1575) with nearby Porta Vecchia (known since the 12th century, they once had a watchtower).
5. Bastione Molino a Vento(1570s) and the Porta Corsica gate (XIX century). Stray dogs live here, but they are quite peaceful.
6. Bastione Garibaldi(1577) with the Garibaldi monument and the Porta Nuova, through which we entered the city, walking from the station, they have been known since the 14th century and had a watchtower. Under the Medici, the gates were laid down and restored again only in the 18th century.
It’s worth taking a walk along the walls of Grosseto, if only to look somewhere at the plains and feel like you’re back in Tuscany….
“In September, warmth still pours from the skies over the Siena plain, and the stubble on the mown fields looks like the skin of a predator. This is perhaps one of the most beautiful places in the whole world, the creator with the utmost grace drew out a soft ridge of hills and generously decorated it with rich vegetation, among which the cypress reigns like a true ruler. But man managed to cultivate this land and built houses for himself everywhere, which, from the princely palazzo to the most wretched hut, are equally endowed with the same charm and harmony with their round tiles on the roof and walls the color of sunny ocher. The road here is not monotonous, it winds, rises, descends to new valleys, runs through terraced fields, between olive trees that are hundreds of years old. Here, in Siena, both God and man were equal in the talent of creation.” Maurice Druon "The Lily and the Lion"
