The
PODERE PRETOIA is situated on the hills not far from S.Gimignano,
the well known medieval town of towers, and Certaldo, the town
famous for the 14th century poet Boccaccio.
There are 11 hectares of land cultivated organically, respecting the
environment and its precious resources. Most of the cultivation is
dedicated to vineyards for the production of local wines such as Chianti
and Vernaccia. Other parts of land are dedicated to the
cultivation of Olives, Ancient Fruits, Saffron and Legumes.
The tradition of hospitality at the PODERE PRETOIA dates back to ancient
times, with documentation showing the oldest track of the Via Francigena,
on the left of the Elsa river.
The name Pretorio comes from Praetorium and was used to indicate the
places where travellers, using the public roads (curcus publicus)
sheltered for refreshment and hospitality. The name PRETOIA probably
evolved from Pretorio. The track from Ulignano passed by S.Maria and
S.Lucia (now S.Benedetto) and down towards the Elsa valley finally
reaching Badia a Elmi, a monastery founded in 1034. Nowadays only
the church survives intact.
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