VILLAGES AND NEARBY TOWNS

A MOSAIC OF TRADITIONS, NATURE AND CULTURE

THE VILLAGES

On the slopes of the Pizzorne plateau, lies the small village of Villa Basilica. Halfway between Lucca and Pistoia and near Collodi di Pinocchio, the village is a cluster of small houses that create alleys and squares with a unique style. Walking through its streets is the best way to breathe in its atmosphere, but you can also choose to look at it in all its fascinating whole. In fact, by climbing, you can reach the Rocca, which, placed high up to guard the territory, offers a wide view of the valley.

In the historic center, the main point of interest is certainly the 12th-century church of Santa Maria Assunta, which houses a 13th-century crucifix attributed to Berlinghiero Berlinghieri. A building that participates in the history of the village is Palazzo Biscotti, named after a family that played an important role in this land.

Among these hills, thanks to the precious resource of water, always constant with full-bodied rivers and streams, the iron industry was extremely active. In particular, it was the gunsmiths who dominated with their skill, becoming the point of reference for armies and noble families, who found here the best swords and other defense blades. Another trade linked to the use of water, which has ancient roots, is that of paper production, which has come down to the present day, with the numerous presence of paper mills typical of this area of Tuscany, in which Villa Basilica fits perfectly.

Attractions: Church of Santa Maria Assunta, Rocca, Palazzo Biscotti

Colognora Valleriana, in the heart of Tuscany, is a small town perched on a rocky spur, 560 meters above sea level, in the upper valley of the Pescia stream, in the province of Lucca. Today it has just over one hundred inhabitants. It has the particularity of being a linguistic island in danger of extinction, of a language of Lombard origin.

Colognora is rich in characteristic corners and some residential houses of architectural beauty of refined effect. The church of San Michele presents itself with a portal of the sixteenth century. The frieze of the architecture is surmounted by a graceful lunette.

Attractions: Fortifications, Church of St. Michael

Boveglio is a small village of about 150 inhabitants in the province of Lucca. It is located at 750 m above sea level in the Pescia di Collodi valley (Valleriana), between the Pizzorne plateau and Mount Battifolle; a few hundred meters north of the village is the Foce del Trebbio, the pass that connects the municipality of Villa Basilica with the Lima valley.

The first document in which it is referred to is a Lucca parchment from 757 AD. The history of the village is directly linked to the fate of Villa Basilica and the Republic of Lucca. In 1242 the village was conquered by the soldiers of the Castellan of San Miniato, a strong and important municipality in central Tuscany, but after this brief parenthesis, it returned under the dominion of the walled city.

Attractions: Church of Saints Jacopo and Ginesio

A medieval village documented since the 12th century, it is linked to the name of Carlo Lorenzini, author of Pinocchio. The Florentine writer, whose mother was originally from the town, spent part of his childhood there and took its name, signing himself Carlo Collodi. The intimate atmosphere of the village, its stone alleys, the surrounding hills and the simple life of the Tuscan countryside left a deep mark on the author's sensitivity. It is thought that these places fueled his imagination, providing ideas for the landscapes and characters of the famous fairy tale. Even today, walking among the stone houses and panoramic views, you can perceive that ancient magic that has made Collodi a symbol of children's literature throughout the world.

Attractions: Pinocchio Park, Villa Garzoni, Collodi Castle

THE CITIES

Founded in Roman times, as Pistoria, Pistoriae, Pistorium, on an area where there were previous Etruscan settlements and, in the more mountainous areas, Ligurian, it became in the 2nd century BC an oppidum of Rome to support the Roman troops fighting against the Ligurians settled in the Apennine areas. The city is also mentioned by Sallust, who reports the battle of 62 BC in which Catiline lost his life.

Pistoia became an important episcopal seat in the 5th century and was conquered by the Goths, Byzantines, Lombards and Franks. It was partly destroyed when the Ostrogoth army of Radagaisus passed through. A couple of centuries later, under Lombard rule, Pistoia was elevated to the rank of city. Thanks to its geographical position, it experienced significant demographic and economic development that continued around the year 1000.

In 1105 it became a free municipality and in 1117 the statute of the consuls of the Municipality of Pistoia was approved (Constitutum consulum Communis Pistoriae), the oldest written collection of municipal laws and regulations that has reached us. Pistoia was an important Ghibelline center, allied with Pisa and Siena, and experienced a period of economic and cultural splendor.

Attractions: The Duomo, the historic center

Famous for its historical monuments, for its historic centre unique in preserving structures from various ancient eras and above all for its intact sixteenth-century city walls, it is one of the most notable cities of art in Italy.

Officially of Roman origins, but probably built on older settlements, Lucca was a city of merchants and weavers. It maintained its autonomy as an independent state for several centuries, until 1799, when the ancient Republic was supplanted by the French conquest and the birth of the Principality of Lucca, later transformed into the Bourbon Duchy.

Attractions: Walls, Guinigi Tower, Piazza Anfiteatro, Piazza Grande

Among the most important monuments of the city is the famous Piazza del Duomo, known as Piazza dei Miracoli, declared a World Heritage Site, with the Cathedral built between 1063 and 1118 in Pisan Romanesque style and the Leaning Tower, a 12th-century bell tower, today one of the most famous Italian monuments in the world due to its characteristic inclination.

The city is home to three of the most important university institutions in Italy and Europe: the University of Pisa, the Scuola Normale Superiore and the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, as well as the largest headquarters of the National Research Council (CNR) and many other research centers. Pisa was also one of the Italian maritime republics.

Attractions: Leaning Tower of Pisa, Piazza dei Miracoli, University

Located in Valdinievole, Pescia is a Tuscan city with medieval origins, developed along the two banks of the river of the same name that crosses the historic center. This characteristic has given rise to two distinct urban centers: on the right bank is concentrated the civil and commercial area, dominated by the large Piazza Mazzini and the Palazzo Comunale; on the left bank instead develops the religious area, with important buildings such as the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the Monastery of Santa Maria Nuova.

Starting from the 14th century, Pescia came under the influence of Florence, becoming an important economic center thanks to the processing of silk, paper and leather. It is currently famous for its nursery and floriculture, sectors in which it represents one of the main points of reference in Tuscany and Italy.

Attractions: Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, Palazzo del Podestà (home of the “Libero Andreotti” plaster cast gallery), Palazzo del Vicario, Monastery of Santa Maria Nuova.

VILLAGES AND NEARBY TOWNS

THE VILLAGES

THE CITIES

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