History

The castle's history is fascinating because the first traces of the castle date back to the mid- 1200.
At the time was a real fortification.
News report that in 1271 I was sent a mayor by the Sienese government when you already had the farm Piccolomini.
Unfortunately over the years, the Republic of Siena looked at the castle, fortilizia with its structure and its strategic location, with concern, so that in 1389 ordered to be demolished.
The castle was rebuilt in the footsteps of ancient fortification.
Reconstruction from the name "Castelnuovo" just to show that there was a previously oldest castle.
There is no exact date of the reconstruction, but it is plausible to assume that it was rebuilt in the seventeenth century, because the suffragan church dedicated to St. Martin in the service of the castle shows an 'entry indicates that the 1728 as a first date in the restoration of the church.
Over the years, Castelnuovo took the name of the owners, so that for a certain period is indicated in the maps as Castelnuovo Bersi.
Today, it is indicated by the name of Castelnuovo Grilli from the name of our family that owns it from about mid-nineteenth century.
Our ancestor, Ranieri Grilli, juniper that traded with England, one day visiting the hills of Siena, came across in the castle, fell in love and bought it together with the surrounding lands for starting what became a beautiful farm.
Inside the castle was later built a school so that all, their children and the children of people who work in the fields could study.

The complex is the result of different phases edificatorie.
The lower part of the castle is probably the oldest and probably traces back to the twelve hundred.
Over time various additions were made, probably seventeenth and nineteenth century finally.
During the nineteenth century has been added to the east wing, lower than the castle and was allocated to the various agricultural production. And 'in fact composed of a beautiful tinaione three naves with vaulted brick, by a wide oliviera also with vaulted ceilings and other large rooms turned.

The façade of the castle, with plaster moldings with embossed trefoil motif and blocks at the windows, is the result of a restoration dating from about mid-nineteenth century, of this project, we still have a design project from which we perceive the skill of the architect of the time.

The layout of the garden is the Italian garden, built at the turn of the nineteenth century and the twentieth century, with stone well which acts as a pivot to the composition of the garden.
There are flower beds bordered by stones, boxwood hedges, coniferous trees such as cedar of Lebanon and Deodar Cedar, there are also other species of the original plants including laurel and rate.

During the Second World War, for its strategic location on a hill overlooking the surrounding hills, Unfortunately, the castle was occupied by the Germans. Thanks to our dear aunt Gisa, who had studied German and who was able to communicate with the occupants, the difficult job was made a little more manageable. In 1944 the Americans arrived that regalarono to my grandmother for the first soap newborn son: my father.

The history of Castelnuovo is not just a succession of historical events and buildings, but it is especially history, family, of people who by their union made and make this place even more beautiful.
Were memorable dinners on the feast of St. Martin (saint to whom the chapel is dedicated) in which all met and where torches caressed the battlements of the castle and city walls, giving everything a fairytale.