Palaces & Monuments
P03 - Porticciola o Porta delle Fonti
ASCIANO
It was a secondary access to the medieval village, opened near a washhouse outside the walls in the direction of the nearby farm of Vallìdoli. From here a narrow path started that reached the farm La Magione and continued towards the road of Grottoli passing through the current Casone bridge. From here you could reach Trequanda, Chiusure and San Giovanni d'Asso.
The small size of the Gate is at the origin of the name by which it is known: Porticciola.
Of this secondary access neither topographical nor descriptive references on its specific construction characteristics have survived.
However, next to it on the south side, there was a large Tower of the city walls, which still exists although greatly reduced in size
Synthetic Chronology of the tower
1342 – 1352 probable construction as it belongs to the third circle of walls built in these years
1555 the tower was cut down by order of Cosimo I
1830 – 1903 construction in adherence of a building on the south side.
Current dimensional data
average external height: 17.0 m. average internal height: 8.0 m. thickness of the walls: n.r. length of the section: 5.0 m.
Architectural Description
This was a tower of significant proportions having the function of a small defensive outpost against frequent incursions. Currently it has changed its appearance of a large tower, following its halving in depth and the construction adjacent to a residential building, which occurred between the second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.
The tower, which today has a rectangular plan, has a large infilled arch on the internal front, some defensive slits towards the outside and a sloping base. Its gabled roof is certainly a consequence of its partial downsizing following the conquest of the Florentines, in the second half of the sixteenth century.
Current Status
Private property for residential use.
Click here to access the Walls navigator, which allows you to consult detailed information.
It was a secondary access to the medieval village, opened near a washhouse outside the walls in the direction of the nearby farm of Vallìdoli. From here a narrow path started that reached the farm La Magione and continued towards the road of Grottoli passing through the current Casone bridge. From here you could reach Trequanda, Chiusure and San Giovanni d'Asso.
The small size of the Gate is at the origin of the name by which it is known: Porticciola.
Of this secondary access neither topographical nor descriptive references on its specific construction characteristics have survived.
However, next to it on the south side, there was a large Tower of the city walls, which still exists although greatly reduced in size
Synthetic Chronology of the tower
1342 – 1352 probable construction as it belongs to the third circle of walls built in these years
1555 the tower was cut down by order of Cosimo I
1830 – 1903 construction in adherence of a building on the south side.
Current dimensional data
average external height: 17.0 m. average internal height: 8.0 m. thickness of the walls: n.r. length of the section: 5.0 m.
Architectural Description
This was a tower of significant proportions having the function of a small defensive outpost against frequent incursions. Currently it has changed its appearance of a large tower, following its halving in depth and the construction adjacent to a residential building, which occurred between the second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.
The tower, which today has a rectangular plan, has a large infilled arch on the internal front, some defensive slits towards the outside and a sloping base. Its gabled roof is certainly a consequence of its partial downsizing following the conquest of the Florentines, in the second half of the sixteenth century.
Current Status
Private property for residential use.
Click here to access the Walls navigator, which allows you to consult detailed information.