Bandinella Tower

The Bandinella dominates the River Arno and the town of Incisa Valdarno, about 20 km from Florence driving towards Rome.

The Bandinella Tower rises on the river Arno banks opposite the side where, on the top of a hill, stands the Incisa Castle (a construction of the 11th century formerly known as ‘Old Castle of Ancisa’ ) of which only a few traces today remain. Also, two important ancient roads that connected Arezzo and Florence had their crossing points here, on the Incisa bridge: the ancient S.Donato road and the most recent, which runs alongside the bottom of the valley.

In correspondence with this bridge rose a village, first like a simple ‘market’, that soon became greater than the overhanging settlement. Later, this cross point gave Florence a very important strategic position, defending the most tightened point of the Arno valley and controlling the Valdarno territories of many feudal families.

In the year 1364, the Florentine Republic [that in the meantime made the castle the administrative center of the zone] after a battle with the Pisane army supported by English mercenaries that caused serious damages to Incisa, restored the fortifications and built a new imposing tower at the head of the bridge.

The tower, of square shape and endowed with machicolations and battlements, was called ‘Bandinella’. Today, it is incorporated into a rural house and is in a good state of conservation. It still dominates a great part of the Arno River and the surrounding countryside.