Inhabitants in 1991: 4.866
The
municipal territory extends for 52,78 square kilometres on the left slope
of the Valle del Serchio, from the foothills along the river as far al
Monte Rondinaio. Lordly land, it was the Vicariate Seat in 1272.
The first mention of Coreglia goes back to the X century: numbered
among the “Villas” dependent to the parish church of Loppia,
in Barghigiano, over whom the Rolandinghi exercised jurisdiction.
In 1272 it was placed under the municipality of Lucca. It assumed
notable importance, even strategically, during the times of Castruccio,
and exactly in these years it was entrusted to the Antelminelli
family with whom it stayed for over a century, except for a brief interval
with the Fiorentini from 1340 to 1342, and was even raised to County
by the Emperor Carlo IV. After various events, in 1441, with
all its dependant territory, it returned under Lucca, dividing
with it its destiny until the unity of Italy. Distinguished by a phase
of growth during the 1500 (the urban actions undertaken in the Medieval
are still recognisable today), it knew in the following century a demographic
crisis which coincided with the emigration of the “figurinai”
(celebrated makers of plaster statues), and then with the abandonment
of the countryside.
Places to visit: Civic Museum of the Plaster statues
and the emigration, hosted in Palazzo Vanni a collection of numerous
plaster objects, and documents relative to the emigrated “figurinai” |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |