Borgo murato di San Gusmè

San Gusmè is a small hilltop village enclosed by a nearly complete circuit of medieval walls. Its gates, churches and narrow lanes preserve the form of a fortified settlement in the Sienese Chianti.

Why it matters

The settlement grew in a region marked by conflict between Siena and Florence. The walls, built in 1370 with Siena's help, preserved the village's defensive outline and still enclose its streets and houses.

What to notice

The circular wall circuit includes rectangular bastions and the surviving Porta Senese, with a marble plaque bearing Siena's black-and-white balzana. Porta Nuova, opened in 1939, stands beside the church of Santi Cosma e Damiano. A small statue known as Luca Cava, remade by Emilio Giannelli from an earlier figure, is part of the village's playful local identity.

Context and history

San Gusmè is named for the church of Santi Cosma e Damiano, recorded in a document of 867. The village was fortified in 1370 after raids by mercenary companies. It was occupied in 1478 and sacked during the War of Siena in 1554. In 1777 it was annexed to Castelnuovo Berardenga, in whose municipality it remains.