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The
name “Javello”, called “Chiavello” in the
past, comes from the latin “chiavis avellis”, key of the
hills, referred to the only mountain pass of the Tuscan-Emilian Appenines.
Before the XI century the “Poggio di Chiavello” was a
site with a fortress. Starting from 1100 until most of the XIII century
the emperor Frederick II endowed the site to the sons of Count Guido
Guerra, Lord of Montemurlo, while keeping it under the domain of the
city of Florence. In 1325 it went to the Strozzi family. On November
28th of that same year, the tower of Chiavello was partly destroyed
by Castruccio Castracane degli Antelminelli, ghibelline enemy of Florence.
In the XVI century the site no longer had the aspect of a medieval
fortress, but more of a mansion with its own tower, church and two
rural annexes. In mid 1800, the property belonged to Marco Covoni
Girolami, assistant of the Grand duke Peter Leopold, whose niece,
Mary, married Giuseppe Borghese, a descendant of Pope Paul V.
Until the middle of the past century the farm was completely self
sufficient, in fact wheat, olive oil, wine, vegetables and fruit were
produced and milk and meat livestock were bred. Thanks to its furnaces
and to the stone quarries, they produced nails, bricks and slabs.
The ample woodlands provided beams and poles as well as coal. The
estate now belongs to Maria Josè, daughter of Gian Giacomo
Borghese who manages it with her husband Alberto Savino di Auletta
and their children Vincenzo, Ilaria and Sofia.
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