Top 7 Castles around Scansano

The "Casa della Memoria" in Batignano (a hamlet of Grosseto) is linked to the historical enhancement of the medieval village and to local religious figures, such as the venerable Father Giovanni Nicolucci. The village, a former fief of the Aldobrandeschi family, preserves walls, towers, and a convent (Santa Croce) that safeguard local history.

Istia is a castle that is discovered slowly, walking through its streets without haste; appreciating the glimpses, the hidden corners and the perspectives on the river that made it prosperous. It dominates the Ombrone river from the top of a modest hill in the Grosseto plain and was already an important hub of Etruscan-Roman and medieval roads, also thanks to its ford. A summit nucleus and one lower down are still clearly visible. It was mentioned for the first time in written sources in 862 with the name "Iscle", a name deriving from Ischia, which means Island, precisely because it was anciently surrounded by the waters of the Ombrone river. The external walls, which completely enclose the hill at its base, were equipped with two mighty gates, which served to defend a nodal point of passage for the trade and distribution of salt. Its strategic position made it fundamental in the Middle Ages and has brought it to us with still many things to tell. While walking through the streets of the center, don't forget to look out and admire the characteristic views of the river that made it rich.

In the spectacular scenery of the Grosseto countryside, nestled between gentle hills dotted with olive trees, the small village of Batignano suddenly appears to the gaze of those who travel, which blends perfectly with the environment in an example of absolute harmony. The castle owes its importance in the Middle Ages to the mines from which silver and lead were extracted, to be located in the area towards Montorsaio. As if suspended in time, the urban nucleus, a handful of houses marked by narrow streets, small arches, churches, archaeological finds and small open spaces, is a paradise for those seeking a journey between tranquility and peace.

The Cassero (=keep) Senese is a fortress from the 14th century and part of the impressive Bastione Fortezza. The fortress was built by the Republic of Siena and was preserved after the Grand Duchy of Tuscany ordered the demolition of Senese fortifications in 1565. The complex was then incorporated into the Bastione Fortezza, which in turn is part of Grosseto's city wall.

“La Nave” is a magical place…

Batignano is a characteristic medieval village, still today you can admire the remains of the city walls, the keep, the towers, the doors and a three-arched loggia. Like many other fiefdoms in the area, it belonged to the Aldobrandeschi family. The Walls of Batignano constitute the defensive system of the village, part of the municipality of Grosseto. A first city wall was built in Batignano during the 12th century to defend the noble area located in the upper part of the town. As time passed, the center increasingly expanded towards the concentric plateau located at a lower level than the pre-existing noble area; once this process was completed, there was the need to build a further defensive device that would protect the less ancient part. The construction of the new walls, more external than the pre-existing ones, continued between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and, once completed, they took on a roughly elliptical perimeter. In the following centuries, the Walls of Batignano followed the fate of the rest of the village, undergoing periods of decline followed by renovation and urban redevelopment works, which led, among other things, to incorporating some sections of curtain wall into the perimeter walls exteriors of residential buildings. The Walls of Batignano can be divided into two distinct concentric circles, an older internal one and a relatively more modern external one. The internal walls, trapezoidal in shape, have been almost incorporated into the external walls of the buildings located in the upper part of the centre, among which the ancient keep and a turreted building are recognisable. The external wall, roughly elliptical in shape, entirely delimits the village, alternating some sections of curtain which have perfectly preserved the original medieval characteristics (western bank of the circle) with others which are incorporated into the external perimeter walls of some buildings. Two doors open along the external wall (to the north-east and south-west), while a tower rises along the western bank.

The village of Manciano stands majestically on a hill, offering breathtaking views that range from Mount Amiata to the Argentario. Between uncontaminated nature and medieval history, in Manciano I recommend you visit the museum of Prehistory and Protohistory, or relax in the healing waters of the Saturnia spa.

Manciano is an Italian town of 7,071 inhabitants in the province of Grosseto in Tuscany. The center stands on a hill which dominates the plain and the Albegna valley on one side and the Tufo area on the other. Source: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manciano