Getting to know Castelfranco di Sopra, a small town near Florence

Castle Franco (Castelfranco) is the name by which the Florentine Republic appointed to this town in the late thirteenth century, it was intended to be a defensive post and a food supply.



For the nobles of the time who moved to these lands, Florence released tax obligations for ten years. In addition to the “free”, the castle was called “di Sopra”, as it is located at the top point of Florence.




Like the other “new lands” (so named for the lands that wanted people), Castelfranco di Sopra had an urban layout that follows the shape of the Roman fort, with orthogonal streets and the central square where you will find the buildings of power: the town hall and the church.






To design the structure of the city the Florentines commissioned the project to no less than Vasari, the most famous architect of the time. Observing the town you can clearly perceive that Vasari wanted to give it a
“Florentine” appearance, not only in the urban areas, but also in some houses of the first section of the main street which remain reminiscent of the historic centre of Florence. In the City Hall square it retains its original floor of the prison of the time.



From the facade the standards of the noble families that administered Castelfranco are clearly visible. On a visit to Castelfranco you can also enjoy a walk through the old city walls where soldiers ensured the safety of the people. To complete the visit we recommend visiting the Palazzo Sassolini found at the end of Via Veneto, where there are the remains of some buildings from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

Not far from Castelfranco you can visit the beautiful monument of the Abbey of San Salvatore Soffena which consists of church, cloister and convent. In 1090 the monastery was commissioned by Pope Urban II to the monks of Vallombrosa, and in 1394 the church was rebuilt in its present form.

On leaving the town you will also enjoy a unique view of slopes and ravines that drew a lot of attention of Leonardo da Vinci, who used them as a background in several paintings and drawings. Castelfranco is without a doubt one of the little towns in Tuscany that has a lot of charm and should not be missed on a trip to Florence and its surroundings.



As always I hope this article has helped you in organizing your trip to Tuscany.

Kind regards,
Giorgio.