Crevole and the ghost of the bishop who howls to the moon

The site is am height covered by thorn-bushes and brooms, south to Sienaz. On the summit, there from centuries, the rests of which that was a castle of really great dimensions rises isolated. A wonderful position even from the strategic point of view. The parts that still remains, shreds of the basements of the buildings and the walls, but above all, a part of the "mastio" (the main tower of the castle) and an other tower, still inspire fear. As well that enigmatic window in the high wall that seems a passage opened towards the mistery or the nothing.

The castle was already existing in 1189. In that time it became property of the bishops of Siena together with the next inhabitated place of Murlo. Bishops that, in spite of their spiritual engagements, did not disdain caring of their earthly properties. In particular, in this area, that was their feud until 1749. It is not accidental that still today an hamlet of Murlo bears the name of "Vescovado" ("Bishop's residence").

One of they, Dosnodeo (or Donusdei) Malavolti, that lived in the fourteenth century, that had a particolar care of the castle of Crevole, reinforcing its defences, enlarging it and making it the centre of his power. Donosdeo was an implacable opponent to everybody dared to thwart the Bishop's dominance. Not only he took advantage of the spiritual instruments that God placed at his dsposition, excomunications and anathemas, but did not esitate to wear the armour and to draw the sword to conduct personally his authentic military expeditions against his enemies. A zeal that,at last, costed him dear, if, as they tell, he died in consequence of the injuries suffered fighting against the Piccolimini's that contended with him the possession of Castiglione, near the Ombrone river.

The good bishop Donosdeo surely turn over in his tomb when, in 1380, the Ghibellines of Siena devastated the castle of Crevole. But it probably seemed too much to him what happened in the seventeenth century, during the ferocious war that leaded to the disappearance of the Republic of Siena. At that time, the imperial troops, leaded by the Spanish Don Francesco of Toledo ed by the count Sforza, when he conquered the fortress, decided to raze it to the ground. The soldiers had almost finished their destructive work, when, in front of them appeared the terrifying vision of the bishop Donosdeo Malavolti waked up again from his eternal sleep to pass, with his sacred vestments and clasping the crucifix , through the bewildered troops. And cursing everybody. There is reason to believe that the soldiers, even used to blood and violence, did not esitate to take to their's heels.

This is a legend, certainly, similar to many others that they tell hereabouts. But somebody swears that the unquiet ghost of Donosdeo wanders among the walls of the castle of Crevole during the full moon nights, clasping the cross as a sword and howling his anathema. Perhaps, the memory of the destruction still burns him. Or he desire to defend an important treasure keeped in the dungeons, perhaps a library of precious books that, during his past life, he had collected with passion. And if he is only trying someone to confide his secret? Until somebody will have courage to approach the white figure without peace and ask him: "Tell me, why do you howl to the moon?"

Crevole is north to Murlo, the main centre in the area. You can reach it taking the SS 2 Cassia following the indications from Lucignano d’Arbia and from the SS 223 Siena-Grosseto following the indications to Fontazzi.