Old town of Incisa

The hamlet of Incisa originally developed on the hill, where today still lie the remains, almost indiscernible, of the ancient rectangular-plan Castle and of Casa Petrarca, the place where the poet spent some years of his childhood. Later the village expanded along the Arno river, so much that its name comes from the fact that water has indeed  "inciso" (carved) the rock upon which it later was built.

While the Torre della Bandinella rises across the bridge, on the opposite bank you can see the municipal Palace and the Sant'Alessandro church. The tower dates back to the 14th century and is named after the owner family of the castle, nowadays replaced by a farmhouse. Beside it is where the ancient royal roads connecting Florence with Arezzo met.

The municipal Palace was instead built by the architect Pierallini between 1857 and 1864 for the purpose of housing the town hall, the schools, the Chamberlain and the National Guard, while today it houses the administration offices. The building features a small tower upon which are placed a clock and a balcony, on which stands the bronze plaque dedicated to Francesco Petrarca.

Next to the Palazzo lies the Sant'Alessandro church, built in 1786 at the request of the Bishop of Fiesole. The single nave interior preserves the Triptych by the painter Andrea di Giusto with Saint Michael, the Madonna with Child and an Evangelist Saint.