City of the Crystal: There were 2 old hamlets on top of the hill, S. Caterina and the Castle belonging like most of the Etruscan Tuscany to the IVth C b.c. The earliest written documents go back to Xth C, but only at the end of XIIth C. the village had its independent identity. In the early 1300 the first water canalizations for mills and paper factories along the river Elsa began. Colle witnessed important battles for Tuscany like the one in 1269 and 1479. In XVIth C. Colle changed its aspect. The Usimbaldi family changed the paper production into glass and then crystal production. Today the 15% of the worldwide crystal and the 95% of the Italian crystal comes from Colle. Colle Alto is a real architectural pearl.

Churces to see:

* Cathedral of Colle Val d'Elsa
* Church of St Mary in Canonica
* Church of St Pietro
* Church of St Agostino
* Church of St Caterina
* Church of Fabbricciano
* Church of San Biagio
* Convent di San Francesco
* Sanctuary of Santa Mary delle Grazie
* Abbey di St Maria Assunta a Conèo
* Church of St Maria Assunta a Spugna
* Sanctuary of Beata Vergine del Renaio
* Church of Saints Ippolito and Cassiano a Conèo
* Church of St Marziale
* Church of St Bartolomeo a Campiglia

Civil important buildings

# Home-Tower of Arnolfo di Cambio (see Arnolfo tower too, palazzo vecchio)
# Pretorio palace
# Campana palace
# Municipality palace or the Priors' palace

Colle val d'Elsa