Two silent guardians of history

The atmosphere, a little mystic and enchanting which is easy to feel at "the Melosa" is typical of the impression of places with a long historical memory.  The signs of a very intense historical , social and artistic past contribute undoubtedly in explaining that atmosphere and it is possible to find all of this immersed within a natural contest. That which today is called holding, estate, “La Melosa”, in medieval times was known as San Cassiano.  The parish was named San Cassiano, after an oriental King from the 4th century; noted as author of treaties on the location and organisation of the more remote convent structures of the Christian era.

There is no sure documented proof, but it seems adheres to the historical truth connecting the presence of two majestic holm-oak trees, - on the north side- to a group of monks of the Benedictine order, at the beginning of the 6th century, established, not by chance, a small convent in the hills which acted as a watershed between the torrent of Bai, to the south, and the torrent of Seguentina to the north.

From the Parish of San Cassiano to the Melosa

The first documentation of the Parish of San Cassiano can be found in the Leopoldini land registry where it appears as Casa Melosa (Melosa House) and is firmly linked to the most important Benedictine monastery of S. Salvatore of Giugnano -  a few miles along the valley of the torrente of Bai – which has recently undergone structural restoration because it is considered an important historical and architectural find of the borough of Roccastrada.

At that time, the whole basin of the Bai, especially on the higher level, constituted, in the economic structure of the district , the legal aspect of the monastery , an important economical resource.    Its importance was given that underneath there were lead, copper and silver deposits.  Today we can see the 3 galleries on the slope of Mozzeto hillock.   About 100 metres to the west of the Melosa,  there is an accumulation of the fusion of metals, together with the remains of the metal ovens which were located in many points along the river bed. –As this river was always full, many mills were built along it.  Five of these mills were in operating order up until the middle of the last century. Two of these (Riguerci and Giugnano) have been restored showing their original design.

The Power of the Aldobrandeschi according to Dante

At the beginning of the 13th century a complex transaction with the Lords of Lattaia confirmed the concession of the Innocenzo III on 3rd July 1206, the church property of San Salvatore was sold to the most important monastery of San Galgano of Montesiepi.  With its sale it seemed that the political interests of the Conte Aldobrandeschi family were not out of the ordinary.  The great poet Dante was testimony of their power to the point in which he had left a vivid imagine in the poem XI of Purgatorio: count Umberto carrying a large weight on his shoulders, to remember the poet’s  family’s origins. “I was a Latin son of a great Tuscan – Guglielmo Aldobrandesco was his father – without knowing if his name was already Vosco.