Serre di Rapolano - fraz. di Rapolano Terme

Situated on a hilltop in the Crete Senesi hills, Serre di Rapolano is a charming walled medieval village that is part of the municipality of Rapolano Terme.
Founded as a castle in Byzantine times, the village was a feud of the Cacciaconti family and later became a rural municipality under the rule of Siena. During the Sienese domination, the hospital of Santa Maria della Scala was authorised to use part of the ancient imperial palace, built at the time of Barbarossa, as a fortified warehouse, which gave rise to the term “Grancia” (grange). The building, now a museum, is one of the most important palazzi in the village, and it is part of the Fondazione Musei Senesi group of museums. Equally important are the Gori Martini palazzo, the neoclassical Teatrino, one of the smallest in the world, dating back to the early 17th century, and the church of Sant'Andreino, a Romanesque construction located in a scenic area.
The surrounding landscape is notable for its quarries for travertine marble, which has always been used for buildings in the village and further afield, and which is still pivotally important for the area's activities.
In May, the village comes alive with the medieval re-enactment in honour of “Ciambragina,” the beautiful bride of a rich Sienese merchant in the 14th century, originally from Cambrai, who lived in Serre as mistress of the castle. During this celebration, the alleys are filled with jesters, musicians and dancers who, together with the villagers, recreate a snapshot of medieval life.