History

“Taken from Bruno Costa, Fabio Cicali, Silvia Costantini, The ancient village of Pian del Mugnone, 1992 Library of Tuscan Identity of the Regional Council, Florence”

The ancient village of Pian di Mugnone and the first farms on its Fiesole side are linked, from the second half of the 14th century to the end of the first half of the 15th century, to the history of a single family: the Del Palagio. This was a family from Fiesole who moved to Florence in the San Giovanni district and whose first news can be found in the Estimo delle Repubbliche Fiorentine of 1363. In it appears the name of Neri di Lippo di Sgratta “living in the palace in the small square of S. Maria Visdomini” in Florence.
The ancient name of the family, Lippi or Filippi from the founder Lippo who lived in the second half of the thirteenth century, changed to Lippi del Palagio precisely on the occasion of the construction of the imposing Florentine residence located on the corner of the current Via De'Servi and Via Bufalini. The settlement of the del Palagio in the Mugnone valley, with the consequent control of all activities, was possible with the approval of the Florentine Republic which, through them, exercised surveillance over the area, directed above all towards goods that passed through the Faentina. Neri Del Palagio, one of Lippi's sons, became prior of the Florentine Republic six times between 1328 and 1343 and the Del Palagios obtained thirty-one appointments in that office until 1485. Subsequently, the del Palagios fell into disgrace with the rise to power of the Medici family, they lost their wealth and in the first half of the sixteenth century Giovan Battista del Palagio was forced to change his ancient surname to Palagi and to live in exile far from Florence.

Strengthened by this alliance, the Del Palagio family built various buildings in a scattered order along and near Via Faentina, considering any defensive precaution useless. The only partial but pre-existing fortification was represented by the building that constituted the family's first residence: the Torre abitur. The construction, still visible, is located halfway up the slope and consists of a farmhouse facing an ancient tower. The position was strategic because from there you can observe a long stretch of Via Faentina up to the Calderaio strait. In addition to the Torre abitur, the Del Palagio family owned four farms on the Fiesole side of Pian di Mugnone that produced oil from olive trees planted by the Del Palagio family, choosing the best position for terrain, altitude and climate conditions. Over the years, the Del Palagio family extended olive cultivation throughout the Mugnone Valley.

The substantial financial status and political strength allowed the Del Palagio family to adequately respond to the needs of the village through the construction of a series of buildings with a social and religious background. The family's investments were also of a personal nature; presumably around 1400, they had a luxurious residence built not far from the ancient dwelling which took the name of Palagio di San Polo, today called Palagio dei Pesci.

The Del Palagio family favored the arrival of the Order of Friars Minor in Tuscany. The friars settled in the monastery of Santa Maria del Fiore in Fiesole (original name of the ancient hermitage of San Francesco) which, in 1399, thanks to the income from the estates then owned by Guido dei Del Palagio was completely restored. The family had a family chapel-tomb built on the original plan of the current church of San Francesco, which is still preserved today.