Torre Dei Serviti - Residenza d'Epoca

The hotel Torre dei Serviti was born in 2000 in order to organize an attractive tourist proposal of accommodation characterized by some elements of originality compared with the average of Tuscany (sure elevated).

The society has been founded by a group of friends of various professional and company experiences, but with the common aim to offer a tourist proposal of quality respecting the Tuscany tradition.

They live in this land and want to try to involve you into the atmosphere of Casole d'Elsa, recently described by one of the most important Italian newspapers as "one of the small countries of noble civilization and culture of Tuscany hills from 1300's to 1500's, substantially untouched in its rigorous building and environmental standard.

...more to know...

In the delicious village of Casole d'Elsa of the 300' century, small gem of Tuscany countryside, lies Residenza d'Epoca "Torre dei Serviti", which was formerly a convent in the second half of the 400's, later the dependency of the Episcopal seminary of Volterra.

Casole d'Elsa is a medieval beautiful village, easy reachable from the more fascinating and famous angles of Tuscany. (Siena 25 km, Florence 45 km).

The harmony between a relaxing life led in a lovely context as the Tuscany and the closeness to the main historical and cultural centers of the province of Siena makes the staying in Hotel Torre dei Serviti a truly particular, original and unforgettable experience.

The main reason of the fashion of Torre dei Serviti is due to its introduction in an historical and landscaped context of highest value.

The village of Casole d'Elsa preserves nowadays features typical of 300's, which perfectly combine with the restorations, the modernisations and the splendour of the surrounding nature.

The restoration of Torre dei Serviti stresses the extreme respect of medieval characteristics as well as the architectonic structure and its inner furnishings, trying to develop such characteristics and underline them with originality, sobriety and heat.

The architectonic complex of Torre dei Serviti has the most articulated and unknown history of Casole d'Elsa. Torre dei Serviti rises in the north part of the village, where anciently lied "Porta ai Frati".

From the plain in the north part of the village the walls and the towers of the ancient caste of Casole d'Elsa still conserve the austere appearance of the fortress of Siena, as reproduced by the engraving of Jean von Der Streat (called "Giovanni Stradaro"). Following the troops of Florence, the Fleming reproduced the scene of the siege of the castle, which will give in, on August 1554.

Casole d'Elsa was an outpost of great strategic importance for the Republic of Siena, which will definitively extend on it its dominion after the victory of Montaperti in 1260. In the first decade of 300's, Casole d'Elsa lived a remarkable urban and economic development, thanks to the favourable exchanges due to the improved practicability in Valdelsa as well as for the presence of the powerful Aringhieri's family.

The gothic extension of the Romanesque "Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta" is dated on the first part of 300's as well as the construction of the new "Cassero senese". The new settlement of the orders "Frati Mendicanti Servi di Santa Maria", placed outside the walls of the castle of Casole d'Elsa, belongs to the same period (around 1327).

A big degradation of the walls of Casole d'Elsa has been testified during 400's. In 1481 the Government of Siena deliberated on new works of fortification and charged Francesco di Giorgio Martini, painter, sculptor and architect, famous for his activity of military engineer. It's thanks to him that we can observe the two rounds towers on the East side of the walls.

The first tower we meet going back to the city town's walls of Casole d'Elsa belongs to the curtain building. The second one, leaned to the extreme part of the defensive circuit, projects nearly totally from the curtain, just for its particular position of defensive walls and for the door on the north part of the village. This tower will be called later "dei Serviti" as well as the door will take the name of "Porta dei Frati". After that in 1513 it will come granted to the monks "Servi di Maria" to settle within the walls of Casole d'Elsa, just nearby the fortified zone.

After the peaceful period under the dominion of Florence, the convent of Servants will be totally reconstructed from the beginning of 600's, that will include also the tower of Francesco di Giorgio, without changing the essential characters. Probably the plan belongs to Padre Leonardo Morelli da Casole, sacred music composer, organist and chapel's master of the Dome of Volterra, prior of the convent of Servants of his hometown.

The three elegant overlapping arcades, supported at the first and second floor by octagonal blink columns, covered by plaster and decorated with black and white bands, have been put on a context respecting the pre-existent construction and city elements. The arcades disposition is today only partially readable from outside, due to the construction of new building during 800's and to the plunging of a great part of the arcades during a phase, in which these places have been converted into private houses.

Towards the end of 500's Casole d'Elsa grow for music development. Maddalena called later "Casulana", who had great fortune by Medici in Florence, and Francesco Bianciardi, theorist born during this period.

The begging convent will be abolished in 1653 and the building will be converted formerly on dependence of the Episcopal Seminary of Volterra and successively on private house. The next Chiesa di San Pietro, annexed to the convent and entitled to " Santissima Vergine Annunziata" will be reduced to the present size, after the transformation of a part of the building in kindergarten in 1931 dedicated to Marchese Giovanni Bargagli.

...the restorations...

The most relevant historical events from XIII century up nowadays of the architectonic complex Torre dei Serviti are the two great operations of restructure of Francesco di Giorgio in 1487 and of Fra' Leonardo in 1600 (carried to fulfilment after his death from Fra' Pietro Ricci).

The third operation of restructure of a part of the estate is dated back to 2001, which will transform it after two years of workings in "Ancient Residence Torre dei Serviti".

The historical residence Torre dei Serviti lies in front of San Gimignano, in the picturesque village of Casole d'Elsa, a delightful medieval hamlet on the hills surrounding the town of Siena. It is situated at a stown's throw from the most interesting artistic sites of Tuscany, such as Volterra, Certaldo and Florence. The last is reached within a distance of 45 km.

The structure of the Ancient Residence Torre dei Serviti is made up of 6 comfortable rooms placed on four different levels.

"La Stanza di Francesco di Giorgio" - austere features according the character of the painter, sienese sculptor and architect Giorgio, to whom is attributed the plan of the two towers of Casole d'Elsa.

"La Stanza di Fra Leonardo da Casole" - dedicated to Leonardo Morelli, monk, composer and architect from Siena. It presents some important and strict furnishings.

"La Stanza degli Affreschi" - so defined thanks to the rests of frescoes found during the restoration jobs of the hotel, presents refined valuable furnishings.

"La Stanza nella Torre" - this is the most characteristic and particular room of the hotel, perfectly round with one semi-spherical dome with fine decoration of the end of 800's. The furnishings is minimal, simple.

"La Stanza di Francesco Bianciardi" - is on different levels, characterized by numerous windows and linear furnishings.

"La Stanza dell'Ape" - it is the "most simple" room of the hotel, rustic, according to Tuscany style.

To Maddalena Casulana, musician and composer of madrigal, born in Casole d'Elsa, is dedicated a small apartment, which is opened to level of Aringhieri street, nearby the former Bargagli Kindergarten (part already of the church of Fathers Servants of Maria), nowadays "musical pole" for the citizens of Casole d'Elsa.

The low ceiling and the great arch remember the ancient bread oven, as it was during the monks' time to became later the hearth, the brick sink and the kitchen of the small house.

The pavement in "cocciopesto" has been realized during the restorations of the hotel according to the traditional technique of roman thermal systems.

...general... All the rooms of the hotel are supplied with TV satellite, modem plug, telephone and safety-lock.

All bathrooms are supplied with shower with hydromassage panel, except one which has an hydromassage tub. Every bath moreover is furnished with hairdryer, courtesy-set and american plugs.

All rooms have separate and individual entrance and guests can keep the keys for the whole period of their staying at Torre dei Serviti.

The shared rooms... The corridor at the second floor is the short side of the cloister of the former convent, whose first appearance has been partially recovered during the restoration of the colonnade, which overlooked the inner courtyard. The octagonal brick columns present plasters decorated with black and white bands. The light travertine pavement accompanies that light found opening the bottom arch, which has been plugged.

In the reading room the fireplace reproduces the shape of the architrave of the convent and the coat of arms of the order.

Proceeding in our discovering tour we find a small bar - obtained in an other room leaned to walls, on which has been found an harquebusier of the 400's and one terrace in the flank of the tower, ideal observatory of the surrounding view of San Gimignano and Volterra. 

External area... Torre dei Serviti offers to their guests a beautiful garden with a Jacuzzi pool from 1st June to 30th September and from 09:00 a.m. to 06:00 pm.

You will most certainly enjoy there a very beautiful view of the most important cities from the Tuscany like San Gimignano, Volterra and Colle Val d'Elsa, very important cities from the Chianti and Siena zone.

Services on request and to be booked at the reception: * Excursions (art-towns, local artisan, medieval hamlets, wine Tuscany tour with wine tasting) * Cooking lessons in Torre dei Serviti * Horse-back school at 20 km. * Golf-courts at 15 km. 

The surrounding offers possibility of trekking, walking and biking. At the reception is possible to ask for maps of the territory.

Extra service: Internet point

...remember... * Animals are not allowed in the hotel. * The hotel is furnished with central heating and air conditioning. * The reception is open from 8.00 a.m to 12.00 a.m. and from 15.00 p.m. to 21.00 p.m. * Arrival of guests is previewed from 16.00 p.m and departure time is within 11.00 a.m. * The hotel is closed from 15 November to 15 March.

Torre dei Serviti offers a buffet breakfast with a wide choice of typical products from 8:30 am to 9:30 am.

La Torre dei Serviti, besides its internal restaurant, disposes external restaurants at guests' disposal, so as to guarantee a variety of menu. All these structures have an agreement with Torre dei Serviti and it will be possible to dinner (only in the summer and only on request ) outside. 

The head office of Torre dei Serviti shall reserve the possibility to organize the catering service inside its restaurant or in the other restaurants, all close to the hotel, but always assuring a good service.