Originally an Etruscan-Roman city, it was a fief of the Alberti Counts until conquered by the Florentines in 1184. They used it as a prison which they called Alberto del Non-ti-giova, and they dismantled the fortifications. The city grew rapidly after Semifonte was destroyed in 1202. Certaldo's importance slowly grew under Firenze. The lower city dates from the 13th - 14th centuries.

Certaldo in the province of Florence, 35 m. S.S.W. can be reach by rail and 18 m. direct from the town of Florence.
Certaldo is a town that rises along the layout of the Frankish Road; it is at a distance of about 10 Km. from San Gimignano.

This town, is divided in an upper part called "Rione Castello", surrounded by fortification walls that enclose medieval surroundings, and a lower, modern and industrialised part.

Certaldo was the home of the family of Giovanni Boccaccio, who died and was buried here in 1375. His house (of red brick, like the other old houses of the town) was restored in 1823 and fitted up with old furniture. A statue of him was erected in the principal square in 1875.

There is a cenotaph in honor of Giovanni Boccaccio (who died in Certaldo in 1375) in the Church of Santi Michele e Lacopo. His home, located midway down via Boccaccio from Certaldo Alto, has been transformed into a specialized library with sections devoted to his life including translations of his works. The structure was almost completely rebuilt after being destroyed by Allied bombs in the war. The Casa del Boccaccio, on via Boccaccio in Certaldo Alto, is open daily except Mondays.

The Palazzo Pretorio, or Vicariale, the residence of the Florentine governors, recently restored to its original condition, has a picturesque faade and court adorned with coats of arms, and in the interior are various frescoes dating from the I3th to the 16th century.

Palazzo Pretorio is the highest building in town and offers a nice view over Certaldo. Outside is a facade decorated with heraldic shields while the inside includes a prison, the quarters of the Vicar and his family, and rooms formerly used as the seat of government. The palazzo is located on Piazza del Vicariato in Certaldo Alto, and is closed on Monday.

Here it is possible to visit suggestive buildings like Palazzo Pretorio, seat of the Vicariate of Certaldo, where one can admire the "Tabernacle of the Executed" attributed to Benozzo Gozzoli.

The cycle of frescoes in the former church of Saints Thomas and Prospero is another work by Gozzoli. Artists' studios are located inside the suggestive Palazzo Giannozzi.

The church of Saint Jacopo is also worth visiting.

Certaldo hosts a crafts fair / flea market on Sundays. Special festivals include a song festival called Certaldo Sotto le Stelle held in early September and the Mercantia Festival in Alto during the last days of July. The Mercantia Festival is really part theater, part festival, and part market, all done with a medieval flair. It is interesting for its mix of singers, dancers, & performers as well as artisans demonstrating their crafts.

Useful link about Certaldo.

mercantiacertaldo.it (Mercantia Festival)