Inhabitants in 1991: 12.731
The
Seravezza territory in the Versilia, extends for 39,37 square kilometres
at the foot of a spur of the coastal slopes of the Alpi Apuane. The centre
is situated at the influx of the Serra and Vezza which form the River
Versilia.
Seravezza called Sala Vetitia in a document of the X century,
Sala Vecchia in the Lucca Annals of Tolomeo and Seravetitia in certain
papers of 1368 and 1375, was originally the dominion the Lords of Corvaia
and Vallecchia, by an investiture of Emperor Federico II. Destroyed
in 1269 by the Lucca militia, it was joined, with its territory, to
the Vicariate of Pietrasanta. Later devastated by the unruly Fiorentine
solders captained by Rinaldo degli Albizzi and Astorre Gianni (1429),
from 1430 Seravezza was governed by Genova, to whom Lucca had pledged
the fortresses of Pietrasanta and Motrone with all their districts. It
came under the power of Firenze in 1484 and then in 1496 Piero dei
Medici consigned it with Pietransta to Carlo VIII, in 1498 the town was
sold to Lucca, who retained it until 1513 when a ruling of Leone X
assigned Seravezza to the Mediceo State. During the Nazi occupation,
the population of the municipality suffered atrocious reprisals
by several divisions of the SS who had established their general
quarters in the Villa Henraux obligatory path for those going up or down
the high Versilia. From there in fact the Germans proceeded in the systematic
destruction of the districts of Ripa, Corvaia the neighbourhoods of Fucina
and Monte Altissimo in Seravezza, capturing and torturing numerous civilians,
then barbarously killing them. The town is the birth place of the writer
Enrico Pea (1881-1958).
Places to visit: Palazzo Mediceo, constructed
in 1555 by Bartolomeo Annammati, desired by Cosimo I as summer residence.
Today it is the museum. SS. Annunziata, church erected
in 1400 but remodelled after the second world war. Under the portico
of the façade is a precious basso relievo of a Madonna col
Bambino. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |