History | Anghiari | Terre degli Uffizi

The upper valley of the Tiber is renowned not only for its natural beauty but also for the presence of an exceptional town, Anghiari, famous for the battle that was fought just outside its walls.

On 29 June 1440, Milanese troops attempted a surprise attack on the troops of the Florentine Republic but they were put to flight. The citizens of Anghiari had honours heaped on them by the Republic, which granted them several tax exemptions and allowed them to run an annual Palio race on the anniversary of the battle. To this day the race is run every year, starting at the tabernacle of the Maestà di Santa Maria Vittoria erected by the Florentines in memory of their victory.

The sites to see in Anghiari include the medieval Campano tower and the ancient church of Badia, a monastery founded c. 1000 AD, as well as the Museo della Battaglia e di Anghiari which contains historical information on the battle while also exploring Leonardo da Vinci's involvement in the commission awarded to him by the Florentine Republic to fresco the event on the walls of the Hall of the 500 in Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. The Tuscan valley of the Tiber around Anghiari extends as far as the border with Umbria.

The town's must-see surroundings, where the countryside is dotted with churches and castles, include the Riserva Naturale dei Monti Rognosi with its unique dark green magmatic rocks.