The old fortified village of
Rapolano Terme shines whitely with
travertine stone and sulphur vapours. Once a border castle of
the Sienese Republic, situated where the bleak "Crete" give
way to the first inklings of the Chiana Valley, its waters,
gushing out at 38°C, have brought the little town well deserved renown as a
spa offering mud-packs and inhalations.
The calcareous stone has left its traces everywhere, but above
all in the architecture and countryside, for example in the
portion of the city walls stili standing (with five round towers
and one square one), in the two gateways, and in the original
nucleus of the settlement, the castle, which stili encloses some
tower-houses and a small Romanesque church. The church of
the Fraternita contains two Madonnas: one with the Christ
Child, attributed to the school of Pietro Lorenzetti, and one
with a Rosary, by Ventura Salimbeni (XVI century), besides
fine frescoes from the same epoch.
The surroundings are also well worth a visit, such as the
delightful little village of Serre, the seat of the Imperial
Governors in the 12th century, atop its hill with its turreted
walls, the Palazzo di Giustizia (14th century frescoes), the
remains of the fortress and the unusual 14th century "grancia",
a characteristic mediaeval fortified granary. Amongst the
castles and monuments in the area (Modanella, Armaiolo,
Poggio Santa Cecilia) the farm now called Le Pievi is
especially worthy of mention; it comprises the ancient parish
church of Santo Stefano in Vicoduodecim, with a font already
mentioned in the year 1040.
At
Rapolano Terme, there is tourist accommodation available in hotels, agriturismos, b&b and rooms for rent.
