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Handbook for travellers in central Italy including Florence, Lucca, Tuscany, Elba, etc., Umbria, the Marches, and part of the late patrimony of St. Peter Volume 2,
Handbook for travellers in central Italy including Florence Lucca Tuscany Elba etc Umbria the Marches and part of the late patrimony of St Peter Volume 2 Author:John Murray This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1889 Excerpt: ...by Desiderio. 6 m. Compiobbi Stat., whence it is a fine ascent of 2 hrs. to Incontro, on the rt. The pedestrian may return by a different ... more »route to Florence. The high road runs hence between the river and the rly., crossing the latter about a mile short of 12 m. Pontassieve Stat., where the valley of the Arno is left, the Sieve is crossed, and the road begins to ascend. 3 m. further a road branches rt. to (2J m.) Pelago, for Vallombrosa (see below), while our route continues E. to 24 m. Consuma, a lonely mountain Inn, at the foot of a hill which rises to the S. (3345 ft.). 7 m. further a road turns 1., passing the conspicuous ruins of liomena, a mediaeval castle mentioned by Dante, near which some authorities place the site of the Fonte Branda of the poet, rather than at Siena, to (2 m.) Pratovecchio, whence a footpath leads due E. by Moggiano to Camaldoli in 3 hrs. There is an Alpine Inn at Stia, the terminus of the rly. from Arezzo, £ hr. N. of Pratovecchio. Our road proceeds S.E. to 34 m. Borgo-alla-Collina, in the church of which is the body of Cristofano Landino, the chancellor of the republic, preserved as a mummy. The Florentine state bestowed on him the ancient castle of Borgo-alla-Collina, as a reward for his public services, and his commentary on Dante; here he retired, in 1497, at the age of 73, and never returned to Florence, to avoid being engaged in the intrigues against the Medici. The adjoining cenotaph was raised to his memory about 50 years ago by Cardinal Dupuy. Above the village, on the rt., rises Gastel S. Niccdlb. After a descent of about 1 m. the road crosses the Arno, and traverses the small plain of Campaldino, the scene of a battle between the Guelphs and Ghibellines on the' 11th of June, 1289, in which the latter, chiefly Aret...« less