2. European Comenius project “CHANT’EUROPE” Italian partner school ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO RIGNANO – INCISA VALDARNO (FIRENZE)

3. Our Nation is Italy, it’s like a big boot. In Italy there are 20 regions, we live in Tuscany, near the city of Florence (about 30 km). Our area

4. Rignano sull'Arno is a municipality with 8.500 inhabitants. Incisa in Val d’Arno is a municipality with 6.500 inhabitants.

5. INCISA IN VAL D’ARNO Incisa in val d’Arno is a small town with about 4.200 inhabitants in the district of Florence. It’s located on the banks of the Arno river, between the Pratomagno mountains and the Chianti hills. Around the country there are findings of the Etruscan age and Roman age. There are also remains of the medieval age, like the “Torre del Castellano” castle.

6. Torre del Castellano – Castellano Tower

7. Other historical buildings: churches and castles

8. Casa di Francesco Petrarca - Francesco Petrarca’s house This is the ancestral home of the famous poet Francesco Petrarca (1304 - 1374) which gave his name to one schools of ours.

9. RIGNANO SULL’ARNO Our village is surranded by the countryside and it lays on the hills, that are in the most of Tuscany. In our area cycling is very tiring because there are steep climbs and dizzy descents! If you have a walk in our countryside, you can see many trees: cypresses, oaks, long rows of vines and olive trees: we produce an excellent wine and a good oil. You should taste our bread with oil and you could, if adults, have a nice glass of red wine. During the walk you may meet many animals: pheasants, hares, foxes, porcupines and some wild boars.

10. Rignano sull’Arno

12. Near Rignano there is the Arno river, the longest one in Tuscany. The Arno touches important cities like Florence and Pisa.

13. La pieve di San Leolino - Saint Leolino parish It was built in the 11° century, but only the present apse is original. It is a Romanesque church. San Leolino is the patron saint of Rignano who lived in the third century. Leolino, while he was preaching the gospel in our territories, was arrested and martyred

14. Villas, towers and castles

15. Le case coloniche The country houses In our countryside there are many houses built from 1200 onwards. Some of the most beautiful country houses have become farm holidays.

16. Florence is called the capital of arts; according to statistics produced by UNESCO, 60% of the world's most important works of art are located in Italy and approximately half of these are in Florence. Florence attracts a lot of international travelers. Florence's historical center has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982. The most important town of our area is Firenze (Florence) the capital of Tuscany

22. In this Comenius project are involved four schools of our institute Rignano primary school with 220 pupils from 6 to 11 years old Incisa primary school with 200 pupils from 6 to 11 years old Rignano secondary school with 190 pupils from 11 to 14 years old Incisa secondary school with 190 pupils from 11 to 14 years old

23. In our schools we do many activities…

31. We love music!

32. And we like a lot working in Comenius projects!