Italiano

Annunci
Prenotazioni
(booking)
Affitto
Vendo

Home

* Il paese
* La storia
* Visita guidata
* Natura e sport
* Eventi
* Accoglienza
* Casa di Giotto
* Museo Beato Angelico
* Centro Don Milani
* Progetto Genios
* MAZE4A
* Fiera Calda
* Fiera Bestiame
* Poggio Colla

Gemellaggi

* Tolmin

Vicchio is in the centre of the Mugello, between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna.

The Mugello's name probably is from the Liguri Mugelli, first settlers of the region.

Near Poggio Colla, recent archaeological excavations had found an Etruscan city.
The site was a connection between Fiesole and the Etruscan area of the Lombardy plain.

The first settlements date back to very remote times, but the history of this town begins in the 14th Century, at the end of the hostilies between the expanding township of Florence and the feudal families Guidi and Ubaldini who occupied the "contado", the countryside where Vicchio now lies.

In 1308 the Florentine "Podesta" (Mayor) Ugolino de Bittonio ordered that in a place named Vico, from which the name Vicchio is derived, a new fortified centre be constructed.
Building of the new walls began between October and November of 1324, and formed an elongated hexagon, enclosing a larger area than the old Vico.
At the ends of the main street the doors Porta Fiorentina and Porta di Dicomano were built.

Seat of a Podesta from 1384, the League of Vicchio had its own statute from 1413, and demonstrated its loyalty to the Florentine Republic with its long resistance to the imperial troops in the siege of 1529.

Destroyed by earthquake in 1919 and again seriously damaged during the passage of the front in the Second World War, the town has conserved only a few vestiges of its past history such as the church of San Giovanni.
The town of Vicchio is known throughout the world as the birthplace of two great painters: Giotto and Beato Angelico.

Giotto was born at the castle of Vespignano in 1267, in a humble house now restored, where there is a permanent exhibition with reproductions of a large part of Giotto's artistic development.

The poet Giosuè Carducci, often a guest of families of the Mugello valley, founded a committee which erected a monument to Giotto in Vicchio's main square.
The statue is by Italo Vagnetti.

The countryside of Vicchio is rich with suggestive villas, villages and landscapes.

At Barbiana, a few kilometres from Vicchio, Don Lorenzo Milani, educator and priest, realised, from 1954 until 1967, a singular educational initiative founding his full time popular school.
His work had a disconcerting and stimulating influence on the pedagogical debate of the 60's.

The history of Vicchio's economy has always been dominated by agriculture.
We should not however underestimate the presence of small and medium industry, which integrated with artisan and commercial activity characterises the productive structure of the municipality.

In the last few years a promising tourist activity, based on Vicchio's environmental and cultural assets, has developed.

In Vicchio we can rediscover all the fascination of a small town of great artistic and cultural value, and at the same time enjoy being immersed in a natural environment of rare beauty.

The sporting facilities available make a holiday even more stimulating.
The Tourist Sport Centre offers many possibilities: football, tennis, long bow shooting, mountain bike, swimming, canoeing, horse-riding and trekking.
For all these sports, highly qualified instructors are available.

The lake of Montelleri, very close to the centre of Vicchio, is a unique asset and offers relaxation in the form of fishing and canoeing.
The presence of two camp-sites (also equipped for motor homes) guarantees a welcome for a young and dynamic tourism. For those who love the quiet country life, Vicchio offers accommodation in farm houses and villas prepared for agrotourism.

Vicchio, as we see, offers many opportunities for many different types of tourism.

Translated by Tony Chinnery (extract from the Guide to Vicchio, edited by the Comune di Vicchio)

The Vicchio coats of arms is a natural colour pine with three golden pine cones within the foliage and two gold stars with eight rays at the right and the left.
The pine remembers the fortress of Ampinana, the stars are the two districts of Rostolena and Botena.

E-mail: zoomedia - © 1997-2000
Last updated Agosto 22th, 2000