History of Radda

The nearest hamlet to Vercenni, Radda is the ancient capital of the lega del Chianti and befitting its history is built on a medieval plane that radiates from a central Piazza that is overlooked by the 14^th century church of San Nicolo. Opposite stands the Palazzo Communale (or town hall), built in 1415, which proudly displays on its façade some 51 Coats of Arms of local families, while underneath sits a splendid 15th Century fresco: Madonna, St Christopher and St. John The Baptist.

Inhabited since the 11^th Century BC, Radda has been home to both Etruscans and Romans. In the 10^th Century it became a feudal possession under the ownership of Counts of Guidi, only to become by the next century the second most important conurbation in the area a fact not unnoticed by the Florentines who seized it in 1203. Conveniently located on a hill, Radda for centuries felt the brunt of the wars between Florence and Siena until the middle of the 13^th century when the Republic of Florence organized its people into "Leagues". Chianti became the major, and Radda became the seat of the Podestà, aka the chief magistrate, and therefore its centre. And so the warring went on all over Tuscany until 1550, when Florence finally bested Sienna and the whole county relaxed and got on with what it knew best making wine. Since then Radda has become one of the three counties of Chianti that still excels in the production of wine and olive oil, and whose charms have enticed visitors ever since.