Fiesole

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | 700+ words | Copyright

Fiesole , town (1991 pop. 15,096), Tuscany, central Italy. The villas and gardens of this tourist center are beautifully situated on a hill overlooking the Arno valley and the city of Florence. An ancient Etruscan town called Faesulae, it was enriched with fine buildings by the Romans. In 63 BC the town served as the headquarters of Catiline, the Roman statesman and conspirator. Of note in Fiesole are a well-preserved Roman theater (c.80 BC); the ruins of Roman baths; a Romanesque cathedral (11th cent.), with works by the sculptor Mino da Fiesole; and a Franciscan church and convent (on the site of the Roman acropolis). On the lower slopes of the hill is the Church of San Domenico di Fiesole, which has paintings by Fra Angelico.

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