Certaldo was the home of the family of Giovanni Boccaccio; its name derives from the latin word " cerrus altus" or the German one "cerrus aldo", which means "hill covered by oaks".
Of Etruscan-Roman origin, in 1164 King Frederick Barbarossa gave the territory of Certaldo to the counts Alberti, who, soon after, were defeated by the egemonic power of Florence, destroying all the towers, symbol of nobility and defence.
Very interesting place is Certaldo Alto, with its typical Medieval urban fabric, characterized by narrow alleys and few small squares.
It is rich in architectural and cultural monuments, such as Stiozzi Ridolfi Palace, Giannozzi Palace, the Palazzo Pretorio and Boccaccio's house, where now there is a well furnished library and a study centre dedicated to the famous poet.