WELCOME TO TERRANUOVA BRACCIOLINI

Townspread Museum

of Terra Nuova, Castel Santa Maria.

DISCOVER OUR TOWN HISTORY

1337

The ‘new town’ called Castel Santa Maria, which later took the proper name ‘Terranuova,’ wasfounded in 1337 by the Florentine Republic, using the same procedure already applied to othertowns in the Valdarno and in Tuscany. The aim was to remove control of the small castles in the area from the feudal power of the Counts Guidi, effectively creating a ‘scorched earth’ around themby relocating the local populations within the new settlement.

THE TOWNSPREAD MUSEUM

QR CODE

This website allows you to discover the features of the ‘terra nuova’ as if it were an open-air museum, spread throughout the fortified area. At the four sites of the ancient gates, you will find a QR code that allows you to enter the site and follow the three georeferenced itineraries, guiding visitors along the route. At each point of interest related to the three paths, you will find a dedicated QR code that provides historical information about the site being viewed.

The 3 itineraries

Select a itinerary to discover its history. QR CODES on routes help you to explore any points of interest.

Itinerary 1

ITINERARY OF THE WALLS

The ‘new town’ was designed according to Vitruvius’ scheme of the Roman castrum. It wassurrounded by walls with towers at the corners and smaller turrets along the perimeter, as well astowers over the four gates, each positioned at the midpoint of every side.

Itinerary 2

THE CHURCHES OF THE FOUNDING PEOPLES

The division of the town into quarters was designed to accommodate in an orderly way the six rural communities from the surrounding countryside who became the first inhabitants of Terranuova: the communities of Mori, Ganghereto, Pozzo, Terraio, Pernina, and Cave, each with its own church(Pernina and Cave shared a single building). At the center, with its façade facing the main square, was built the church of the entire community, dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Itinerary 3

Palaces, Oratories and Hospices

Along this itinerary we find public and noble palaces, hospices and monasteries, other religioussites, and houses characteristic of the town’s original architecture.