Castelnuovo Grilli Asciano

ORARI DI APERTURA E VISITA:
Private property, only open outward.

In Castelnuovo Grilli you do not come by chance. This is one of the places most pleasant and most carefully hidden by the nature of the territory, closer to Trequanda than to the main town of Asciano and very close to the Asso stream sources.

The history of the castle is fascinating because the first traces date back to the mid-century. XIII. At the time was a real fort. Some sources report that in 1271 there was a mayor sent by the Sienese government when the farm had already Piccolomini there. Unfortunately, over the years, the Sienese Republic looked to the castle, with its fortilizia structure and its strategic location, with concern, so much so that in 1389 ordered him to be ruined.

The castle was first built on the traces of the ancient fortification. This reconstruction is derived the name "Castelnuovo" just to indicate that previously there was a more ancient castle. There is no precise date of the reconstruction, but it is plausible to assume that it was rebuilt in the seventeenth century, also because the suffragan church dedicated to San Martino and annexed to the castle, reported a 'inscription indicating 1728 as the date already has an initial restoration.

Over the years Castelnuovo took the name of the owners, so for a time is indicated in the maps as Castelnuovo Bersi. To date it is indicated by the name of Castelnuovo Grilli named after the family that owns it by about mid-nineteenth century.

The complex is the result of different edificatoria phases. The lower part of the castle is probably the oldest with traces probably dating back to twelve hundred. During the nineteenth century it was added the east wing, lower compared to the castle and was destined to agricultural activities. And 'in fact it composed of a beautiful tinaio three naves and a large oliviera. The current facade of the castle, with plaster with relief moldings and ashlar reason trefoil at the windows, is the result of a restoration dating from about the mid nineteenth century.

The garden plant is typical Italian style, built at the turn of the nineteenth and the twentieth century, with stone well which acts as a pivot to the composition of the garden itself. There are flower beds bordered by stones, box hedges, secular conifers including Cedar and Deodar Cedar, there are also other native plant species such as laurel trees and yew. so much so that, getting there, you will be amazed the fairy-tale castle.

To access the map of the defensive sighting network, of which Castelnuovo Bersi was an important node, click here.