It’s located in the municipality of Pomarance, on a hill surrounded by unspoiled nature. The centuries have transformed it from a strategic fortification to a lair of brigands, but now it is a jewel of the Val di Cecina, reachable by visitors through an enchanting path through the woods.
The origin of the name
According to traditions and legends, the name “Rocca Sillana” derives from the Roman general Lucio Cornelio Silla, who besieged Volterra in the year 80 BC, thus tracing its origin to the period of the Roman Civil War between the optimates and populares. The most widely accepted theory, on the other hand, traces the construction of the fortress to the 12th century, which would imply that the name actually comes from the word “Silvanus”, meaning wooded, precisely because the construction is located in an impervious, wild and rich in vegetation area.
History
The origin of the structure is still shrouded in mystery. The rocky relief on which the fortress was placed may have been used even in pre-Roman times, as many archaeological finds dating back to the Hellenistic age have been found there. The property of the bishops and later of the Volterra municipality, the Fortress was later enlarged according to a plan designed by Giuliano da Sangallo in the 15th century.
Military architecture
There’s a lot of evidence that confirms the strategic role of this fortification. Its function was to control a particular territory located on the border with the territories of Siena, Pisa and Florence. From here, in fact, thanks to the 360-degree view of the valley, you could see any enemy, even those coming from the sea. The Rocca Sillana was not a castle but a true defensive structure and this is underlined by the architecture and layout of the spaces, as well as by the remains of a second wall in the woods below.
