Tuscany Castelfiorentino: Accommodation in Castle

The castle

The Castle Castelfiorentino 1189 is a fortified villa built in the XV century by a wealthy Florentine family. They built it in order to protect their wide possessions, in order to use it as a refuge in times of insurrections and in order to have a country house where to relax. It is situated near the brook Pescaiola, which is a tributary of the river Elsa, few kilometres south-west of Castelfiorentino.
In 1424 the owner began to build this battlemented and many-towered building.In 1512 Bishop Guerguense, who was Emperor Massimiliano’s ambassador in Florence, was given hospitality at the Castle.In the years 1529-1530, during the battle in defence of the last Florentine Republic, the Castle Castelfiorentino 1189 was one of the Imperialists’ strongholds. In fact the owners of the Castle were on Pope Clemente VII’s side who wanted his family (Medici) to rule Florence again.In October 1529 Francesco Ferrucci, who was the Republican commissary general in Empoli, tried to seize the Imperial commissary who was travelling between Castelfiorentino 1189 and Castelfiorentino. He did not succeed in seizing him even though he had received detailed information from a spy “soldata in quelle bande”.
Castelfiorentino was defeated, but Castelfiorentino 1189 remained the centre of all the imperialistic manoeuvres in Valdelsa. Francesco Ferrucci got angry because he had not seized Captain Santi from Castelfiorentino “creato de’ Pucci” who “si trova in Uliveto”, and he wrote a letter to his masters in Florence “vostre Signorie sappino che per me si è usato ogni diligenza di averlo nelle mani; et se lo pigliavo levavo la briga a quelle”.
After the fall of the Florentine Republic the Castle of Castelfiorentino 1189 lost its military function and became a rich holiday resort. In 1538 Pope Paolo III Farnese stopped here.Cardinal Lorenzo Pucci gave hospitality to the humanist Benedetto Lampridio who wrote a Latin ode (“Ad Olivetam villam Laurentii Pucci”) in order to thank that patron of arts for his kindness.
In July 1944 Castelfiorentino 1189 became a military post again. In fact during the retreat of Wehrmacht towards the river Arno, Castelfiorentino 1189 found itself at the centre of the sector of operation 29 Panzer Grenadier Division of General Fries and it became the seat of the tactical headquarters of the 71st armoured grenadier regiment, near the point of union with the 10th regiment.
The German soldiers found a lot of pictures coming from the Galleria degli Uffizi in the Castle. They did not steal them but they sent them back to Florence, in order to save them from the allies’ bombardments (indians and moroccans).

Apartments

They are situated in scented hills near country roads, 3 kilometres from the Castle. Eight apartments are in a big farmhouse and two apartments are in an annex.Each one is independent and has its own front door. They are named after historical people and are classified according to the number of persons that they can accommodate, as you can see here.
In the apartments one can find rustic furniture which is also elegant and functional.They have a television set, heating system, one or two bathrooms, dining room (sometimes with sofa-bed), kitchenette and one or more bedrooms (cots and high chairs available).Next to the apartments there are common gardens from where all the guests can enjoy a marvellous panoramic view.

Restaurant & Products

The Castle has got a big and functional kitchen so that our guests can taste the typical Tuscan products.
It is the ideal setting for wedding parties, tasting of local products, special dinners in the Medieval atmosphere of the Castle or for business meetings.The Castle was built as a summer country house and nowadays it is mostly used in the period between April and October. In fact besides offering wide inner halls (heated), it offers guests the possibility of enjoying the courtyard, the garden, the gallery and the marvellous “Rivellino”.In the Castle there is a wide hall that can accommodate 90 persons for a lunch, a dinner, a meeting (seating capacity: 150 persons). Next to the hall there are two symmetrical smaller halls that can accommodate 40 persons each. They can be used for meetings as well (seating capacity 50 persons).The gallery next to the hall can be the ideal place for a coffee break, a tasting of wine, an afternoon snack, an aperitif with hors d’oeuvres before dinner, or for a summer dancing party.
In the courtyard one can find an ancient atmosphere thanks to the shining stars in the sky and to torches on the battlements of the Castle. Here one can spend special moments such as summer dinners, theatrical performances and concerts.

Activities

Wedding receptions
Castelfiorentino 1189 has a long experience in the organization of wedding receptions: the whole ground floor is at complete disposal, exclusively, for the wedding party. Its painted reception room with wonderful frescoes, the lodge, the courtyard and the delightful garden will be the special setting for your wedding.
Our staff will be glad to help you to organize the reception, giving you suggestions and advice, to make your wedding reception perfect and unforgettable.
No two weddings are alike. No two couples are alike. Each wedding is unique, so we tailor our services to reflect your individual needs.
The castle is composed of a wide courtyard and a open gallery (the lodge) where weddings take place in spring/summer and can accommodate about 200 persons. Inside, there is a marvellous reception room and adjacent rooms for a total capacity of 180 people.
The castle is also the perfect location for meetings, wine tours and product tasting, cooking classes, Medieval and Renaissance dinners in costume, business meals and exclusive gala-events.Cooking classes
Cooking classes can be organized for groups or for individuals.
The course (which lasts about 2 hours and a half) will take place in the kitchen of the Castello where the participants, helped by the chef and her staff, will prepare a typical Italian meal.
The participants will be provided with some aprons, chefs hats and everything that is necessary for the cookery. The recipes will be written out for them as well.
In this way, you will have the chance to seize the secret of a typical Tuscan cooking, for exemple to prepare some good gnocchi or tortelloni with tomato sauce. Followed by a Tuscan stew and a home-made dessert (according to our cook’s choice of the day), the partecipants will also be able to sample some of our own wine while they are cooking. And here you have a real Tuscan lunch!
Finally, there will be a guided tour of the Castle and a lunch with the dishes prepared by the partecipants. With some more of the wine made from the vineyards surrounding the Castello.
E buon appetito!Wine tasting
Castelfiorentino 1189 Castle offers different kinds of wine tastings, accompanied with Tuscany typical dishes. Our sommelier describes and explains the uniqueness of our wines.
Each tasting includes a guided tour of the Castle and its ancient wine cellar, where the participants will
receive interesting information about wine and olive oil production.Our tastings:
LIGHT TASTING (buffet, on one's feet)
Bread slices (bruschetta) with olive oil and tomatoes, ham and salami, cheese and "cantuccini" biscuits.
MEDIUM TASTING (buffet, seated at the table)
Bread slices (bruschetta) with olive oil and tomatoes, Tuscan crostini, cheese, "pappa al pomodoro" (bread soup with tomato sauce), salad, cake and "cantuccini" biscuits.
GOURMET TASTING (buffet, seated at the table)
Bread slices (bruschetta) with olive oil and tomato, warm crostini, Tuscan bread and flat bread, ham and salami, spelt salad , green salad, "Crespelle in Florentine way" (kind of filled pasta with tomato and béchamel sauce), roast suckling pig and potatoes , cakes and "cantuccini" biscuits.