The Cisternone

If you come to Seggiano, the visit to the Cisternone is an obligatory stop to see the aeroponic olive. It takes in the background the beauty of the panorama, with a wonderful view of Mount Amiata and the historical significance of the medieval wall (no longer existing) above the Fossolungo.

The unique and robust construction technique of this cistern, which up to a hundred years ago collected all the rainwater of Seggiano, as a precious deposit, was a little considered. Externally it is made of “matrollino” stone, a very compact and robust limestone that still ensures excellent stability; it is the same rock on which the foundations of the homes of all Seggiano are based.

It is also a rock that is very water-resistant, but the builders are not trusted; to ensure the water tightness, the interior of the tank is covered with special bricks, very compact and tilted, that is, shaped with the radial sides converging in the center of the tank to form a perfect circle, so to use very little mortar, the element theoretically critical for hydraulic sealing. From the inside of the tank the precision of laying in operation is extraordinarily uniform in every area.

During the recent work to house the olive tree, it was difficult to realize the two openings (on the side and on the top) for the hardness and compactness of the outer stone, but above all the bricks and mortar; this is the best demonstration of the extraordinary constructive technique adopted.

From “Seggiano Curiosa”

by Fondazione Le Radici di Seggiano (website)