Mensano is a hamlet of Casole d'Elsa, which rises in a panoramic position between the countryside of the upper Cecina Valley and the wooded hills of the Colline Metallifere. The village is characterized by evocative alleys surrounded by silence. Its origins date back to the early Middle Ages, thanks to a document of the 10th century that referred to a church that has been lost.
In the 13th century, Mensano was a favorite destination of many noble families from Siena, but in the following century the town was the subject of contention between Florence and Siena; after falling into the hands of the Florentines, Mensano returned under the dominion of the Sienese after the Battle of Montaperti, the bloody battle also mentioned in the Divine Comedy. During the 16th century, finally, the village submitted to the family De’ Medici, passing permanently under the control of the Duchy.
Since its origins, Mensano has developed with a semi-cylindrical shape, probably to accompany the steep slopes of the land; the main street connected, and still connects, the religious fulcrum of the center to the civil complex. At one end of Mensano, there are two historical palaces, probably dating back to the 13th century, while at the other end of the village there is the parish church of San Giovanni Battista, the main building of the entire inhabited complex. Interesting from a historical viewpoint is also the Oratory of San Biagio, an ancient early medieval stone church.
