Istia d'Ombrone Castle and Historic Center

Istia is a castle that is discovered slowly, walking through its streets without haste; appreciating the glimpses, the hidden corners and the perspectives on the river that made it prosperous. It dominates the Ombrone river from the top of a modest hill in the Grosseto plain and was already an important hub of Etruscan-Roman and medieval roads, also thanks to its ford. A summit nucleus and one lower down are still clearly visible. It was mentioned for the first time in written sources in 862 with the name "Iscle", a name deriving from Ischia, which means Island, precisely because it was anciently surrounded by the waters of the Ombrone river. The external walls, which completely enclose the hill at its base, were equipped with two mighty gates, which served to defend a nodal point of passage for the trade and distribution of salt. Its strategic position made it fundamental in the Middle Ages and has brought it to us with still many things to tell. While walking through the streets of the center, don't forget to look out and admire the characteristic views of the river that made it rich.