What to see in Fiesole and the surrounding area: that Florence side full of history and beauty.

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What to see in Fiesole, a charming village 5 km from Florence: ancient churches, museums, and an archaeological site with a Roman theater and thermal baths.

Fiesole, a magical gem overlooking Florence

We'll tell you what to see in Fiesole, a village which with its 300 meters above sea level, dominates the center of Florence just 5 km. It is undoubtedly one of the most enchanting hilltop villages of the entire Metropolitan City: aristocratic, secluded, dotted with Renaissance villas, cypress-lined avenues and gardens.

What to see in Fiesole: the archaeological area

THE'archaeological area of Fiesole It was formed starting from the end of the nineteenth century when the remains of the began to come to light Roman theater. Then it was the turn of the large pools of the thermal building and its internal part, with the heated tubs and rooms. More recently the discovery of the Etruscan-Roman temple whose initial excavations, after some fortuitous discoveries, started in first decade of the twentieth century and, although in limited areas, continue to this day.

The set of these buildings, remarkably preserved and inserted in a environment of great beauty, constitutes theArchaeological Area of Fiesole, inside which is also located the Archaeological Museum, in the shape of a Tuscan temple. The main finds from the city and the surrounding area, which cover a very long time span: from prehistory to the Etruscan civilization, to the Roman one, up to the Lombard age and the Middle Ages. There is also a rich antiques section composed of bronzes, marbles, sculptures.
Of particular value is the Costantini Collection which collects ceramics from the Magna Graecia, as well as Etruscan.

The Roman amphitheatre, of Imperial Age (open every day 10.00-18.00, closed Tuesday, reduced hours in winter), in summer it transforms into the stage of the Fiesole Summer, a historic series of evening theatre, concerts, dance and cinema performances.

What to visit in Fiesole: the Bandini Museum

A small treasure chest of art treasures it is the Bandini Museum which houses the collection of the Canon Angelo Maria Bandini, a multifaceted figure of historian, philologist, collector who lived between 1726 and 1803.
The Museum stands out for the notable presence of Florentine and Tuscan artists of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, the so-called “Primitives”: the Master of the Stories of the Cross, Taddeo and Agnolo Gaddi, Nardo di Cione, Lorenzo Monaco, are just some of the most famous authors of the gold-background plates that make this unique receptacle of beauty. No less significant are the works by the masters of the fifteenth century: from Neri di Bicci to Iacopo del Sellaio (his Triumphs are splendid) up to the delicate Madonna and Child from Botticelli's workshop.
Recently opened the rooms dedicated to sculptures: among these, as many as twenty polychrome terracotta by Della Robbia, the most important and well-known manufacture of the Florentine Renaissance.

What to see in Fiesole: the most important buildings and churches

In the center, other important monuments are the Cathedral of San Romolo, The Bishop's Palace and the ancient church of Santa Maria Primerana.

There Cathedral of San Romolo was erected by the Bishop Jacobus the Bavarian In the 1028, and was enlarged in the 13th century. An inscription at the base of the bell tower (left side of the presbytery) this work dates to 1206 (operarius Michele). It is dedicated to martyr bishop Romulus, founder of the Fiesole church. In 1878 they began major restoration works which gave it its current neo-Gothic appearance. The crypt has been the subject of archaeological excavation in 1990, and thus a continuity of life from the Hellenistic period to the 14th century was found. The interior, however, retains a mighty Romanesque style system which recalls S. Miniato al Monte.

To the Bishop's Palace it is accessed from a 19th-century double staircaseIt was erected at the same time as the cathedral, in 1028, when it was Bishop Jacobus the Bavarian, but it has been the subject of subsequent expansions and transformations: notable are those of the Bishop Filippo Neri Altoviti, whose seventeenth-century coat of arms stands out above the door. The current façade dates back to the sixteenth century.

Inside it is the the bishop's private chapel decorated with frescoes from the end of the fifteenth century, with San Romolo, San Jacopo and God the Father, of Ghirlandaio school.
In the oratory, dedicated to Saint James the Greater and built by the bishop Cattani from Diacceto, aCoronation of the Virgin attributed to Lorenzo di Bicci.

As for the church of Santa Maria Primerana, is located at the top of Mino da Fiesole square, next to the Praetorian Palace. Mentioned in the 966, was expanded in medieval age (the Gothic presbytery remains), and was adorned with a new facade at the end of the sixteenth century, with architectural features of Mannerist taste and graffito decorations of Ludovico ButiThe decorations were restored in 2016 thanks to the contribution of the LIONS Club Firenze Pitti.

What to see near Fiesole: the Badia Fiesolana, Montececeri, and Castel di Poggio

To answer the question "what to see in Fiesole and the surrounding area," we cannot fail to mention these three places, except for Florence.

Fiesolana Abbey

There Abbey of San Bartolomeo, better known as Fiesolana Abbey, is located outside the center of Fiesole, in the San Domenico area. Built at the beginning of theyear 1000 and consecrated by James the Bavarian Which Fiesole Cathedral, from 1440 until 1778 it passed to the Lateran Canons, called Little rocksThe facade in white and green Prato marble it connects to the Florentine baptistery at San Miniato al Monte.

Montececeri

The Montececeri It is an area of about 44 hectares famous for its sandstone quarries, also known as “pietra serena”, and used since the Middle Ages as a building material for architectural and ornamental elements, particularly in Florence. Remembered by Welcome Cellini And Giorgio Vasari, the Fiesole stone was perfectly suited to architectural and monumental works, but also to elements of civil, sacred and urban furniture, so much so as to push the Medici government to implement a strict policy of control of exploitation. Montececeri is also a “Leonardian” placeTradition has it that Leonardo carried out his experiments on human flight right here.

Poggio Castle

The Poggio Castle It can be visited by telephone reservation. The complex, consisting of the castle, the courtyard and the woods that encompass the top of the hill, covers particular landscape interestThe turreted castle, built according to the fashion of the time in neo-medieval style, dates back to the end of the nineteenth century, and is an ideal reconstruction of the original manor presumably thirteenth century.

Razed to the ground by Lordship of Florence in 1348, the ruins were then purchased, in the second half of the fifteenth century, by the Alessandri, who rebuilt the complex characterized by the crenellated walls, from the tower, from the stately home and from the chapel. After several changes of ownership, in the twentieth century the Strong warriors of Pistoia they reconstructed the appearance of theancient medieval fortress, taking inspiration, on a smaller scale, from the events of its neighbor Vincigliata Castle. In 1911, it came to the family Baduel Zamberletti, to give more light to the garden the surrounding wall was lowered and the courtyard was transformed into a meadow with tall cypress trees, all surrounded by the large forest composed of holm oaks, chestnut trees and oaks, dotted with statues, with some olive groves kept as meadows.

Where to eat

In the square of Fiesole, the cellar of Bibi Graez, refined wine producer. Typical cuisine at Terrace 45 (in the square) or at the Maiano Farm Shop (outside the village). Those seeking exclusivity shouldn't miss the gourmet restaurant. The Loggia of Villa San Michele. On the hill that leads from Florence to Fiesole was born Coquinarius, a perfect meeting place and stop for those who want to combine goodness and beauty: handmade pasta paired with a breathtaking view of Florence. For those who want to dine in a magical and unusual setting, surrounded by plants of every kind, The Moons Nursery, which is located along the road leading to Fiesole, was one of the first to open up to catering, and offers products from its farms Fontallerta And Barbialla in a homely and friendly atmosphere.

Where to sleep

For staying in Fiesole and the surrounding area, we recommend: Maiano Farm, a perfect combination of self-catering apartments and B&B suites; FH55 Hotel Villa Fiesole, elegant hotel in a 19th-century villa overlooking Florence, with comfortable and luxurious rooms; Villa Le Fontanelle, elegant, historic, of great charm; The Salviatino, a charming hotel in a Renaissance villa, with a large park, outdoor swimming pool and a delicious restaurant; Belmond Villa San Michele, extremely refined, the dream of inimitable Italian luxury in the infinite splendor of a Renaissance jewel.

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Cover photo Ranieri Rossi on Unsplash | Photo Madonna and Child ©Museums of Fiesole

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About The Author

Vieri Tommasi Candidi

Writer, Ambassador of Tuscany