Schignano
Schignano: a historic town in the Prato Apennines
Hello everyone! Today I will talk to you about Schignano, a hamlet of the municipality of Vaiano in the province of Prato, located about 450 m above sea level. Schignano is a historic town in the Prato Apennines that has Latin origins and takes its name from an ancient legionary and settler, Estinius, to whom that parcel of land was assigned as a reward for the ''honesta missio'' carried out in the legions of Rome.
History
Schignano became a major agglomeration in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries when the Abbey of San Salvatore (Vaiano) and the chapter of the cathedral of Prato acquired the numerous cultivated fields and woods in these areas. Under enfeoffment, all the farmers tied to the lands were acquired by the Abbey and the cathedral.
Clusters of houses
The clusters of houses were mainly arranged along a single axis: from the Hill to the Casedoniche and the Ford including the central settlements of Palagio, Villamagna, Church, Ristaccio and Fattoria. From the surveys of 1584 relating to the lands of the people of Schignano of the podesteria of Prato, illustrated on the ''Plantario dei capitani di parte guelfa,'' these clusters can be traced.
Monuments and places of interest
In the locality of Schignano, there is the church of San Martino, already mentioned in 1189 in a document relating to the Abbey of Vaiano. This church is certainly of interest to anyone who loves history and art. Another place of interest is the Villa Vai al Mulinaccio, where summer local festivals are organized.
Bibliography
If you are interested in delving into the history of Schignano and the surrounding area, I recommend that you take a look at the following bibliography:
A. Cecconi A, ''Origins of the 48 villas of the ancient Prato district,'' 1926.
C. Ceretelli, ''Prato and its Province,'' Azienda di Promozione Turistica, 1995.
R. Dalla Negra, ''The Abbey of San Salvatore in Vaiano,'' Cariprato, 2005.
Conclusions
I hope you enjoyed this brief excursion into the history of Schignano and the surrounding area. If you have the opportunity to visit this magical place, do not miss the chance to do so. I'll see you in the next article!
