The gates of the medieval village

Walking on the upper side of Seggiano, it’s easy to recognize the medieval structure of the village.

You could imagine the original defensive walls, protected in the north by the “Mori”’s lookout and in the south thanks to “Fossolungo” (a large ditch, actually via Diaz). The east gates (del Mercato e degli Azzolini) were guarded from the “Torretta” while the ovest side with San Gervasio and Figlioldi (no more existing) gates at the end of routes still called “La Rampa”, “San Rocco” and “Santa Caterina”

However, most interesting is the unusual position of these gates: built up in the Middle Age, when usually the gates were placed at the end of straight roads, all those gates are just after an uphill corner. This choice is for military reasons because of the better defence against enemy troops that cannot use army such as battering ram. The same solution was used at the entrance of Castello di Potentino.

Unlike other medieval castles using ditches and drawbridges, this framework has proven to be extremely useful for a long time, also after firearms introduction, showing to be a good defence also against cannonballs.

This framework was possible because the transport of goods, in village so perched, was mainly by horses, donkeys, mules and rarely with small wheelbarrows that were able to turn easily and travel along the narrow street of this medieval village. And so has continued to be for centuries. I still remember when I was a child and the loaded donkeys moved up the staircase leading to the church of San Bernardino.

It’s still possible to imagine how Seggiano could have been in the Middle Age, when craftsmen farmers and soldiers, together with chatty housewives and crying kids, walked around this village that was more lively and busy than today.

From “Seggiano Curiosa”

by Fondazione Le Radici di Seggiano (website)