Rocca Sillana

An aerial view and (right) the characteristics leaning turrets, situated to the four angles of the walls.

The Rocca Sillana, Rocca di Sillano or Silano is located at the eastern extremity of the municipality of Pomarance (province of Pisa). Coming from Volterra you can reach the fortress following the road for S.Dalmazio (Itinerary of the Ruins, just outside the town), here can be found the indications for Lanciaia. From Florence follow the Motorway Florence-Siena until the exit 'Colle Valdelsa Sud', then follow the indications for Casole D'Elsa, Monteguidi and finally Montecastelli, from here drive toward Pomarance and you will find the indication for the Rocca. Sillano is reachable only by foot after following a path in the wood.

» New photos taken in October 2001
» Other Photos [1998]
» The Parish Church of Sillano

The mighty Fortress of Sillano rises on a 530 meters high position to dominate a vast territory that includes the provinces of Siena, Pisa and Grosseto. These position has been always strategically important to control the valley of the river Cecina and the surrounding minor valleys, so much that the legend wants to date the origin of the small fortress in Roman times, during the civil war between the generals Mario and Silla, and that from Silla himself took its name (Silla>Sillano). The  historical testimonies came up to us confirm that the Fortress is not so ancient: The tower and the inner part of the enclosure date back to the 13th  century while the external bastionated perimeter, erected at reinforcement of the preexisting wall curtains, can be dated certainty to the second half of 15th century.

The most ancient part of the fortress: the watch tower of the 11th century.

The historians attribute, without doubts, the project to the famous architect Giuliano da Sangallo and this make of the fortress one of the most ancient and beautiful examples of the new military architectural conception that marked the passage from the crossbow to the fire weapons, with the consequent development of the defense systems.

Before reaching the core of the fortress we meet the outer defenses, located around 30 meters under the vertex of the hill. They were constituted by a strengthened gate with annexed a tower, both build in bricks, at control of the road that leads under the walls of the rocca. Today remain only few traces of both buildings. Reached the the top of the hill we find us under the thick bastionated walls of the fortress. Particular are the four leaning turrets built on the angles of the quadrilateral enclosure and the high curvature of the curtain. The lower parts of the walls are built in stone, the upper in bricks. The fortification remained abandoned for centuries, nevertheless externally we can see it still  under good conditions. Inside the show is unfortunately different: the courtyard is invaded by the vegetation and the floor results notably high due to sediment deposits. In 1985 started some archeological excavations.

Thanks to the recent works of restoration, some internal halls, once used as stores and barracks for the garrison, returned to the light.

Over all stand still the ancient nucleus of the fortress: a square shaped stone watch tower, with the gate of access sited at the level of the first floor, now walled but still well visible. Once climbed on the bastions we can easily understand the strategic importance of the Rocca and enjoy a wonderful sightseeing: in the days of clear weather the bird-eye view can space up from here to the sea.

In July 2001 the Rocca was endowed with an important system of illumination for the night. Today, december 2007, the complex is still under restoration.

The Rocca under restoration, view from Montecastelli Pisano (December 2007)