History & Art
Built over an ancient Etruscan settlement, Pieve San Felice in Pincis dedicated to the martyred San Felice da Nola and was already cited in the 10th century as one of the Chianti area’s most venerable churches. Its properties, and the hamlet surrounding the church, experienced the historical vicissitudes lived through by the entire district, during the conflicts, often military, with Florence, with Siena, and even with the Papacy.
Its properties and the medieval borgo that grew up around the church experienced the same historical vicissitudes as the surrounding areas. They passed through various types of control, from that of the religious orders to that of powerful local families, a case in point being the Sienese Cerretani family, whose oversight lasted until the 19th century. The Del Taja family then assumed control, and turned the estate into a highly successful enterprise, right into the first half of the 20th century, their prestige symbolised by the fact that they were among the founders of the Consorzio del Chianti Classico, with its famous black rooster logo.
It was the Del Taja who carried out, between the 19th and 20th centuries, the considerable changes in the architecture and appearance, still visible. Today the borgo has re-emerged, thanks to the painstaking restoration by the Gruppo Allianz S.p.A., which began in the 1970s. The Pieve structure is an artistic gem. Probably Romanesque in origin, it was re-structured in 1705, with other alterations made before 1900 (particularly the campanile). In addition to the remains of the original pieve, today's church has preserved important 17th- and 18th-century artworks, decorations, and paintings, such as the altarpiece by Sienese artist Sebastiano de Floris.
The borgo too underwent reconstruction in the same period, and new buildings were erected, such as the majestic Palazzo Padronale. It did however manage to retain its overall original characteristics: loggias, stairways, alleys, saint's shrines, paving remain, striking elements of what is known as rural spontaneous architecture.
The most recent changes that have transformed the borgo into a deluxe tourism and hotel complex represented radical improvements, but consistently guided by respect for the traditional architectural features. Borgo San Felice finds itself of course in the heart of a territory where Art reigns: Florence, Siena, San Gimignano: travel just a few kilometres in any direction and one finds cities, architectural complexes, churches, and museums filled with fabulous artworks famous worldwide.
