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Sorano | |
---|---|
Comune di Sorano | |
Coordinates: 42°40′55″N11°42′54″E / 42.68194°N 11.71500°E | |
Country | Italy |
Region | Tuscany |
Province | Grosseto (GR) |
Frazioni | Castell'Ottieri, Cerreto, Elmo, Montebuono, Montevitozzo, Montorio, San Giovanni delle Contee, San Quirico, San Valentino, Sovana |
Government | |
• Mayor | Pierandrea Vanni |
Area | |
• Total | 174.56 km2 (67.40 sq mi) |
Elevation | 379 m (1,243 ft) |
Population (1 January 2022) [2] | |
• Total | 3,091 |
• Density | 18/km2 (46/sq mi) |
Demonym | Soranesi |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Postal code | 58043 |
Patron saint | St. Nicholas |
Saint day | December 6 |
Website | Official website |
Sorano is a town and comune in the province of Grosseto, southern Tuscany (Italy).
It is an ancient medieval hill town hanging from a tuff stone over the Lente River.
Sorano was probably inhabited by Villanovan culture, but the first historical mentions are relative to the 3rd century BC, when it was an Etruscan city under the influence of the more populous nearby Sovana.
Disappearing from history under the Roman domination, it is again known in 862 when a county was founded by Emperor Louis II, under the Aldobrandeschi suzerainty. The Aldobrandeschi were the most powerful feudataries of southern Tuscany for more than four centuries, disappearing in 1312 when Margherita, son of Ildibrandino, died without male heirs. His daughter Adelaide married to Romano di Gentile Orsini, who added the city to the family fiefs.
The county of Pitigliano-Sorano fought against the Republic of Siena, but was forced to accept its suzerainty from 1417. It regained a full independence in 1556, when the latter was annexed to the Duchy of Tuscany. The fortress, due to its strategic position, was frequently attacked; it was also the seat of fratricidal fights between the Orsini. In 1604, with the death of Alessandro di Bertoldo, it became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
It became part of the Kingdom of Italy in 1860.
The municipality is formed by the municipal seat of Sorano and the villages ( frazioni ) of Castell'Ottieri, Cerreto, Elmo, Montebuono, Montevitozzo, Montorio, San Giovanni delle Contee, San Quirico, San Valentino and Sovana.
Comedian Jack Benny mentions Sorano in a running gag on both the radio and television versions of The Jack Benny Program , in which Jack has written a song entitled “When You Say 'I Beg Your Pardon,' Then I’ll Come Back to You.” [3] In the gag, each time Jack reaches the lyric “when the swallows at Sorano return to Capistrano,” the song is interrupted by a cast member or guest star questioning how a swallow could possibly fly all the way from Italy to California. [4] [5] [6]
Another castle is in the frazione of Sovana.
Guy de Montfort, Count of Nola (1244–1291) was the son of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester and Eleanor of England.
Pitigliano is a town in the province of Grosseto, located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) south-east of the city of Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia.
Orbetello is a town and comune in the province of Grosseto (Tuscany), Italy. It is located about 35 kilometres (22 mi) south of Grosseto, on the eponymous lagoon, which is home to an important Natural Reserve.
Semproniano is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Grosseto in the Italian region of Tuscany, about 120 kilometres (75 mi) south of Florence and about 35 kilometres (22 mi) east of Grosseto.
Sovana is a small town in southern Tuscany, Italy, a frazione of Sorano, a comune in the province of Grosseto. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia.
The Aldobrandeschi family was an Italian noble family from southern Tuscany.
Anastasia de Montfort, Countess of Nola, was an Italian noblewoman and a wealthy heiress. She was the eldest daughter of Guy de Montfort, Count of Nola, himself the son of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester. She held the title suo jure Countess of Nola after her father's death in 1291. She also held the titles of suo jureDame de Chailly and suo jureDame de Longjumeau. She was the wife of Romano Orsini, Senator of Rome.
The Vie Cave, also known in Italian as Cavoni, is a road network in southern Europe, found in Spain, Italy, Turkey and as far east as Jordan. In Italy they partly link an Etruscan necropolis and several settlements in the area between Sovana, Sorano and Pitigliano. They consist mainly of trenches of variable width and length, excavated as nearly vertical cliffs in different types of bedrock, sometimes over sixty feet high, possibly serving as a defense system against invaders, wild animals or forces of nature. Although often dated as being carved by pre-Roman civilisations in the first or second millennium BC, the builders and purpose of the road system are largely unclear, and there are indications that they are much older than assumed.
Vitozza is a cave settlement located near the village of San Quirico in the municipality of Sorano, in the province of Grosseto, southern Tuscany (Italy), which was inhabited from Etruscan times until the end of the 18th century.
Castell'Ottieri is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Sorano, province of Grosseto, in the tuff area of southern Maremma. At the time of the 2001 census its population amounted to 195.
Elmo is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Sorano, province of Grosseto, in the tuff area of southern Maremma. At the time of the 2001 census its population amounted to 44.
Montebuono is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Sorano, province of Grosseto, in the tuff area of southern Maremma. At the time of the 2001 census its population amounted to 37.
Montevitozzo is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Sorano, province of Grosseto, in the tuff area of southern Maremma. At the time of the 2001 census its population amounted to 106.
Montorio is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Sorano, province of Grosseto, in the tuff area of southern Maremma.
San Martino sul Fiora is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Manciano, province of Grosseto. At the time of the 2001 census its population amounted to 224.
San Giovanni delle Contee is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Sorano, province of Grosseto, in the tuff area of southern Maremma. At the time of the 2001 census its population amounted to 224.
San Quirico is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Sorano, province of Grosseto, in the tuff area of southern Maremma. At the time of the 2001 census its population amounted to 572.
San Valentino is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Sorano, province of Grosseto, in the tuff area of southern Maremma. At the time of the 2001 census, its population was 58.
Pitigliano Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul in the town of Pitigliano, in the region of Tuscany, Italy.
Sovana Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Sovana, now a frazione of the town of Sorano, in the province of Grosseto, region of Tuscany, Italy, dedicated to Saint Peter. Formerly the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Sovana, since 1986 it has been a co-cathedral in the diocese of Pitigliano-Sovana-Orbetello.