Capanne: Village History, Church Art and Landscape

Capanne between Village History and Landscape

If you are considering a holiday apartment in Capanne as a travel destination, you will encounter a rural character and an unusually layered history. Capanne is a modest rural village that was formerly known as Capanne di Saturni. The village was established in the 15th century at the initiative of the Republic of Siena as an agricultural centre. This gives your planning two appealing focal points: the historical traces in the village and the cultural and scenic destinations in the surrounding area.

Historical Traces in Capanne

The Church of the Visitation of Mary in Capanne is dated to 1570, based on the date on its entrance portal. To the left of the parish church, a building is traditionally regarded as a prison where people detained by the jurisdiction of Saturnia were held. The L-shaped building arranged beside the church of Capanne preserves a small triangular plaque on its façade bearing the year 1500.

Casa Luciani also bears the year 1500 as its date of foundation. The building contains a fresco depicting the Madonna and Child with Saints. A wooden crucifix in Capanne is associated with local legends and traditions. For culturally interested travellers, this suggests several different points of access: sacred art, traditional local history, notable dates and religious traditions can be considered together without Capanne losing its rural character.

Church Art in Poggio Capanne

Near Capanne, Poggio Capanne broadens the cultural picture. The Church of the Visitation of Mary in Poggio Capanne houses a 19th-century painting. It depicts the Madonna and Child enthroned between Saint Anthony Abbot and Saint Joseph. The church also houses a reduced 17th-century copy of Federico Barrocci’s 1586 altarpiece of the Visitation from the Chiesa Nuova in Rome.

The two works provide different historical and artistic accents: one painting dates from the 19th century, while the copy refers to an altarpiece from 1586 and itself belongs to the 17th century. If you do not want to limit culture on your trip to a single building, these sacred subjects can form the focus of your day’s itinerary.

Early History near Poggio Capanne

Several caves carved into the rock lie near Poggio Capanne. Their appearance and features resemble those of the necropolises associated with the Rinaldone culture. A copper axe from the necropolis near Poggio Capanne is dated to the first phase of the Early Bronze Age. This subject area extends far beyond the more recent history of the village and also makes the surrounding area interesting for travellers interested in early settlement and burial traces.

Destinations and Mountains in the Regional Surroundings

In the wider regional surroundings of Capanne are Vitozza as an ancient site, Castello di Cotone and San Bruzio as ruins, and Giardino dei Tarocchi as a museum. Each of these destinations offers its own emphasis, ranging from ancient history and preserved ruins to art. The mountains Monte Cavallo, Monte Nero, Monte Tellere and Monte Rosso are also located around Capanne. All four are mountains.

Choosing a Holiday Apartment in Capanne Based on Your Travel Interests

When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday house, you can consider Capanne according to your preferred travel focus. If local history and church art particularly appeal to you, the buildings, dates, paintings and traditions in Capanne and Poggio Capanne will be the main focus. If you are more interested in early history, the caves and the copper axe from the necropolis add further points of interest. The destinations and mountains in the regional surroundings broaden the thematic scope. This allows you to base your accommodation choice on the combination of village history, culture and landscape that suits your travelling group.

Discover More Places

For further travel planning, you can also consider Poggio Murella, Montemerano, Marsiliana and Saturnia.

To the higher-level travel overview: Manciano.