Bettolle Sinalunga

Situated on the Western hills of the Valdichiana ( province of Siena), Bettolle has very ancient origins, probably Etruscan, as in the area, numerous archeological findings have come to light. The origin of the name, itself, dates back to Etruscan origins. As a matter of fact, according to the linguist, Pieri, the name Bettolle could come from the Etruscan name, Petui. Anyway , on the origin of the name, there are contrasting opinions. Repetti believes that the name Bettolle has to do with the existence , nearby, of birch and alder ( a birch shrub) woods. Anyway Pieri’s interpretation seems to be more plausible, as the presence of a number of plants always gives origin to a name ending in “eto” o “eta” ( for example, Frassineto, Querceto, Cerreto, etc.). It’s only after the year 1000, that on the hill of Bettolle, rises an important town center and later on a castle. The first historical document that records the name Bettolle is dated 1014. Bettolle, as many other villages in the area, became around 1100, a feud of the Cacciaconti Family, that called themselves “Comites de Betulla” or Counts of Bettolle. They owned rights be it on this castle that on the castles of the Ripa ( now cemetery of Saint Nicholas) , Fratta and Torrita. The most powerful feudatory of Bettolle was without doubt, Count Manete de’ Cacciaconti, that in 1221, submitted Bettolle to the Republic of Siena and when in 1383, Bettolle was pillaged, the Republic exonerated it from paying taxes or duties for the following ten years. After ten years, the people of Bettolle, refused to pay taxes for the following 45 years, until , in 1438, the Republic of Siena, forced them to pay,as all the other Sienese subjects. In 1553 Bettolle was set on fire by Captain Ascanio della Cornia, Lord of Castiglion del Lago, during the siege of Siena in the same year. In 1593 the people of Bettolle asked to be united and submitted to the community of Sinalunga and they were accepted. Up to now, Bettolle is still part of the township of Sinalunga. In 1733 mortality increased quite a bit due to the water drainage. Mortality ended at the end of the drainage, but it started again in 1738 and it ended in 1739. In 1743, a new calamity fell upon Bettolle as it was ravaged by locusts. After having reclaimed the land, Bettolle was divided in several properties. On each property large farmhouses were built ( they still exist nowadays, both in the village and in the open countryside). Ezio Marchi was born in Bettolle. He’s known as the father of the bovine breed called “Chianina”, still known nowadays throughout the world for its excellent meat, although, lately, the reduction of the breeding of this type of animal has caused quite a bit of anxiety . Nowadays, Bettolle is made up aside from the most ancient part of the village situated on top of the hill, by a more recent nucleus that surrounds the ancient part. Bettolle is also situated in the center of an important road and highway system : for example the connection Siena – Perugia and the toll booth of the Highway “del Sole”.