Category: About Tuscany

Italian itineraries

Walls of Lastra a Signa

Lastra a Signa
Old and ancient, Lastra a Signa in Tuscany derives its name from the Lastra dei Gangalandi family who held the fiefdom. But its history goes back to the year 1000 when the Cadolingi di Fucecchio lords held Lastra a Signa under their rule. Lastra a Signa is positioned at a strategic point right in the middle of the Arno Valley. Having access to the sea, Lastra became a focal port for Florence and Pisa. The city center stands on the foundations of the fortifications built on Mount Cascioli and Mount Orlando. Lastra defended itself against continuous sieges against Florence and Pisa. In 1377, the town of Lastra was encircled with town walls and a crenallated tower.

Enclosed by its medieval walls and the gates of Pisane and Bacchio, the Saint Mary Church built in 1404 is in the middle of Lastra. The lovely works of art are still preserved in the church displaying a painting by Francesco Conti named “Saint Rocco in Glory” and another painting portraying “Our Lady”, that dates back to the 14th century. You can also find a memorable work that portrays Podestà’s Tabernacle with a fresco dating back to the 16th century with “Our Lady with the Child between the Saints John Baptist and Francis”. The Praetorian Palace in Lastra a Signa still has the emblems of the Podestàs on the walls. The breathtaking Villa di Bellosguardo or the villa with a beautiful view in Lastra was owned by the famous tenor Enrico Caruso. The lovely Renaissance Villa Bellosguardo was earlier owned by the Marquises Pucci and was renowned for its fabulous architecture. As you enter its elegant doorway, you will find beautiful rooms with soaring vaulted ceilings, grand staircases, frescoed friezes and deep pink velvet upholstered furniture. Ornate in structure with rich and varied architecture, the gorgeous Ballroom leads to the refreshing Orangerie that is striking with fantastic views. Historical and artistic, Lastra a Signa is famous for its ancient churches, villas and country homes of the nobles of the Middle Ages and a retreat of the rich and the famous through the Renaissance period.

Lastra a Signa opens out her beautiful countryside with the stunning colors of Tuscany. As the eye traverses the rich scenery, the famous Villa Pandolfini comes into view with its lush private forests. This beautiful castle dates back to the 1200s and was built by the Medicis for their family and friends who loved to hunt. Later, the Pandolfini family owned this lovely villa and also another historical one called ‘Le Torre’ that was a walled castle from the 1300s. Agnolo di Filippo, who was a great friend of Cosimo de Medici, lived at Villa Pandolfini for 12 years. It was here that he wrote his historical dialogues on the governing of the family. He died in 1446 at the age of 86. In 1434, Filippo’s nephew renovated the villa with fabulous architecture with the date, 1488, engraved on its wall that portrays the time of the completion of the renovation.

Created with stunning architecture with a linear concept, the harmony and space have been balanced to please the eye and deliver an aesthetic sense. The famous architect, Benedetto da Rovezzano executed the renovation with a keen eye for detail displaying beautiful carved windows, a lovely loggia, excellent stonework and free flowing lines. The Villa has been host to several personalities including Napoleon, King Carlo VIII of France and King Charles VIII of France.

The early 1800s saw the Pandolfini family selling their antique villa to the Samminiatelli family. They in turn sold the villa to the De Prat family who had returned after their exile from France following the Revolution. The estate ranges over a huge area of private forests, vineyards and olive groves. Tranquil, stunning and spacious, the villa is just 10 minutes away from Florence. The Villa showcases antiques, frescoed ceilings, a lovely loggia and an amazing Renaissance garden. With elegance and an air of mystery surrounding the Villa, inviting paths lead to beautiful walks, an outdoor dining area and a tranquil ambience. The Villa Pandolfini is vantage starting point for great excursions into the heart of Tuscany. The estate produces extra virgin olive oil and typical Chianti wine under detailed and careful supervision.

The Villa Pandolfini basks under the Tuscan sun and is adorned with frescoes, mirrors with gold gilt, terracotta floors and elegant columns carved in stone. Decorated beautifully, the rooms are bedecked with silk curtains, ornate fireplaces and a beautiful antique crystal chandelier. The Villa was originally built as a hunting lodge for nobles of bygone days and is a fabulous retreat just a few miles from Florence. The gallery kitchen is a work of wonder with its enormous fireplace and an old marble sink. The Villa Pandolfini is a work of art, a picturesque getaway and enhances lifestyles with a rich and royal air.

Web site: www.comune.lastra-a-signa.fi.it

Tuscan villages

San Gennaro

Tuscan villages: San Gennaro
The village of San Gennaro is a settlement on the ridge of the boundary with the valley of Pescia di Collodi and, according to martyrologies of just after the time of San Frediano (A. Mazzarosa, 1933) in dates back to the 6th century. Its foundation was perhaps due to a Neapolitan community that had emigrated here after the huge eruption of Vesuvius in 512, a hypotesis which is also borne out by the fact that there was a street in the village called Gragnano and another near Naples.

The ancient village of San Gennaro has a particular town layout which “pivots” around the parish church and above which the town layout consists of a series of villas standing next to each other and connected by enclosure walls, parks and family oratories. Called “Il Castello”, this is the oldest part of village and the richiest of history, and from here there is a splendid view of the lucca plain.
The village below the church is composed of about one hundred buildings built in series and all with similar characters (the size of the buildings is determined by the lenght of the wooden beams), with living quarters on the upper florr and shops on the ground floor.
the majority of the houses probably date back the the 16th century, but on many of them the date chiselled into the portal is 1746, the year in which the reorganisation of the town and buildings took place, which also led to the removal of the outside stairs.
Although the Municipality of san gennaro had been established and had its own statue since the 12th century, the village did not have a place where meeting could be held and they took place in the parish church.

It was for this reason that in 16000 a town hall was built in the area below the church.
Next to the church is the Boccella building, an architectural complex that is now being restored for use as Museum of Oil and Wine, with a wine shop and tasting room, a meeting room and areas especially equipped for top quality tourist accomodation. This is also where the head office of the Fondazione Palazzo Boccella will be situated and the entire complex will be run by a consortium of public bodies and private producers and entrepreneurs.

Fashion yacth

Boat building area in Viareggio

The boat building sector: fashion yacht in Viareggio
The boat building sector of the Versilia coast is, thanks to its centuries-old tradition, synonymous with quality and cutting edge technology.
The ship-building industry, with its five centuries of history, is in fact a major player on the world stage.
Thanks to the geographical layout of the Tuscan coast, with its numerous islands and the proximity to Corsica, sailing for commerce and fishing has developed since ancient times with the consequent creation for first rowing and then sailing boats, and finally motor boats. Over time the quality and reliability of these boats has reached an extremely high level.

From the 1960’s to the 1980’s, with the introduction of new materials such as fibre glass, carbon fibre, steel and aluminium, we have witnessed a real revolution, not only in the market but also in the philosophy of pleasure boat construction.
Mass production has increased and the standardization of accessories has allowed the production of boats at a more reasonable price and a consequently wider distribution of pleasure craft.
the Viareggio boat-building industry has meanwhile also maintained a production that targets the more demanding niche markets, using more expensive materials.

Today the Versilia area can boast an economy of great importance which includes, apart from the boat-building production of the large yards, also small craftsman business, created as a consequence of the decentralization of production towards tertiary companies which specialise in specif fields (electronic instrumentation, motors, furnishing, etc.)
Viareggio’s fame as home to skilled boat-builders has spread beyond Italy. In fact, 18% of the world’s luxury boats are produced there, with the presence of world-wide producers Azimut-Benetti, Rodriguez Group, Fipa Group, San Lorenzo, Perini Navi, compared with the 45% built in Italy, with a total of 7 out of the 20 producers world wide.
Tradition and high quality have led the production to distinguish itself in terms of style, elegance and high level of technology in the command and navigation systems, making the boats of Tuscany unbeatable for reliability, safety and interior design and furnishings.

Tuscan bread

Tuscan bread

The bread of Altopascio and the collective marque of “Pane di Altopascio”.
Altopascio has a particular historical and artistic importance linked to the welcoming of pilgrims who even today pass through. In fact at that point of the Via Francigena (a pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome), particulary awkward because of the two swampy areas of Bientina and Fucecchio, the “Domus Hospitalis Sanctis Jacobi de Altopassu” sprang up erected in the second half of the 11th century.

The historic centre of Altopascio, ringed by walls of which parts including theree gates still survive, corresponds to what should have been the nediaeval hospital which appeared as a real fortress.
The current three piazzas were the three inner courtyards where the various buildings were located which were used by the friars to care for pilgrims, offering them food and lodgings, and baking the famous bread. Even today Altopascio is known as the baker’s town, where they produce a bread famous throughout Italy.

The bread of Altopascio has a rectangular (bozza) or long (filone) shape, a soft consistency inside, and a light gold crust. It is made withoput salt and the weights vary from 500 g. to 2 kg.
It is produced all year round. The bread of Altopascio owes its tradition to the dexterity and axpertise to people who have gained specific experience over time, the original taste as well as the use of water from the local area.
The Lucca Chamber of Commerce owns the Collective Brand “Pane di Altopascio Tradizionale” (traditional bread of Altopascio) a pilot project for the enhancement and safeguarding of typical local products, a means of promoting the development of the local economy.

The registration of Collective Brand was obtained after a long process, to which the municipality of Altopascio first “city of bread” to be recognised in Italy, and  the province of Lucca both contributed.
The Collective Brand “Pane di Altopascio” is an opportunity for bread makers and a resource for consumers , the former if they possess the necessary prerequisites, can safeguard their own production against possible imitations, and profit from any promotional campaigns by the owner of the brand. Consumers can buy a bread with a guaranteed quality of ingredients and production process overall a higher quality than similar products.

Tuscan traditions

Tuscan traditions

An example of local history: history of Lucca economy.
At hte end of the middle ages, and at the beginning of modern era, the Lucca economy was founded in large measure on the production and trade in silk cloth, business in which Lucca had long been one of the most important centres in western Europe.
Around the provincial capital, the mostly flat stretch of land which broadned to form to so called “Six Miles” was among the most fertile and intensively cultivated areas in Tuscany, with wide grain fields bordered by rows of grapevines and occasionally interspersed with jasmine, olives and fruit trees.

Also the hilly areas and, above all the lower slopes of the Pizzorne mountains were characterised by vines and olive trees, to which began to be added chestnut trees which became more established and largely dominant in the steeper areas-such as the Garfagnana, where the difficult environmental conditions limited cereal crop production, and it was the chestnut woods (along with sheep and pigs) which became the mainstay of local food production.
The economy based on woodland and fields fed a modest local craft industry and, in the larger towns of the Serchio Valley, metal working was also practised.

The only relevant transformations to this structure occurred between the 19th and 20th centuries with the set up of the spun cotton industry in Lucca, Bagni di Lucca, Massarosa, Gallicano (sewing thread for domestic and industrial use and knitwear), and with the creation of a tobacco industry in Lucca.
The industrialisation process is continuos, broadening its territorial base in the first half of 20th century, to the point where already in 1951 the secondary sector became the most noticeable in the province with installations (apart from those in Lucca) in the municipalities of Massarosa, Altopascio, Capannori, Seravezza, Villa Basilica, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Barga and Porcari.