Toscana, un’estate italiana

Ho passato i mesi di Giugno e in parte di Luglio a girovagare per la Toscana, in particolare nell’interno ma non solo, nella zona del Senese inteso a largo raggio, per fotografare i bellissimi paesaggi che tanto sono stati celebrati in film, libri e, naturalmente, fotografie. Ho ripercorso, in parte, le strade bianche e i luoghi attraversati dall’Eroica, la corsa storica di bici che si tiene ogni anno in Autunno, con partenza e arrivo a Gaiole in Chianti. Appuntamento che non ci sarà però in questo 2020 che, insieme a tanti altri eventi in giro per il mondo, è stato cancellato dal Covid19. Così, partendo da Siena, la storica città del Palio, anch’esso cancellato quest’anno, ho fotografato Murlo, il Castello di Brolio e i dintorni di San Quirico d’Orcia, famoso per le Crete ma anche per quel suo boschetto di cipressi nel mezzo di un campo vuoto “strafotografato” da chiunque passi di là, per caso o per scelta. E scelto da tantissime coppie per le foto post-matrimonio. Ma scorrendo le immagini qui sotto troverete anche foto dell’Abbazia di Monteoliveto Maggiore così come delle spiagge bianche di Vada, sotto Livorno. O ancora Castiglione della Pescaia e la vicina Riserva di Diaccia Botrone. Una “mano” importante me l’ha data il solito drone senza il quale molte inquadrature non sarebbero state possibili in nessun modo.

Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Siena province, Gaiole In Chianti – Brolio castle and vineyards around the property

Italy, Tuscany, province of Siena, sunset in Chiantishire

Italy, Tuscany, Province of Grosseto, Castiglione della Pescaia – Diaccia Botrona Nature Reserve. La Casa Rossa Ximenes, or Red House of Ximenes, was built by Jesuit engineer Leonardo Ximenes in 1765-68 as part of the reclamation of the marshland of Castiglione della Pescaia. The reclamation process was by controlled flooding and deposition with the hydraulic control of winter high-waters, while ensuring adequate water supply for fisheries in the dry periods.

Italy, Tuscany, Province of Grosseto, Castiglione della Pescaia – Diaccia Botrona Nature Reserve. La Casa Rossa Ximenes, or Red House of Ximenes, was built by Jesuit engineer Leonardo Ximenes in 1765-68 as part of the reclamation of the marshland of Castiglione della Pescaia. The reclamation process was by controlled flooding and deposition with the hydraulic control of winter high-waters, while ensuring adequate water supply for fisheries in the dry periods.

Italy, Tuscany, province of Siena, Chiantishire – cypresses and rolling hills design the landscape

Italy, Tuscany, province of Siena, Chiantishire – cypresses and rolling hills design the landscape

Italy, Tuscany, Murlo, province of Siena

Italy, Tuscany, Pisa – Piazza dei Miracoli

Italy, Tuscany, Pisa – Piazza dei Miracoli

Italy, Tuscany, Siena – a view in the historical centre around Piazza del Campo

Italy, Tuscany, Siena – graffiti on the walls. Horses are the kings of the Palio

Italy, Tuscany, Siena – Piazza del Campo

Italy, Tuscany, Siena by night as seen from above

Italy, Tuscany, San Vincenzo, Livorno province – The Unicalce plant right in the middle of vineyard on the SP 20 Campiglia Marittima as seen from the sky

Italy, Tuscany, Campiglia Marittima, Livorno province – Campo alle Buche (literally field with holes) is an old mining area, located at the southernwest foot of Monte Rombolo, which has been exploited by both underground and open pit mine workings in the 19th and early 20th century, although there are evidences of older (Etruscan?) mining activity.

Italy, Tuscany, San Vincenzo, Livorno province – vineyards at the footsteps of Mount Rombolo

Italy, Tuscany, Campiglia Marittima, Livorno province – Campo alle Buche (literally “field with holes”) is an old mining area, located at the southernwest foot of Monte Rombolo, which has been exploited by both underground and open pit mine workings in the 19th and early 20th century, although there are evidences of older (Etruscan?) mining activity.

Italy, Tuscany, Livorno province, Vada – the white beach due to pollution from the nearby Solvay factory

Italy, Tuscany, Campiglia Marittima, Livorno province – the Fortress of San Silvestro, topping a hill, are the remains of a small medieval village of miners, wanted by the lords of Gherardesca to control the extraction of minerals which was made among these mountains. Lived from 1000 until 1300, the village grew to up to 250 people being totally self-sufficient despite the lack of water sources in the area. In town there were in fact the oven, the church, the water tanks and vegetable gardens, and all, including women and children, worked in the mines and made shift to cover the rest of the activities necessary to the survival of the community. Now it is part of the Archaelogic and Mineral Park.

Italy, Tuscany, Campiglia Marittima, Livorno province – the Fortress of San Silvestro, topping a hill, are the remains of a small medieval village of miners, wanted by the lords of Gherardesca to control the extraction of minerals which was made among these mountains. Lived from 1000 until 1300, the village grew to up to 250 people being totally self-sufficient despite the lack of water sources in the area. In town there were in fact the oven, the church, the water tanks and vegetable gardens, and all, including women and children, worked in the mines and made shift to cover the rest of the activities necessary to the survival of the community. Now it is part of the Archaelogic and Mineral Park.

Italy, Tuscany, Livorno –

Italy, Tuscany, Pisa – Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina, Lungarno Gambacorti

Italy, Tuscany, Certaldo

Italy, Tuscany, Monteriggioni

Italy, Tuscany, Monteriggioni

Italy, Tuscany, Pitigliano

Italy, Piombino, Livorno – This fortified village is Populonia topping the hill on the Gulf of Baratti

Italy, Piombino, Livorno – This fortified village is Populonia topping the hill on the Gulf of Baratti

Italy, Tuscany, San Quirico d’Orcia

Italy, Tuscany, landscape near San Quirico d’Orcia in Val d’Orcia

Italy, Tuscany, landscape near San Quirico d’Orcia in Val d’Orcia

Italy, Tuscany, landscape near San Quirico d’Orcia in Val d’Orcia as seen from a drone

Italy, Tuscany, landscape near San Quirico d’Orcia in Val d’Orcia.

Italy, Tuscany, landscape near San Quirico d’Orcia in Val d’Orcia.

Italy, Tuscany, Siena province – San Gimignano

Italy, Tuscany, Siena province – San Gimignano

Italy, Tuscany, Siena region, Chiusdino – San Galgano Abbey. The abbey is located about 25 miles from Siena, in southern Tuscany. The Cistercian Abbey was built in 1324 and holds a very important place in the art and history of Siena. The vaults and the steeple fell to the ground in 1786 and the ruins remain that way to today, in all their suggestive beauty. The church was never rebuilt, and it stands, in the shape of a massive Latin cross 69 meters long, with a nave and lateral aisles, pointed arches, ribbed vaults and pillars with sculptured capitals

Italy, Tuscany, Siena region, Chiusdino – San Galgano Abbey. The abbey is located about 25 miles from Siena, in southern Tuscany. The Cistercian Abbey was built in 1324 and holds a very important place in the art and history of Siena. The vaults and the steeple fell to the ground in 1786 and the ruins remain that way to today, in all their suggestive beauty. The church was never rebuilt, and it stands, in the shape of a massive Latin cross 69 meters long, with a nave and lateral aisles, pointed arches, ribbed vaults and pillars with sculptured capitals. In the distance, the Montesiepi Chapel topping a small hill

Italy, Tuscany, Saturnia, Cascate del Mulino – Water flowing from the source of the Baths of Saturnia and originates the falls is born from a volcanic crater and then flow out along a natural stream, the Gorello for about 500 meters, where a drop generates the rapids that border an ancient mill and form a series of natural pools carved into the travertine rock, creating a unique natural spectacle in the world

Italy, Tuscany, Saturnia, Cascate del Mulino – Water flowing from the source of the Baths of Saturnia and originates the falls is born from a volcanic crater and then flow out along a natural stream, the Gorello for about 500 meters, where a drop generates the rapids that border an ancient mill and form a series of natural pools carved into the travertine rock, creating a unique natural spectacle in the world

Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Siena province, Gaiole In Chianti – Brolio castle and vineyards around the property