Segalari in the Terzolle Valley: Nature and History

Segalari in the Terzolle Valley

Segalari is part of the Terzolle Valley, which is predominantly characterized by natural landscapes. The valley includes forests, meadows, and olive groves. Here, a rural landscape combines with a historically evolved townscape – a combination that can provide clear guidance when choosing a destination in Italy.

Segalari is considered a cluster of old houses that almost resembles a small village. As a result, the focus is not just on a single building but on a coherent townscape. If you compare smaller places with a recognizable architectural and landscape history, Segalari offers a clear focal point for this.

Houses, Villa, and Monuments

The former Segalari complex included a house, a tower, a dovecote, two workers’ houses, and an enclosing wall. The properties of Tommaso Corbinelli were also part of it. The complex therefore comprised various structural and economic elements.

The Ricci family later converted the former manor house into a villa. Together with the old townscape, this change is one of the concrete traces through which Segalari’s development can be observed. The Terzolle area, which includes Cercina, Segalari, Belvedere, and Poggiolo, is designated as an area of historic agricultural monuments.

At the same time, the Terzolle area with Segalari is among the designated protected landscapes. For visitors interested in culture and landscapes, this brings two perspectives together: the history of the houses and estate, and the valley’s natural character.

Paths in the Surrounding Area

The “Percorso collegato breve – Itinerario rosso” leads to Segalari. Another route in the surrounding area runs from Cercina to Montorsoli and crosses the valleys and watercourses of the Terzolle and the Terzollina. These different connections help you distinguish during travel planning between a route with Segalari as its destination and a route through the river and valley landscapes.

In connection with this route lies the so-called Ponte Romano, a bridge approximately eight metres long that allows the Terzolle to be crossed. The bridge therefore provides a concrete crossing over the watercourse.

Mills and Old Connections

There is a certain concentration of mills in the so-called “Molino del Bosi or di Segalari” zone. Many of these mills date from the 11th or 12th century, and some remained in operation until the 20th century. The mills add a history of use to the picture of Segalari that extends far beyond individual buildings.

The road in question was formerly called Via di Segalari; it corresponded to an old road between the settlement of “Il Prato” and Pieve. Historically, the roads of Segalari were used for connections on the right-hand side of the Terzolle Valley. When choosing a hotel for your trip to Segalari, you can therefore consider whether the old townscape, the valley’s landscape, or the history of its paths and mills is most important to you. Segalari brings these themes together in a small, clearly distinctive place.

For the higher-level travel overview: Sesto Fiorentino.