Scarperia

Scarperia (in the past also Scarpignana and founded with the name of Castel San Barnaba) is famous for the production of craft knives and professional coffee machines. The territory is characterized by hills from the sweet aspect and curvilinear. Is this, just outside of the village, the Giogo Pass, which leads to the town of Firenzuola, to continue up to Imola and subsequently in Bologna.

The Palazzo dei Vicari is a palace originally built in the fourteenth century, that probably was originally constituted by single tower and had to be the residence of the Captain. After the erection of Terranuova to seat vicarial became necessary significant extensions and changes: among these the arrangement of the rooms on the first floor as the chapel and the salon, and the realization of the current input. Initially it was the seat of the podestà and then dei Vicari, becoming in 1415 seat of the Vicariate of the Florentine Republic that had founded in 1306, as a military outpost and place of checking the viability transappenninica, representing the only way of communication between Florence and Bologna until the middle of the 18th century. When Scarperia earned the victory against the Milanese troops (1351), the bond with Florence strengthened himself to the point that, as a sign of thanksgiving was granted the privilege of having the same coat of arms of Florence just to invert colors: red lily on white field. Inside the palace we can admire a fresco by the school of Ghirlandaio, 1501, and also the ancient clock of the bell tower work documented by Filippo Brunelleschi, unique witness of his activities in the field of watchmaking, even if its production was broader as we testify biographers Manetti and Vasari.

In the commune of Scarperia is present the International Autodrome of Mugello and the Golf Club Poggio dei Medici.

BY CAR

• From North and South: Take the A1 highway, exit at Barberino, continue on the SP 31 and then on the SS 65, follow in the direction of Scarperia and San Piero.

ON THE TRAIN

• San Piero a Sieve railway station

BY PLANE

• Florence airport

Just a few kilometers from Florence, among the rolling hills, the tall cypress trees, and against the background of mountain peaks and passes, stretches the territory of the Mugello and the Sieve Valley. Is a landscape of woods that give black truffles and mushrooms and invites to the discovery of parishes and towns. Among these there is Scarperia: a village with a core of iron, just softened by the renaissance paintings scattered in palaces and churches, or from the poetic verses of Margherita Guidacci, who so loved this village.
Here everything speaks of sharp blades, i.e. "cutters, shears and pocket knifes", whose production assured fame to the local craftsmen from the Middle Ages until the mid eighteenth century. From the humble knife of the canteen of the poor to the valuable blades of noblemen, from faithful tool used in the work of the fields to the dagger as a pledge of love or a symbol of fidelity: all the art of cutlery has found in Scarperia his cavern of the Volcano.
The village, born as a Florentine outpost on the road toward Bologna, later became an important market and a resting. Still today it is traversed and divided in two by the road that leads to Bologna, around which the buildings have formed an urban fabric of a vaguely rectangular shape, enclosed by walls interspersed with square towers. The heart of the fortified settlement is the Palazzo dei Vicari, residence of fourteenth century, with towers on the side facing the square and a fortress on the back.

Discover the other villages on the guide Tuscany - Unique Villages to Love

The origins of the feast of the Diotto are lost in the mists of time. Scarperia, founded by the Florentine Republic on 7 September 1306, has always organized the celebrations of the anniversary on 8 September to associate them to the holy feast of the Nativity of Our Lady, which falls on the following the Day "eight".

In 1953 the authorities Scarperiesi decided to revive the ancient custom of the succession vicarial, reproposing in historical key the feast of Diotto always felt in the land of Mugello. The first shadows of the evening at the chiming that diffuses from the high and elegant tower, the ancient gate of Palazzo dei Vicari opens allowing the output of a procession composed of over a hundred listed with the outgoing Vicar, and with the sound of the chiarine and rullar of drums is directed between the two dense wings of the crowd, to encounter the new dignitary that soon will take its place in the government of the Vicariate.

To Porta Fiorentina two characters will meet, greet and then the procession that originates from Florence escorting pompously the New Vicar sent to happen in that charge to the government of Scarperia, joins at the local level and by sliding backwards along the ancient streets cheerfully illuminated and decorated, reaches the beautiful piazza which extends in front of the Palazzo dei Vicari where, to celebrate, you do watch the games organized in his honor.

The master of the field starts the five races; at the end of which you will be awarded the Palio of the Diotto to one of the four districts of participants in the final races ultimate will have scored the highest score. The games have rural origin and are the genuine expression of the strong Scarperiesi people that in craft work and in one of the fields, has always made energy and talent. The races engage the six competitors for faction in "throw of knives", in the "Race of tubs" in "tug of war", in the "race on the bricks" and in the "pole della Cuccagna".

All interspersed by the music and the launches of the Musicians & Bandierai of Castel San Barnaba. The Palio of the Diotto takes place every year on the day 8 September in Piazza dei Vicari in the village of Scarperia, in Tuscany.