How to reach
The rests of the of Rocchette di Fazio dominate a hill of about 500 meters in the valley of the River Albegna, only 3 kms away fron the town of Semproniano. It's 25 kilometers far from Arcidosso, and 15 from Roccalbegna and Saturnia.
History
The origin of the castle is in fact due to the count Bonifazio, a.k.a. Fazio, of the Aldobrandeschi, future father of Ildebrandino,who, in 1272, became the chief of the S.Fiora ramification of this powerful family. Rocchette di Fazio was an important fortress, mainly for its position at the summit of a rocky spur on the western side of the river, which made it practically impregnable.
At the beginning of the 14th century, the castle entered the domain of the commune of Orvieto but was subsequently incorporated into an area under the Sienese influence. The control of Siena was concretized only in 1416, immediately after the zone experienced a period of serious crisis with a consequent depopulation.
In 1536, the castle and the village of Rocchette di Fazio were devastated by a Spanish army and then abandoned. The ruins of the fortification remained for years in the state in which they were left in the 16th century, with the aggravating action of time and the carelessness of men that have progressively worsened the situation. Recently, all the area of the ancient Aldobrandeschi castle and a great part of the village castle have been restored.
The rest of the keep and part of the walled enclosure, with two gates still intact, still testify to what great importance, for a brief time, Rocchette di Fazio had. Just below the Keep is the 13th century Santa Caterina Parish Church, today deconsecrated, and inside the walls are still well preserved the Palazzo di Giustizia and the Palazzo Pretorio.