Situated in the middle between Florence and Siena in fertile hills,
olive trees and vineyards, Barberino is characterized by a splendid landscape. The ancient boundaries and the two doors that surround
it today still testify its important past as outpost of Florence.
The archaeological ruins recovered in the zone go back to the Etruscan age and till the Romano empire, attest the antiquity of the human installation in this zone. The following feudal structure determined the proliferate of castles, among which Semifonte - next to Petrognano. Built in the last decade of the XII century in full climate of imperial restoration, Semifonte knew an express development until the city of Florence it decreed the total destruction of it in 1202. The destruction of the castle of Semifonte contributed to increase the importance of Barberino.The center of Barberino still preserves the medieval plant of elliptic form and rests of the fortifications. Inside the boundaries, that have preserved a lot of their native structure, is found Barberini building, once residence of Pope Urbano VIII's family. Among the various castles that rose in this territory, they deserve a mention the one of Linari, with rests of medieval buildings, the Church of Santo Stefano, Vico d’Elsa, that has lost its fortifications but not the characteristic lines of medieval rural village and Tignano, that preserve the most greater part of the walls up circular with a door placed side by side by a great cassero.