A final shot from day 5 of our Tuscany holiday.
This is the magnificent Castello di Brolio – our last stop of the day and very disappointing, too. The Castello was closed for visitors and we could only tour it from the outside. The Castle belongs to the Ricasoli family, the makers of the world-reknown chianti wines. It is still lived in by the family.
Brolio Castle dates back to the middle ages. The castle passed into the hands of the Ricasoli family thanks to an exchange of lands in 1141. Brolio, was the stage for all the disputes of the period representing the Florentine bulwark against the fearsome Siena. Through the centuries the castle has suffered attack and destruction in numerous historical battles including bombings and artillery attacks during the Second World War. The castle is surrounded by 230 hectares of vineyards, forming part of the farm’s lands, making it the largest in the Chianti Classico area.
The Ricasoli family appeared among the feudal noble dignitaries in the Empire of Charlemagne. From the thirteenth century onwards the branches of the family multiplied and then reunited once more at the turn of the nineteenth century. Lining up with their armies to defend Florence since the thirteenth century, generations of noble Ricasolis have charted the course of history on the backdrop of Brolio Castle, from eternal battles against Siena until the unity of Italy. It was Bettino Ricasoli, the “Iron Baron”, who became Prime Minister of Italy after Cavour.
Tomorrow a short break for some shots from Malta. Many thanks for looking and for your lovely comments on yesterday,s picture.
Thanks for the interesting history.