Colle di Val d'Elsa (Colle di Val d'Elsa)
Colle di Val d'Elsa or Colle Val d'Elsa is a town and comune in the province of Siena, Tuscany, central Italy.
It has a population of c. 21,600. Its name means "Hill of Elsa Valley", where Elsa is the name of the river which crosses it and Valdelsa the name of the valley.
Today, Colle di Val d'Elsa is internationally renowned for the production of crystal glassware and art (15% of world production), largely produced in the industrial lower town.
The area was settled by man from at least the 4th millennium BC, but first mentions of the city are from the 9th century AD. In 1269 it was the seat of a famous battle during the wars of Guelphs and Ghibellines and in 1479 it was besieged by Neapolitan troops. From the 14th century it was a possession of Florence and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany until the unification of Italy in 1860.
In the 20th century it became an important industrial center. During World War II it was bombed by Allied aircraft.
The oldest part of the town is the "colle alta", the higher part, with a well-preserved medieval center. The town developed along the river from the 11th century onwards, building an artificial canal to power various industrial activities, such as wheat mills and paper factories.
The city is also famous as the birthplace of sculptor and architect Arnolfo di Cambio. The Giottesque painter Cennino Cennini and the poet Isabella Cervoni were also born here.
It has a population of c. 21,600. Its name means "Hill of Elsa Valley", where Elsa is the name of the river which crosses it and Valdelsa the name of the valley.
Today, Colle di Val d'Elsa is internationally renowned for the production of crystal glassware and art (15% of world production), largely produced in the industrial lower town.
The area was settled by man from at least the 4th millennium BC, but first mentions of the city are from the 9th century AD. In 1269 it was the seat of a famous battle during the wars of Guelphs and Ghibellines and in 1479 it was besieged by Neapolitan troops. From the 14th century it was a possession of Florence and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany until the unification of Italy in 1860.
In the 20th century it became an important industrial center. During World War II it was bombed by Allied aircraft.
The oldest part of the town is the "colle alta", the higher part, with a well-preserved medieval center. The town developed along the river from the 11th century onwards, building an artificial canal to power various industrial activities, such as wheat mills and paper factories.
The city is also famous as the birthplace of sculptor and architect Arnolfo di Cambio. The Giottesque painter Cennino Cennini and the poet Isabella Cervoni were also born here.
Map - Colle di Val d'Elsa (Colle di Val d'Elsa)
Map
Country - Italy
Flag of Italy |
Italy was the native place of many civilizations such as the Italic peoples and the Etruscans, while due to its central geographic location in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, the country has also historically been home to myriad peoples and cultures, who immigrated to the peninsula throughout history. The Latins, native of central Italy, formed the Roman Kingdom in the 8th century BC, which eventually became a republic with a government of the Senate and the People. The Roman Republic initially conquered and assimilated its neighbours on the Italian peninsula, eventually expanding and conquering a large part of Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. By the first century BC, the Roman Empire emerged as the dominant power in the Mediterranean Basin and became a leading cultural, political and religious centre, inaugurating the Pax Romana, a period of more than 200 years during which Italy's law, technology, economy, art, and literature developed.
Currency / Language
ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
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EUR | Euro | € | 2 |
ISO | Language |
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CA | Catalan language |
CO | Corsican language |
FR | French language |
DE | German language |
IT | Italian language |
SC | Sardinian language |
SL | Slovene language |