Bucine - The municipal district of Bucine encompasses an area of over 13,111 hectares; it has an almost oval shape, with the long axis running north to south.

The whole territory is drained by river Ambra (hence the name Val-dambra) and its affluents. The Ambra flows from north to south and divides the territoiy into two almost symmetrical portions. From its source in the municipal district of Gaiole in Chianti, its course runs for about 53 km before joining the Arno near Levanella. The Ambra tends to flood in wintertime and dry up in the summer.

The neighbouring municipal districts are Montevarchi and Pergine Valdarno to the north, Pergine Valdarno and Civitella in Val di Chiana to the east, Monte San Savino, Rapolano Terme and Castelnuovo Berardenga to the south, and Castelnuovo Berardenga, Gaiole in Chianti and Montevarchi to the west.

From the thirteenth century, the Counts Guidi di Modigliana owned the part of the territory where the castles of Bucine, Pogi, Torre S. Reparata, Galatrona, Caposelvi and Rendola were located. In 1225 all these Castles were under the protection of Arezzo and its Viscount, Orlando degli Albergotti. In the same period the Umbertini di Chitignano owned the upper valley which included Ambra, Rapale, Sogna, Badia a Ruoti and Pietraviva. The Abbey of S.Maria d’Agnano had jurisdiction over Capannole, Castiglion Alberti and S.Pancrazio as well as the town of Agnano. Even Tarlati d’Arezzo had estates there, and in approximately 1325 they siezed the castle of Bucine from the Guidi.

But the interests of these feudal lords inevitably clashed with the expansionistic policies of the Florentine Republic. From 1335, the territories of Bucine, Cennina, Galatrona, Torri, Rendola, S. Reparata and Valdambra Fiorentina became part of the domain of Florence and were organized into “Podesteria” (mayorships). This annexation was ratified by the Treaty of Sarzana in 1353. In the following decades the Florentine Republic strengthened its influence in the area. In 1360 the Republic formed a “League” which took the name of “Valdambra” and, in the years between the 14th and the 15th centuries, conquered the upper Ambra valley, until then in the domain of the Ubertini.

In 1645 Ferdinando II dei Medici raised the Comune di Bucine to the status of feud and invested Giulio Vitelli with the fief of Marquisate. In 1738 the investiture passed to Niccolò Vitelli. The remaining part of the Valdambra continued to be a “Podesteria” constituted only by the territories of the Cinque Comuni Distrettuali (five Districts).
During the period of French domination, Bucine assumed the administrative organization of the “Mairies”. Until 1811, the town was part of the Dipartimento della Prefettura dell’Arno and the Circondario di Arezzo; afterwards the Podesteria of Bucine Valdambra was reconstituted, covering its original area and including 24 town. This is why the present territory is so spread out. Many personalities were born and lived in this area: Gregorio Stendardi, known as “Goro da Montebenichi”, a condottiere who supported the Florentine Republic under the orders of Francesco Ferrucci (1529); Niccolò Angeli, known as “Angelo Bucinese”, a superb Latinist (16th century); and Sanleolini da S. Leolino, a man of letters and a poet (18th century).