Tuscany Farmhouses
Tuscany travel resources:Radda in Chianti
Radda is a nice village inside the medieval walls. The structure is vary with concentric circles around the fortress, narrow streets which widen, it seems to be in the Middle Ages. The houses were embellished and restored a lot of times and now they are good building. For example the Palace of the commune's chief dating back to the XV century. Since 1203 Radda is in the Florentine area. It became the centre of the Chianti's "terziere" (a subdivision of some medieval towns), and it was the Chianti's capital until 1774, when the Grand Duke Leopold eliminated the "terziere" and he divided the area into communes. Radda has medieval origins and probably it wasn't a very important centre. Here a group of Franciscans arrived and built a small monastery near the church with a nice arcade along the façade. In 1230 Radda was attacked by Sienesi, in 1268 it was sacked by the troops of Carlo d'Angiò and in 1478 it was destroyed.
In 1555 the Sienese Republic ended so Radda and the Chianti found the peace until now denied.
In the past that territory was at the frontier and it drew attention of Florentine nobles and merchants.
Instead of castles, fabulous villas rose in the centre of wide estates. Entrepreneurs lead the new productive structures and they want to get a profit from their investments.
Radda is a little village and its economy is based on the production of wine. People and territory offer a place rich in natural and human values which are very interesting.
The last Sunday of August takes place the Forgiveness' Feast, and every fourth Monday there is the market.