Anghiari, a medieval village in Tuscany Tiber Valley

Anghiari, a medieval village in Tuscany’s Tiber Valley, is a member of the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy” club, an official list of small towns that earn this title not only for their striking aesthetics, but also for their particular historical and artistic interest, perfectly preserved urban fabric, and excellent quality of life. Anghiari has also been awarded the Orange Flag, “a seal of environmental tourism quality from the Italian Touring Club, awarded to small inland towns that stand out for their excellent offerings and quality hospitality.” Finally, it is part of the Slow Town network: small towns (quoted from the official website) “animated by individuals curious about time gone by, where people is still the protagonist of the slow, beneficial succession of the seasons.” municipalities that “respect the health of their citizens, the authenticity of their products, and good cuisine; rich in fascinating artisan traditions, precious works of art, squares, theaters, shops, cafes, restaurants, spiritual places, and pristine landscapes; characterized by the spontaneity of religious rites, respect for tradition, and the joy of a slow and quiet life.”

Although it was inhabited in Roman times, the first certain mention of Anghiari is found on a parchment from 1084, preserved in the Città di Castello archives, in which it is referred to as “curte nostra de Anglare”.

Initially, therefore, “Curtis,” meaning fortified possession of the lord, it passed in 1104 by will of the feudal lord Bernardino di Sidonia to the Camaldolese Order, who were responsible for the construction of the Abbey of San Bartolomeo Apostolo. Bernardino had restored freedom to the serfs and donated part of the castle’s rights to the men of the masnada, former serfs who had entered the feudal hierarchy for military service rendered to the lord. With this new social structure, Anghiari began to experience the phase of a Municipality, whose consuls were chosen, with the support of the Prior of San Bartolomeo, from among the ranks of the men of the masnada.

In 1175, following a military action by the Arezzo people, the castle of Anghiari was destroyed. Reconstruction began again in 1181. The construction of the second city wall, completed in 1204, also belongs to this phase.

In 1224 St. Francis, returning from Mount La Verna where he had received the stigmata, was hosted by the Lords of Montauto and gave his cassock to Prince Albert Barbolani. You can see the cassock in a chapel of the La Verna Sanctuary. The Holy Man went to the highest point of the village to meet the people, where there is a three streets crossroads and the legend says that he planted a cross in that place. From this visit, the popular demand to erect there a Franciscan monastery rise. The monastery grew over the centuries, until it became a real village, called “Borgo della Croce”.Since April 2024, a piece of the habit donated by Francis has been venerated in the Chiesa della Croce. Furthemore Alberto Barbolani promised to Francis to build another monastery in Montauto. Only much later the promise was kept by his heirs.

An important work of land reclamation took place during those years at the foot of the hill, promoting the intense agricultural activity of the Tiber Valley. In 1259 it was decided the diversion of the river Tiber to Sansepolcro with an agreement between Anghiari and Sansepolcro. With this exchange, Anghiari expanded its countryside toward the Biturgense town (Sansepolcro).

On January 4th, 1385, the Government of the Republic of Florence submitted Arezzo and its territories and a representative of Florence (Vicar) is sent to Anghiari. The most important historical event for which Anghiari is known is the famous battle of June 29th, 1440, which saw lined up on one part Florence, Venice and the Papacy, on the other a Milan army led by Niccolò Piccinino, who had expansionist aims in the central Italy.

The battle lasted one day and was won by the Florentines, who consolidated their domains in Tuscany.

This battle is also famous for having inspired the lost Leonardo Da Vinci’s fresco in the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence and of which there are some studies of the Master, and some copies of the central part of the work, of which the most important is the t Rubens’s one. National Geographic Society is conducting tests aimed to verify the hypothesis for which behind the fresco “The Battle of Marciano” by Vasari there is the remains of the work of Leonardo.

The period of the Medici Grand Duchy (1569-1737) saw a slow economic and cultural decline in Tuscany. Only in the eighteenth century the enlightened government of Leopold I of Lorraine overcame the crisis. To cite just a few examples, Leopold began the reclamation of Val di Chiana, founded the “Georgofili Academy”, rationalized agriculture and made Tuscany the first country in the world to abolish torture and the death penalty. In this period Anghiari further develop its agricultural economy and expands its borders beyond the Tiber.

The grateful Arezzo citizens’ attachment to the Grand Duchy, will lead them to strenuously oppose the French advance in Napoleon’s army, but in 1800 and until 1814 these territories went under French rule. At this stage Anghiari is a bilingual city, whose documents are drawn up in Italian and French. Even today some slang expressions or names remind these linguistic influences (“alò” from “allons” or “Parterre”, name the citizens call the terrace overlooking the valley, built in the Napoleonic period).

After the end of Napoleonic age and in the Restoration, which saw the return in Tuscany of Grand Duchy of Lorraine, Anghiari actively participates in the Risorgimento (reunification of Italy): it has a large number of Garibaldi’s partisans (the names of which can still be read in the stele on the side of Votive Temple to the Fallen in Piazza IV Novembre) and it is known the existence of a vibrant circle of Mazzini’s followers.

Finally, on March 11 and 12, 1860, Anghiari vote for its accession to the Kingdom of Sardinia.

The economy of Anghiari today is based on agriculture, tourism and craftsmanship tradition: in particular, restoration of antique furniture, weaving (known all over the world are the Busatti’s tissues), basketwork and goldsmith.