Cascina | Ripoli

The village of Ripoli is in the plain of the Arno River, but in comparison to the other hamlets in the area, it is in a more secluded position, at the point where the river forms an elbow bend.

Ripoli preserves the remains of the medieval fortified castle (now in a state of neglect), built in the 14th century by Gherardo Compagni, a member of a wealthy Pisan merchant family. Its appearance is typical of fortified villas of the period, with a square plan and four corner towers that were decapitated after the Florentine conquest.

The 18th-century church of SS. Andrea and Lucia also stands in the village, which houses a valuable work by Barnaba da Modena commissioned by the wealthy Pisan family. The altarpiece, depicting the Virgin Suckling the Child, was intended for the high altar of the church and dates back to the 14th century.