Borgo San Lorenzo

Borgo San Lorenzo lies in the Mugello valley north of Florence, beside the Sieve River. Its market served the fertile countryside, and roads through the Tuscan hills connected the town with Florence and neighbouring districts. The parish church of San Lorenzo was an established centre of local religious life.

Once a possession of the bishop of Florence, Borgo came under Florentine authority. In 1351 the Florentine republic fortified the settlement with walls and gates, including the Porta Fiorentina and the gate now known for its clock. The defences gave the valley's market town a place in Florence's wider system of protecting and governing its surrounding territory.