“Dante in the Lands of Ghino di Tacco” from November 12 to 14, the events series in Torrita di Siena

Three days of events take place between Torrita di Siena, Sinalunga and Radicofani: “Dante in the Lands of Ghino di Tacco” from November 12 to 14 leads us to discovery this character who’s mentioned by the Supreme Poet in Canto VI of Purgatory. A conference, painting exhibition, and also trekking in the Sienese countryside brings us to discover the stories that link this territory to Dante.

The first event will take place on November 12 at 4 pm at La Tenuta La Fratta in the Municipality of Sinalunga with a Ghino di Tacco talk on myth and reality organized by the Circolo Fra Jacopo da Torrita. Cinzia Cardinali, director of the Siena State Archives will speak along with Mario Ascheri, Professor of History of Law at the Università di Rome 3 and of Siena as well as Scientific Advisor of the Italian Historical Institute for the Middle Ages. They will be joined by Fausto Cecconi, Councilor for Culture of the Municipality of Radicofani, Maria Elena Cortese, Researcher of Medieval History at the Uninettuno International Telematic University of Rome; Maria Grazia Nico Ottaviani, Professor of Medieval History at the University of Perugia; Renato Stopani, geo-historian and president of the Chiantigiani Clante Study Center and the Romei Study Centre, as well as a member of the Scientific Committee of the International Association of European Routes; Stelvio Mambrini, local historian.

The events of Saturday November 13 take place in Torrita di Siena, where Ghino di Tacco tried to conquer the Castle several times to cause damage to the Sienese Republic.

From Piazza Matteotti (at 9.00), the Cammino di Ghino di Tacco starts. The itinerary from Torrita di Siena to Radicofani is divided into two stages: the first is about 20 km and takes place on Saturday, going from Torrita to Monticchiello (Pienza) and the second is about 15 km on Sunday, from Gallina (Castiglione d’Orcia) to Radicofani. Participants will be accompanied by the environmental hiking guide Manuele De Bellis, and can choose to walk the entire way, staying overnight in Monticchiello, or just one day. On both dates there will be a free shuttle service: Saturday to return to Torrita from Montefollonico or Monticchiello; Sunday to cover the journey from Monticchiello to Gallina and then to return to Torrita in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, in the historic centre of Torrita at 10.30 in via Ottavio Maestri, there will be an exhibition of painting, sculpture and installation titled Tuscan artists for Dante – Signs and languages ​​of Tuscan contemporary art, remaining open until Wednesday December 8, 2021. The exhibition, curated by Giuliano Censini, features 23 works created by as many artists from all over Tuscany (Gastone Bai, Rossella Baldecchi, Vincenzo Calli, Myriam Cappelletti, Giuliano Caporali, Nadia Cascini, Cinzio Cavallarin, Giuliano Censini, Ignazio Fresu, Piero Gensini , Carlo Gentile, Gianfranco Giorni, Alessandro Grazi, Pasquale Marzelli, Vittoria Marziari, Gianfalco Masini, Fernanda Morganti, Andrea Pisano, Edoardo Pisano, Nico Posani, Andrea Roggi, Cesare Saccenti, and Massimo Sonnini).

The works, inspired by verses taken from the Comedy, are contained in a catalogue that will be presented during the inauguration. In the afternoon, the exhibition is at the centre of a project proposed by the Artisti toscani per Dante presentati dagli Accademici Oscuri. At 4.30 pm in the Teatro degli Oscuri, Professors Giuliano Censini and Furio Orazio Durando comment on the works, while Alberto Morganti speaks the verses to which they are dedicated.

For those who want to discover the artistic heritage preserved in the Castle of Torrita, the volunteers of the Cta Il Borgo association meet at 11.00 at the Church of the Madonna delle Nevi, for a visit to the historic centre along with meetings with the famous characters of Torritese history: Ghino di Tacco, La Nencia and Fra ‘Jacopo.

Sunday 14 is the day dedicated to the second stage of Il Cammino di Ghino di Tacco. Starting from Gallina at 9.00 and exploring the Val d’Orcia territory, walkers arrive at the Rocca di Radicofani in the afternoon, a particularly significant place as legend has it that it was conquered by Ghino di Tacco on Christmas night, 1297. The group will be greeted by a performance by flag-bearers and drummers from Torrita di Siena.

All initiatives are free and take place in compliance with anti-Covid regulations.

The Cammino di Ghino is a limited number event (info and reservations: info@justintuscany.com – or via the online form https://cutt.ly/il_cammino_di_ghino).

The exhibition takes place as part of the “Dante O Tosco” project dedicated to the celebration of Dante and is sponsored by the Casa di Dante, the Regione Toscana, the Province of Siena, the Unions of the Municipalities of the Valdichiana Senese and Amiata-Val d’Orcia, and the Municipalities of Sinalunga and Radicofani.