fattoria il santo

Historical information

During the Middle Age the fortified buildings in the surroundings of Siena were the “Castro”, the “Villae” and the “Grange”
(the granary), that is to say the big farms which depended on the Hospital Santa Maria della Scala, were the real residences of the peasants’ communities and had represented an important source of support for the intense activities of the Hospital for ages.

The Santa Maria della Scala is one of the oldest European hospitals built along the “Via Francigena” to accommodate pilgrims on their way to Rome.Interesting from an historical point of view as well as from the monumental value are the fortified hamlets; among those Il Santo is without any doubt the most famous - probably restored by Giuliano da San Gallo in the 15th century.

Along the river Farma, in the southern border of Il Santo, there are the thermal baths of Petriolo with its sulphur hot spring waters, which had already been mentioned in ancient times for their therapeutic quality.

In the 15th century the local government of Siena built an impressing defending wall around Petriolo, which had often been attacked by burglars. The pope Enea Silvio Piccolomini spent some time at the hot springs and lived in the nearby farmhouse Gamberucci which was connected to the springs by a still existing underground tunnel.

In the fortified hamlet there is the small church of St. Filippo and Giacomo whose origins go back to the 14th century. The building presents a simple stone façade with a peaked roof. Inside there are 2 altars: over the side one there’s a painting
dating back to the 17th century showing the Archangel Gabriel who kills the demon. Opposite there’s the painting of the Madonna with the Holy Child, the Angels and the Saints, attributed to Giovanni Paolo Pisani.