Lateinische Inschrift auf einer mittelalterlichen Tafel in Monteriggioni, einer ummauerten Stadt in der Toskana, Italien. Die Plakette befindet sich neben dem südlichen Tor von Monteriggioni, der Porta Romea oder Franca aus den frühen 1200s Jahren, und ist die Grundlage der Stadt Siena im Jahr 1213 als eine auf einem Hügel gelegene Zitadelle und ein nördliches Bollwerk gegen florentinische Truppen, die das Gebiet von Siena angreifen.
2001 x 3000 px | 16,9 x 25,4 cm | 6,7 x 10 inches | 300dpi
Aufnahmedatum:
31. Mai 2007
Ort:
Monteriggioni, Tuscany, Italy
Weitere Informationen:
Dieses Bild kann kleinere Mängel aufweisen, da es sich um ein historisches Bild oder ein Reportagebild handel
Monteriggioni, Tuscany, Italy: a medieval plaque embedded in the wall beside the early-13th century Porta Romea or Franca, the walled town's southern gateway, records its foundation in 1213 by the city of Siena as a hilltop citadel and northern bulwark against Florentine troops attacking Sienese territory along the Via Francigena pilgrimage route from France to Rome. Monteriggioni's strategic location between the two warring city states meant that it had to withstand many attacks. It was regarded as near-impregnable - not least because of the 'charcoal pits' outside the walls ready to be set alight by its defenders. But when the fortress finally surrendered to Florence in 1554, it was without a fight. The town's traitorous commander, Giovannino Zeti, is said to have handed the town keys over to enemy troops, in return for a guarantee of his own safety. Monteriggioni's citizens, carried off to Florence, condemned the act as treason, calling it a "great betrayal". According to legend, Zeti's ghost still wanders the Monteriggioni's streets and a secret tunnel, desperate to find forgiveness and peace. Monteriggioni is still surrounded by a roughly circular ring of walls built by Siena from 1213 to 1219. They run for about 570 meters (1, 870 feet), with 14 equidistant rectangular watchtowers, up to 20 m high. The walls are pierced by two gateways: Porta Fiorentina facing north towards Florence and Porta Romea facing south towards Rome. In Canto 31 of his 'Inferno', part of the 'Divine Comedy', Tuscan poet Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) used Monteriggioni's towers to evoke the sight of the Infernal Abyss "turreted with giants". D0304.A3621