Vicchio

Vicchio, the enchanting village of Mugello, is a place with ancient and fascinating history, whose origins date back to Etruscan settlements, as evidenced by the significant archaeological excavations at Poggio Colla carried out by American universities. Its official foundation dates back to 1295, when the Florentine Republic built the Montesassi bridge, now known as Ponte a Vicchio, thus favoring the birth of the first inhabited nucleus called Vico, from which the current name derived. In 1308, the Podestà of Florence, Ugolino de Bittonio, ratified the construction of a fortified village, completed in 1324 with the erection of the walls, sealing Vicchio's definitive entry into the Florentine territory. The village further developed by welcoming the populations of Ampinana and the fortresses of Belfonte and Gattaia, becoming the seat of a Podesteria with its own statute, drawn up in 1413 by Coluccio Salutati. Vicchio always remained loyal to the Florentine Republic, even during the siege of 1529 by the imperial and Spanish troops of Clement VII, who invaded Mugello to conquer Florence. After months of resistance, in 1530 the village was captured by the forces of the Prince of Orange. Vicchio's role in history was also strengthened during the Second World War, when on March 6, 1944, the partisans liberated the village, triggering a violent reaction from the Nazi-fascist troops with reprisals and massacres, including the shooting of five young farmers on March 22 and the massacre of Padulivo in July of the same year. For the sacrifice of its citizens, in 2003 President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi awarded Vicchio the Silver Medal for Civil Merit. The village is also famous for being the birthplace of prominent figures in the history of art and culture: Giotto di Bondone, born in Colle di Vespignano around 1267, whose birthplace is now a museum, and Beato Angelico, who according to tradition was born in the hamlet of San Michele in Rupecanina and is honored by the Museum of Sacred Art and Popular Religiosity. Other illustrious figures linked to Vicchio are Benvenuto Cellini, who lived in the historic center and whose house now hosts a goldsmith art school workshop, and Don Lorenzo Milani, parish priest of Barbiana until 1967, known for his commitment to education and social justice, buried in the small cemetery of the church of Barbiana. In addition to its rich history, Vicchio offers a lively cultural scene with events such as the Giotto Jazz Festival and the Fiera Calda, which has origins in the Middle Ages.

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