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A few kilometres north of Castelnuovo Berardenga, lies San Gusmè a fortified village surrounded by the beautiful hills, olive groves and vineyards of the southern Chianti area. High up on the slope of the hill one may enjoy wide open, breathtakingly stunning vistas over the valley. Taking in the vineyards of the Arceno Estate, the skyline of Siena and its Torre del Mangia and in the far distance the imposing rise of Monte Amiata lying beyond the famous UNESCO World Heritage site of Le Crete. The beauty of the area astounds those who visit here for the first time and makes them wish to come back over and over again. This is Tuscany at its most splendid and quoted by Forbes as one out of the three “unforgettable out-of-the-radar towns in Italy”.
The village is encased within mighty medieval walls from the XIV century and has a circular structure. San Gusmè is uniquely and quaintly bijou, one may walk around its narrow streets and alleys in a few minutes The visitor will enjoy admiring the old buildings with their flower bedecked balconies, small stairways, arches, potted plants and blooms that embellish each corner.
San Gusmè emanates a deep sense of history but with a warm charm that will invite the visitor to stay long and meander around its picturesque alleys and streets and also enjoy wonderful views from around its walls.
Within, time seems suspended and the atmosphere of passed times may be felt in the present. The village is serenely quiet, there are one restaurant, a post office and two ‘circoli’ - places where the locals meet for a coffee, a glass of wine and perhaps a hand of cards.
The name of San Gusmè derives from an alteration of the name San Cosma, a saint to whom an ancient church was dedicated. The first historical records of San Gusmè date back to 867 a.C. During the XIV century the village is known to have been under the control of the Ricasoli; thereafter San Gusmè fell under the rule of Siena, during which time it has was fortified for protection against the attacks of mercenaries who raided the area.
In 1554, with the end of the war between Florence and Siena, the latter having been defeated, the stronghold of San Gusmè became part of the dominions of Florence.
From 1777 San Gusmè became a ‘fraction’ under regulation of Castelnuovo Berardenga.
The village has three entrance points through its thick walls, these gateways are about a cart’s width and very tall, harking back to the days when one might have entered the village on horseback. The Sienese gate showcases the coat of arms of Siena, while just inside the ‘new gate’ opened in 1939 on the north side, there is the Church of Santa Cosma and Damiano dating back to the XI century. On the south side of San Gusmè there is a second church dedicated to the Santissima Annunziata with a very characteristic bell tower and unique frescos.
San Gusmè also has a very peculiar legend. Outside its walls sits a small but interesting terracotta statue originally conceived in 1883 depicting a man intent on carrying out the ‘business of his daily easement’. A sign reads 'King, emperor, pope, philosopher, poet, farmer and worker: man in his daily functions. Don't laugh, think of yourself'. The statuette has the name of “Luca Cava” and was installed in the late XIX century. Allegedly the story says that the statuette was installed outside a public convenience of the village to indicate what its use was to those who were illiterate.
In the 1940’s the inhabitants of San Gusmè, being allegedly teased by the inhabitants of the nearby villages, destroyed the statuette. Its history was then rediscovered by the journalist and historical chronicler of the Palio di Siena, Silvio Gigli who, in 1972, commissioned the famous cartoonist Emilio Giannelli to re-design the statue which was then made and placed where it now sits.
Luca Cava has humorously become part of the local amenities and an attraction for visitors and tourists in general. The villagers now gather annually to celebrate the “Luca Cava Festival” which has now become a tradition and animates the streets of the village in the first half of September, with a program of events, live music, craft stalls, arts, and local food and wine. During this occasion there is also run a medieval race called “Il Palio delle Botti” - the Race of the Barrels Barrels.
Another unique gem to visit is 'Il Giardino di Lorenzo', a private garden owned by Lorenzo just outside the east gate of the village. Lorenzo is an eclectic artist and a gentleman of San Gusmè. One of his wonderful ideas has been to place an old window frame in his garden overlooking the outstanding panorama over the Chianti valley below. The scenery is so captivating, that it attracts tourists, cyclists and runners from all over the world just to take a picture with the window, 'una finestra sul Chianti'. Beware though! The garden is private property, just ring the bell and ask for Lorenzo before entering this magically enchanted garden. #unafinestrasulchianti.
San Gusmè on map
