The ruins of Castiglion Balzetti: building materials and construction techniques

Abstract

[EN] The ruins of Castiglion Balzetti, from the aristocratic family that initially had lordship over this territory, lie isolated, far from roads, communication routes and inhabited places, in the woods of the Val di Merse, in the province of Siena. This is why it is commonly known as “Castiglion che Dio sol sa”. Few historical sources are available on this settlement. It is mentioned for the first time in the Sienese statutes in 1262, being under the jurisdiction of Siena. In the early 14th century, it belonged to the powerful Sienese Saracini family with an important mill located in the Merse river. The ruins are impressive. The castle consists of a large rectangular donjon, on which the eastern side was leaned another building that originally housed the church, and a second probably used as stables. A smaller tower stands at the south-west corner, with an oven and well inside. The buildings are connected by a curtain wall that delimits the courtyard, with the main entrance door opening on the southern side. Around this complex, a village developed in ancient times, included within a second fortified circuit of which numerous remains are visible. The castle, like the neighbouring villages of Orgia and Brenna, suffered various pillages during the 14th century and, with the end of the Sienese Republic, gradually fell into ruin until it was completely abandoned and forgotten. The research will examine the different construction phases through the study of the wall apparatus and the natural and artificial stone materials according to mineralogical and petrographic methodologies. The data will be correlated with the local supply sources.