San Rocco A Pilli
San Rocco a Pilli: a small hamlet in the heart of Tuscany
San Rocco a Pilli is a small hamlet located in the municipality of Sovicille, in the province of Siena, Tuscany. With its 2579 inhabitants, it is the most populous hamlet in the municipality. Although the hamlet is mainly within the boundaries of the municipality of Sovicille, a small portion of the settlement falls within the municipal territory of Siena.
History
The hamlet's territory has been inhabited since ancient times, as evidenced by the findings from the Etruscan and Roman ages. In the Middle Ages, the area began to populate with the development of numerous villages, including Brucciano, Santa Maria a Pilli, San Salvatore a Pilli and San Lorenzo a Pilli. In the place where San Rocco a Pilli now stands, there was a fortress in the locality of "Castello" in the 14th century, which was destroyed by the imperial army of Charles V in 1554.
The hamlet began to develop around the nucleus consisting of the pieve and the oratory of the Confraternity of San Rocco. Over the centuries, the hamlet gradually increased its extension and inhabitants. In the 19th century, the Pannocchieschi d'Elci family promoted the restoration of the Pieve di San Bartolomeo and the establishment of the Villa of Cavaglioni.
Monuments and places of interest
The San Rocco a Pilli hamlet boasts numerous religious and civil architectures of great charm.
Religious architectures
The Pieve di San Bartolomeo, the hamlet's parish church, is an ancient medieval building restored in the 19th century in neoclassical style by Agostino Fantastici. The church of San Salvatore, located in the locality of San Salvatore a Pilli, dates back to the medieval period and is characterized by interiors decorated in baroque style.
Civil architectures
The Villa Cavaglioni, originally a fortress from the 14th century, is now located along the Grossetana road that crosses the village. In the 18th century, it became a villa-farm owned by the Pannocchieschi d'Elci, who promoted the completion of the reclamation of the Padule di Stigliano, creating a large landholding property with the obtained lands. The Villa Cavaglioni then passed to the Budini Gattai-Galeotti Ottieri della Ciaja-Galli family, which currently owns it.
Infrastructure and transport
San Rocco a Pilli is served by its own exit along the state road 223 of Paganico, which connects the cities of Grosseto and Siena, a section of the wider European route E78.
In conclusion, San Rocco a Pilli is a very interesting hamlet from a historical and cultural point of view, which preserves religious and civil architectures of great value. Furthermore, the hamlet enjoys a strategic position and its own exit on the state road 223, making it easily reachable and an excellent base for exploring Tuscany.
