Sorano

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Sorano
coat of arms
Sorano (Italy)
Sorano
Country Italy
region Tuscany
province Grosseto  (GR)
Coordinates 42 ° 41 '  N , 11 ° 43'  E Coordinates: 42 ° 40 '55 "  N , 11 ° 42' 54"  E
height 379  m slm
surface 174.60 km²
Residents 3,180 (Dec 31, 2019)
Population density 18 inhabitants / km²
Post Code 58010
prefix 0564
ISTAT number 053026
Popular name Soranesi
Patron saint Saint Nicholas
(December 6th)
Website Sorano
Panorama of Sorano
Panorama of Sorano

Sorano is a small medieval town with 3180 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2019) in the Italian province of Grosseto in Tuscany .

Geographical location

Location of Sorano in the province of Grosseto

The city is located in southern Tuscany, in the far east of the High Maremma , on the slope of a tuff hill above the Lente river , which is fed by the smaller watercourses Cercone and Castelsereno . Like Pitigliano and Castell'Azzara , it is one of the tuff cities ( città del tufo ).

The following settlements belong to the municipality: Castell'Ottieri, Cerreto, Elmo , Montebuono, Montevitozzo, Montorio, San Giovanni delle Contee, San Quirico, San Valentino and Sovana .

Neighboring municipalities are Acquapendente ( VT ), Castell'Azzara , Latera (VT), Manciano , Onano (VT), Pitigliano , Proceno (VT) and Semproniano . To the east, Sorano borders the Lazio region . The distance to the provincial capital Grosseto is about 80 km. After Rome is 150 km, Siena is about 100 km, Florence about 180 km away.

history

The rock plateau of Sorano was probably inhabited since the Bronze Age. At the time of the Etruscans , the area was definitely settled, but the Etruscan name of the settlement has not been passed down. The current place name is probably derived from the Latin name of an Etruscan deity, Father Soranus . Sorano was administered by the Municipium of Sovana in Roman times .

In the Middle Ages, the city was under Lombard rule in the eighth century . In 862 it became the property of the Counts Aldobrandeschi . These were replaced as rulers by the Orsini family in 1312 , who in turn had to cede the city to the Medici in 1604 . In 1737 the city came under the rule of the House of Habsburg-Lothringen .

The erosion of the tuff rock, which affected the building fabric of the city, led to the city's gradual decline. In recent years Sorano has been upgraded as a tourist destination.

Population development

Attractions

  • The church Collegiata di San Niccolò was mentioned as early as 1276.
  • The place has two medieval fortifications, the Fortezza Orsini and the Masso Leopoldino .
  • The to Fortezza Orsini belonging Orsinipark only get even partially, some sculptures and the remains of a well are still visible.
  • The Palazzo Comitale is a well-preserved Renaissance palace that served as the residence of the Orsini .
  • The Porta dei Merli is a city gate that used to have a drawbridge and is decorated with coats of arms.
  • Outside the city there are a number of caves that were used by the Etruscans and Romans . The most famous of these is the necropolis of San Rocco .
  • Also outside the city are several Vie Cave , a system of paths used by the Etruscans that were dug into the tuff.

  • Old town view to the Collegiata di San Niccolò

  • City view with Fortezza Orsini

  • Fortezza Orsini

  • Orsini coat of arms on the fortress

  • Palazzo Orsini or Palazzo Comitale

  • City view with Masso Leopoldino

  • Porta dei Merli

  • City gate Porta di Sopra

Personalities

literature

Web links

Commons : Sorano  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Statistiche demografiche ISTAT. Monthly population statistics of the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica , as of December 31 of 2019.
  2. ^ Statuto comunale of Sorano, Art. 4 (PDF; 189 kB)
  3. ^ Giovanni Feo: The tuff cities in the Fioratal . 3. Edition. Editrice Laurum, Pitigliano 2013, p. 49-50 .