JUNE 2025 THEME: SPANNOCCHI & SAN BERNARDINO HISTORY (1225-1925)
This year we are celebrating 800 years of Spannocchia, but what exactly does that mean? It’s difficult to date with accuracy a property that’s existed for so long, and it’s likely that parts of the estate, and perhaps even parts of the tower, were built and utilized in the 1100’s. But 1225 is the earliest definitive mention of the Spannocchi family on the land, and so for many years that is the date we’ve used to reflect the establishment of the property and the many centuries of history that make Spannocchia what it is today.
While we know the Spannocchi family lived on the property from at least 1225 until they sold it to a lumber company in 1918, we don’t have a lot of information about these nearly 700 years. We do know that this region has one of the richest cultural histories of any area in the world. The ancient Etruscans flourished here thousands of years ago, passing many of the developments of their culture along to the succeeding Roman civilization. In Medieval times, merchants and bankers from Florence, Siena, and other Tuscan cities were instrumental in the development and extension of industry and trade throughout Europe and Asia, bringing Europe out of the Dark Ages and leading to the rebirth of Western culture in Tuscany with the Renaissance. The concentration of art and architectural masterpieces in Tuscany make it one of the foremost areas in the world for the study and appreciation of art.
Life in the urban centers of Tuscany was naturally complemented by life in the surrounding rural areas, and woodland and forest have always played an integral role in that rural life. Spannocchia is a present day example of the system by which rural Tuscany was organized and functioned for centuries. It is believed that the Spannocchi were part of one of the great feudal clans that, along with the Church, controlled most of the countryside of Tuscany during the Medieval period, starting more or less with the crowning of Charlemagne as the first Holy Roman Emperor in 800 AD. By the mid-1200’s, the Spannocchi were active in the nearby city of Siena, and by the 15th century they were one of the most prominent banking and commercial families there. In fact, Ambrogio Spannocchi, treasurer to Pope Pius II, built one of the first Renaissance-era palazzos in Siena in 1473, now part of the headquarters of Siena’s Monte dei Paschi bank (which claims to be the oldest still-operational bank in the world!). One branch of the family emigrated to Austria in the 1700’s, but the Italian Spannocchi continued to be active in Siena through the 1800’s, maintaining ownership of Spannocchia, in addition to a variety of other farms, villas, and urban palaces.
At Spannocchia, the central medieval tower that has become so iconic of the property is of the style of a so-called “towered house” (Casa Torre), and it is believed that the family lived in the tower while their tenant farmers occupied more modest farmhouses on the land, which was typical of the mezzadria (tenant farming) system that was utilized throughout the region for centuries. As producers of food and many other materials, estates like Spannocchia were essential to the existence of urban centers such as Siena. 
One interesting legend from this period of Spannocchi ownership is that of San Bernardino, who is thought to have visited Spannocchia in the 1400’s (perhaps even 1425, exactly 600 years ago?!). San Bernardino lived from 1380-1444, and served as an influential Franciscan preacher around Siena, who focused his preachings on important social issues, promoting social order and peace. As Spannocchia legend has it, when San Bernardino visited the farm families and woodcutters who lived on the property, he preached about temperance, discouraging overconsumption of wine and encouraging them to drink water instead because it was healthier. The residents spoke up to say it wasn’t possible, because Spannocchia was very dry and the limited water they had tasted terrible; because of this, they felt they had to drink wine. Upon hearing their concerns, San Bernardino struck the ground with his staff three times, producing fresh, clear, cool water for drinking. To this day, with a little help from an electric pump, Spannocchia’s high-quality water comes from our own San Bernardino spring.
On July 12, 2025, we celebrated 800 years of Spannocchia with a big summer party on the Villa lawn, attended by residents and staff, local friends and colleagues of the farm, past employees and residents, and even the Mayor of Chiusdino! It was a magical evening under a nearly-full moon, filled with live music, fantastic food, good friends, a slideshow of photos from over the years, and even Spannocchia's first official ping pong tournament. We'll be posting more about this shortly!
Images: Above left: The Spannocchi family crest, a red shield with gold geometric motif in the middle, and three ears of grain. Below right: San Bernardino of Siena, by Jacopo Bellini (1450-55). Image credit: this site.
