| | 
Profile
|
From a conservative restoration of an antique country estate the heart of which dates back to the 13th century, a small but prestigious 5 Stars hotel has been realised in one of the most uncontaminated, panoramic areas of the Chianti Classico territory. |
 Here the eye can roam at 360 degrees over a landscape which holds an ancient fascination. All of the 25 rooms of the Hotel Le Fontanelle, each of which offering a unique comfort and charm, guarantee a stay of absolute relax, immersed in the countryside, amidst the olive groves and vineyards of the traditional Tuscan landscape, in a timeless setting which still maintains intact, its historical and environmental values. |
 History
The origins of this marvellous hotel can be traced back to the 13th century, thanks to the discovery of walls uncovered inside the hotel which are still visible. However, the first certain documentation dates back to 1556. Its name finds its match in pre-existing stone founts used for the gathering of spring water. These founts were rebuilt and enlarged during the first half of the 19th century utilizing the medieval building materials, for example, the bricks which form the fine decorative element of the friezes. This area, which in ancient times saw rural Etruscan settlings, was successively occupied by the Romans and then, in the Early Middle Ages, inhabited by the Longobard population. |
 During the Middle Ages, the Fontanelle area was part of the Siennese State, and in that strategic point, the river Arbia acted as a natural separation between the numerous Siennese and Florentine fortifications. As a testimony to that period one can still see the ruins of the Cerreto Castle and the late Romanic church of S. Stefano which is closely tied to the history of the Fontanelle. During the centuries, the Fontanelle territory has seen the comings and goings of various owners: the Cerretani's, a powerful and noble Siennese family, the Griffoli family and finally, the Venturini's, one of the oldest dynasties of Siena. |
 At the end of the 17th century, according to the will and testament of the last male Venturini descendants, the estate was left to the Convent of the Campansi Sisters, wherein the last representatives of this family had taken their votes. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Napoleonic government decreed the seizing of ecclesiastical wealth and property which included the property of the Campansi Convent. The Fontanelle was part of this property. From this period onwards, Fontanelle passed from owner to owner until it became a simple working farmhouse. In 1999 the restoration to transform Fontanelle into a luxury hotel begun. |
| |
|
