Casal di Pari, the town where “Tex Willer” was born

Casal di Pari

Casal di Pari is a fraction of the municipality of Civitella Paganico in the province of Grosseto. A village with ancient origins that became known for being the birthplace of the famous cartoonist Aurelio Galleppini (Galep), author of the popular character of Tex Willer.

Casal di Pari is located on a splendid hill 481 meters above the sea level at the highest point of the entire municipal area of Civitella Paganico. The origins of the village, initially known with the name of Casal and then becoming Casal di Pari, can be traced back to the Etruscan and Roman periods. The village was also an important outpost during the Middle Ages under the control of the Ardengheschi and later under Siena. Little or nothing remains of the old agglomeration dating back to the 12th century except for the ancient urban structure. Today Casal di Pari shines in all its simplicity of a typical Maremma countryside village, a place where ancient traditions are still strongly felt especially in the culinary field. At the historic center of the town every year at the end of the summer two of the longest-lived festivals of the Maremma take place, the Casal di Para Sausage Festival and the Porcino Festival.

What to see in Casal di Pari

Inside the inhabited center of Casal di Pari there are many secular and religious structures that deserve to be visited and each of them tells a fragment of the ancient history of this Maremma village.

  • Old Town 
  • Church of San Donato
  • Hermitage of Sant’Antonio in Valdaspra

Old Town

Casal di Pari presents a very particular stylistic layout of its historic center. Its appearance is typically medieval but unlike other Maremma villages Casal di Pari is completely devoid of walls and most of the historic buildings have undergone important restorations over the centuries that have changed the style. Despite this, the town maintains that aura of charm and mystery, typical of ancient villages with its stone houses and beautiful churches with a unique design. The historic center of Casal di Pari is a human place where relationships are true and sincere and peace and serenity reign supreme.

Church of San Donato

The church of San Donato belongs to the fifteenth century, unfortunately over the years this place of worship as many historic buildings in the town underwent important changes. The church of San Donato as we see it today is the result of the important renovation work undergone in 1700. The building is sober with simple lines the main stylistic element from a particular stone inserted in the jamb that supports the side portal known as the “Porta degli Men”. On this stone there is an ancient fragmentary inscription that says “Carried from the Church of the Holy Monk”. The writing would suggest that this piece of rock may have come from the ancient convent in Val d’Aspra dedicated to Sant’Antonio and of which today only the ruins of a perimeter wall remain.

Hermitage of Sant'Antonio in Valdaspra

The Hermitage of Sant’Antonio in Valdaspra is an ancient place of worship located just outside the inhabited center of Casal di Pari. Today only a few remains of the building are visible. In the past, the Hermitage was considered one of the most important religious structures in the whole town of Civitella Paganico. The complex was of medieval origin and was built between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the first written evidence of its existence dates back to a document dated 1206. The construction of the building, according to local tradition, was strongly desired by the Ardengheschi lords of the area and its function was to provide hospitality to the hermits who went to Casal di Pari. According to some local accounts, the Hermitage of Sant’Antonio has even more remote origins that date back to the period of the spread of the Christian religion in Europe We do not actually know how true this story is, what we know for sure is that initially the hermitage was a possession of the Abbey of San Lorenzo Lanzo and which then in 200 passed under the dependence of the Guglielmiti. From 400 onwards the monastery gradually lost its importance also due to its decentralized position with respect to the rural settlement. The slow and long decline lasted for centuries, until its definitive suspension in 1782.

Where sleeping in Casal di Pari

Casal di Pari is immersed in the verdant countryside of the Tuscan Maremma in this small fraction of the municipality of Civitella Paganico there are many tourist accommodation facilities that provide, for those who want to stay in this area, rooms and apartments to make each guest’s stay pleasant. . B & Bs, hotels, farmhouses, resorts and apartments where you can find refreshment after spending long days discovering the Maremma villages, in the local museums, or after a day of walking in the countryside following ancient paths on the traces left by the Etruscans.

Where to eat in Casal di Pari

Casale di Pari boasts an incredible gastronomic tradition made of healthy dishes prepared with the best products that the area offers. The king of the forest porcini mushroom stands out above all, a high quality product known all over the world that is born and grows in this area and to which a historic local festival is also dedicated. This succulent ingredient is also the protagonist of many dishes served in the restaurants and trattorias of Casal di Pari.

Trattoria da Rosanna (Piazza Milazzo 1, Casal di Pari) Score 4.0

Da Rosanna is a typical Maremma cuisine tavern located in the center of Casal di Pari. A small family-run restaurant that has all the typical elements of an old-fashioned trattoria. Da Rossana stands out for its friendly service and its menu linked to tradition. The Trattoria da Rosanna is open for both lunch and dinner. For more information or reservations +39 0564 90881

History of Casal di Pari

The hill on which the locality of Casal di Pari stands was the seat of a human settlement already during the Upper Palaeolithic and subsequently it was a very popular place both by the Etruscans and by the Romans.
The current village is of medieval origin with an urban layout characterized by narrow circular streets. In front of the village, rises a hill known with the name of Poggio di Monteacuto at the top of which in the past stood another village of origins of which only a few ruins remain.
According to historians, the origins of Casal di Pari almost certainly date back to the 11th-12th century at the behest of the Senese family of Ardengheschi.

Events Casal di Pari

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