Soprintendenza Archeologica Toscana

The Tuscan
Archaeological
Service

The Florentine Territorial Area
Directed by: Dr. a M. C. Guidotti

H O M E

The two great "tholoi" (false cupolas) of the Mula and the Montagnola can be visited at Quinto, near Sesto Fiorentino, on the southern slopes of Mount Acuto. The necropolis of Palastreto is situated in the near vicinity.

Some thick walls found in the same area, at Poggio al Giro, suggest that an Etruscan settlement probably once stood here, though very few traces remain today. People wishing to visit these tombs should leave Florence by passing through the industrial area of Rifredi and taking the road for Sesto Fiorentino.

After Piazza Dalmazia, they should take Via Reginaldo Giuliani and then Via Antonio Gramsci as far as the crossroads at Via Taddeo Gaddi: here they should turn right and will soon come to the village of Quinto, so called because it stood on the fifth mile of the Roman road out of Florence, which ran alongside the righthand bank of the Arno. On reaching Quinto, they should ask for the farm of Villa Manfredi, which is where the imposing tomb barrow known as the Montagnola is situated. On leaving Villa Manfredi, they should take Via degli Strozzi, on the opposite side of the road, until they find to Villa Pecchioli, known as La Mula, on the left. All trace has been lost of another tomb in the vicinity, which now exists in memory alone.