Inhabitants in 1991: 24.817
The
Pietrasanta territory in the Versilia extends for 41,84 square kilometres,
and is divided into two parts separated by a portion of the municipality
of Seravezza, comprising a tract of coast, the coastal plain and the hilly
offshoot of the Apuane. It reached its present day aspect in 1914
when the district of Forte dei Marmi was detached to constitute an autonomous
municipality.
The centre owes its origins and its name to the Lucca Podesta Guiscardo
Pietrasanta, who had it built by orders of the republic towards the
middle of the XIII century. Lucca was challenged by Pisa and Peitrasanta
fell under the power of the latter in 1312. Successively it was subjected
to the Lucca Lord of Castruccio Castracani degli Antelminelli (1316-1328)
until his death. It passed in 1341 to Firenze who kept it until
the exile of the Duke d’Atene. In the end, Pietrasanta was consigned
to the unruly soldiers of the Bishop of Luni, Antonio del Fiesco, to make
the offensive of Luchino Visconti Lord of Milan easier, at war with Pisa,
who possessed the Fort of Motrone. In 1344 following the victory
of Milan, Pietrasanta returned under the dominion of Lucca, then
was again subjected to Pisa in 1355. When Lucca regained its autonomy,
in 1369, Pietrasanta returned to the regime of the Anziani, and
remaining there until 1430. Pledged then to Genova, the town again experienced
the government of Firenze in 1484, it was subjugated to Carlo VIII ten
years later and again to Luca in 1496 in 1513 by a ruling of
Leone X it went definitively to Firenze. Cosimo I accentuated its
military centre aspect inserting it in a system of fortifications
(Barga, Fivizzano etc,) destined to control northern Toscana and the Valichi
Appenninici . From the XVII century Pietrasanta became progressively decadent,
mainly caused by the scourge of malaria, from which it could free
itself only at the beginning of the 1800s, through the completed regulation
of the water. In 1841 Leopoldo II di Lorena bestowed the title of Noble
City to Pietrasanta “for the rank assumed, its antiquity, the
Lordly buildings, the institutional importance, as well as the residences
of many noble and wealthy families”. Among its illustrious sons
are recorded the sculptures Lorenzo (ca. 1455-1506) and Stagio
Stagi (ca.1496-1563), the physicist Eugenio Barsanti (1821-1864)
and the poet Giosuè Carducci (1835-1907).
Places to visit: Pizza del Duomo, ancient urban
nucleus, arrived at via the Porta Pisana. The principal buildings
of the town face it, among which Palazzo Moroni seat of the Civic
Archaeological Museum. Il Duomo. Dedicated to S.Martino,
dominates the centre of the square. The construction goes back to
the middle of the 1200s, but during the centuries it has been remodelled
and enlarged several times. Externally it is covered with marble.
Internally, divided in three naves, are found murals by Aldemollo,
together with other important works of art. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |