Fiesole: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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EUR 80 - 192 Pensione Bencistà
 Pensione Bencistà is a 14th-century villa set in the hills above Florence and surrounded by typical Tuscan olive groves. The terrace offers panoramic… MoreEUR 80 - 150 Villa Miralunga B&B
 Located on a hillside overlooking Florence, 7 km away, Villa Miralunga is a small B&B set in a 19th-century building. It offers free Wi-Fi, free parki… MoreEUR 72 - 320 Hotel Villa Fiesole
 Villa Fiesole offers free parking, and a panoramic terrace with views over Florence, only 3 km (1.8 miles) away. The swimming pool is found in the hot… MoreEUR 79 - 230 Hotel Villa Dei Bosconi
 Surrounded by Tuscan countryside, yet only 8 km from central Florence, Hotel Villa Dei Bosconi features large gardens with a swimming pool with jacuzz… MoreEUR 65 - 2,189 Hotel Villa Aurora
 Hotel Villa Aurora is built around a 19th century manor in the historic centre of Fiesole. Choose from 24 different kinds of rooms with a host of comm… MoreEUR 40 - 130 Hotel Villa Bonelli
 Situated in the old Etruscan village of Fiesole, hotel Villa Bonelli is surrounded by a magnificent landscape of green hills at 305 metres above sea l… MoreEUR 65 - 140 Dino
 When the Messeri family established the Dino hotel in 1955, they wanted their guests to enjoy a wonderful position with a view on Florence and Fiesole… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fiesole: Guide
Italian region of Tuscany, on a famously scenic height above Florence, 8 km (5 mi) NE of that city. Its population according to the 2003 census was 14,100.
History
Fiesole was probably founded in the 9th-8th century BC, as it was an important member of the Etruscan civilization|Etruscan confederacy, as may be seen from the remains of its ancient walls.
The first recorded mention on the town dates to Romans. In pagan antiquity it was the seat of a famous school of augurs, and every year twelve young men were sent thither from Rome to study the art of divination. Sulla colonized it with veterans, who afterwards, under the leadership of Manlius, supported the cause of Catilina.
Fiesole fell to the Germanic tribes|Germanic hordes of the Vandals and Suevi under Radagaisus were defeated in 405 by hunger rather than by the troops of Stilicho. During the Gothic War (536-53) the town was several times besieged. In 539 Justinus, the Byzantine general, captured it and razed its fortifications.
It was an independent town for several centuries in the early Middle Ages, no less powerful than Florence in the valley below, and many wars arose between them; in 1010 and 1025 Fiesole was sacked by the Florentines, before it was conquered by Florence in 1125, and its leading families obliged to take up their residence in Florence.
Main sights
Remnants of Etruscan walls.
Roman baths.
Roman theatre.
Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall) of the 14th century.
The cathedral (Il Duomo), containing the shrine of St. Romulus, martyr, according to legend the first Bishop of Fiesole, and that of his martyred companions, also the shrine of St. Donatus of Fiesole.
The Badia or ancient cathedral of St. Romulus, built in 1028 by Bishop Jacopo Bavaro with materials taken from several older edifices, at the foot of the hill on which Fiesole stands, supposed to cover the site of the martyrdom of St. Romulus; it contains notable sculptures by Mino da Fiesole. The old cathedral became a Benedictine abbey, which passed into the hands of the regular canons of Lateran. It once possessed a valuable library, long since dispersed. The abbey was closed in 1778.
The room in the bishop's palace where St. Andrew Corsini lived and died.
In the neighbourhood are:
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikipedia article "Fiesole". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.
The little church of the Primerana in the cathedral square, where the same saint was warned by Our Lady of his approaching death. Built in 996 and further expanded in medieval times, has mantained the Gothic presbitery from that period. It received a new façade in the late 16th century, with graffito decoration by Ludovico Buti. The interior, on a single hall, has a 13th century panel portrayin Madonna with Child. In the transept are two marble bas-reliefs by Francesco da Sangallo, and a terracotta from Andrea della Robbia's workshop.
The church of S. Alessandro, with the shrine of St. Alexander, bishop and martyr.
The monastery of S. Francesco on the crest of the hill, with the cells of St. Bernardine of Siena and seven Franciscan Beati.
San Girolamo, the home of Venerable Carlo dei Conti Guidi, founder of the Hieronymites of Fiesole (1360).
San Domenico, the novice-home of Fra Angelico da Fiesole and of St. Antoninus of Florence.
Fontanelle, a villa near S. Domenico, where St. Aloysius came to live in the hot summer months, when a page at the court of Grand Duke Francesco de' Medici.
Villa Medici in Fiesole.
Le Balze.
Villa Schifanoia.
Fonte Lucente, where a miraculous crucifix is greatly revered.
Monte Senario, the cradle of the Servite Order, where its seven holy founders lived in great austerity and were cheered at their death by the songs of angels
S. Martino di Mensola, with the body of St. Andrew, an Irish saint, still incorrupt.Famous people from Fiesole
Francesco Landini (c.1325–1397), composer, singer, poet, organist and instrument maker
Lorenzo Monaco (1370-1424), painter
the greatest name associated with the city is that of Fra Angelico or Blessed Giovanni Angelico, called da Fiesole (1387-1455). His baptismal name was Guido, but entering the convent of the Reformed Dominicans at Fiesole, he took Giovanni as name in religion; the surname Angelico 'angelic' was afterwards given to him in allusion to the beauty of his works and purity of spirit.
Mino da Fiesole, Florentine sculptor (c.1429—1484) ?and painter
Andrea Barzagli, soccer player, member of the 2006 Italian World Cup champion team.See also
Diocese of FiesoleSources and external links