Fiesole

We can see the small town of Fiesole from our apartment in Le Cure and, according to our research, we could walk there, but it's uphill so we elected to take the bus.

Fiesole is of Etruscan origin, as may be seen from the remains of its ancient walls, and was probably founded in the 9 C BC. One possible reason for the prosperity of Etruscan and Roman Fiesole could be its location near a ford over the Arno close to where Roman Florence (Florentia) would rise. Fiesole's location also made it strategic for travellers on all the main roads between southern and central Etruria to the south of Italy (covering large parts of present day Tuscany, Umbria and Latium) and the Etruscans in the area around the Po valley to the north of Italy. 

The Romans conquered Faesulae, as Fiesole was then known, in 283 BC. Under Roman rule, it became the seat of a famous school of augurs, and every year twelve young men were sent here from Rome to study the art of divination. Rome typically drew heavily on the Etruscans for priests and augurs. Sulla colonised it with veterans, who afterwards, under the leadership of Manlius, supported the cause of Catiline. Near Fiesole, the Vandals and Suevi under Radagaisus were defeated (405) by hunger rather than by the troops of Stilicho. A considerable number of interesting finds from the Etruscan period - urns, bucchero, clay and bronze statues - together with other objects from Roman times are to be found in the Museum near the archaeological zone. 

During the Gothic War (536-53) Fiesole was besieged several times and in 539 Justinus, the Byzantine general captured it and razed its fortifications. In the early Middle Ages, Fiesole was more powerful than Florence in the valley below, and many wars arose between them. In 1010 and 1025 Fiesole was sacked by the Florentines, and its leading families obliged to take up their residence in Florence.

Christianity was introduced to  Fiesole by St. Romulus, a disciple of St. Peter. The fact that the ancient cathedral (now the Abbazia Fiesolana) stands outside the city is evidence that the Christian origins of Fiesole date from the period of the persecutions. The earliest mention of a Bishop of Fiesole is in a letter of Gelasius I (492-496). A little later, under Vigilius (537-55), a Bishop Rusticus is mentioned as papal legate at one of the Councils of Constantinople. The legendary St. Alexander is said by some to belong to the time of the Lombard King Autari (end of the sixth century), but the Bollandists assign him to the reign of Lothair (middle of the ninth century).

After reading all of that, we got off the bus in the main square and headed straight for the ancient Etruscan and Roman ruins. We wandered through the amphitheatre and took heaps of photos. 

Aside from the sights of interest within and near Fiesole itself, on a sunny day, the view from the Fiesolean hills out over Firenze (Florence) is spectacularly beautiful and this was true of the restaurant at the entrance to the ruins. We sat and enjoyed the views as we ate a simple pasta lunch.

After lunch, we strolled through the streets of the little town and then sat in the Piazza for awhile before we took the bus down to Piazza San Domenico. From there, we walked further down, taking photos of the stunning views as we went. 

We walked past numerous fine villas, obviously owned by the wealthy of Florence. We hopped on a bus a little further down the Moutain and returned to Le Cure, where we called into the Coop for a few groceries before going back to the apartment.