Follonica
Follonica ( stresses Follonica ) is a municipality with 21,328 inhabitants (as of 31 December 2012) in the province of Grosseto in the Italian region of Tuscany. The town originated in the 19th century as an industrial settlement. Follonica has a relatively modern city and is today one of the largest seaside resorts in Tuscany.
Geography
Follonica is located in the Maremma countryside Grossetana on the Tyrrhenian Sea, at the southern foothills of the Metalliferous Hills. The municipality is bordered to the north by the province of Livorno, the provincial capital Grosseto is located about 45 km south-east. Named after the city of Gulf of Follonica extends from Piombino Punta Ala in the northwest to the southeast. In front of the Golf southwest lies the island of Elba. In the southeastern municipality of river flows Pecora.
Follonica neighboring municipalities are Piombino (LI ), Suvereto (LI ), Massa Marittima and Scarlino.
History
The history of Follonica is closely associated with the iron industry. To the Etruscan period, there were at today's municipal area, which was conveniently located between Populonia and Vetulonia, plants for the smelting of iron ore. In the district Rondelli 21 ovens were found in which hematite was processed from Elba. In the 5th century BC This system was abandoned. Other archaeological finds were made in the hills inland, including lime kilns on the slopes of Poggio Fornello.
The attested from the early Middle Ages toponym probably derives from Fulloni or Folliculum from, headed expressions for the bellows, the air in the furnaces.
In the Middle Ages there was a from 884 testified Castello di Valle ( also Valli ), from the ruins on a hill north of the city center are obtained. Initially, it was the summer residence of the bishops of Lucca later belonged to the Abbey of San Bartolomeo di Sestinga, from the 12th century Aldobrandeschi family, and from the second half of the 13th century Pisa.
From the beginning of the 15th century, the area was part of the Principality of Piombino under the APPIANI that again einrichteten an iron foundry. This is attested from 1546, and was adopted during the 16th century by the Medici and expanded. Until the beginning of the 19th century iron smelting the only economic activity remained at Follonica, as the marshes of the Maremma allowed no agriculture and malaria was common.
From 1832 to 1836 Leopold II built next to the old foundry modern iron factory Reali e Imperiali Fonderie build, and Follonica was in the following years, the most important location for iron and steel production in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and one of the starting points of the drainage of the Maremma. To the industrial site wetlands were parceled, sold to settlers and drained. However, the new settlement grew slowly. In 1854, the city had only 364 inhabitants. Today Follonica is the second largest municipality in the province of Grosseto.
Population development:
Source: ISTAT
1923 Follonica own congregation, by then she was administratively part of Massa Marittima.
After the smelter in 1897 the Società Anonima Alti Forni e Fonderie di Piombino had been assumed, which merged in 1918 Ilva group, the Tuscan steel production was concentrated in the following years in Piombino. In 1960, the plant was finally closed in Follonica. The most important economic factor of the community, in addition to small - and medium-sized industry, is now the summer beach tourism, which developed from the 1960s. Follonica has a long sandy beach and versatile tourist facilities.
Nature
Parts of the municipality of Follonica belong to the natural parks
- Parco Provinciale di Inter Montoni, in the northern part of the municipality of Piombino;
- Riserva Naturale Statale biogenetica tomboli di Follonica, along the coast with sand dunes and pine forests;
- Riserva Naturale Statale della Marsiliana - hills towards Massa Marittima.
Culture and sights
Building
The town of Follonica is dominated by modern buildings next to it but also a number of villas from the beginning of the 20th century in Neoclassical style and Art Nouveau obtained ( eg Benedetti Villa, Villa Sant'Anna Villa Jole and Monciatti ).
Most important monument is the parish church Chiesa di San Leopoldo. Based on a design by Carlo rice hammer and Alessandro Manetti it was built from 1836 to 1838 for the growing settlement. The Classicist church combines stone masonry with various cast iron elements ( porch, and rosettes ), and is among the first examples of iron architecture in Tuscany.
The former premises of ironworks ( Area ex ILVA ) was rededicated, and the former industrial and administrative buildings are now home to various public institutions. The area is part of the National Park, created in 2002 Parco Archeologico Nazionale delle Colline Metalliferous Tecnologico Grossetane. The cast-iron entrance gate in the classical style is the work of Carlo rice hammer. A 1995 equipped museum (Museo del Ferro e della Ghisa ) documents the history of mining and iron smelting, as well as the history of the company Ilva. An Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico di Follonica ) is planned. Other facilities include a branch of the University of Siena, as well as the municipal library in the former mechanical workshops.
The Municipal Art Museum Pinacoteca Civica Amedeo Modigliani issues especially paintings of contemporary Italian artists.
From the hilltop inland medieval castle Castello di Valle residues are present, including the keep and some outbuildings which have been partly reconstructed. In the district of La Pievaccia, on the hill of Poggio Chiecco, there are the remains of another medieval settlement, including a defense tower from the 13th century.
Sports
Follonica has a successful roller hockey club, the Consorzio Etruria ASD Follonica Hockey, several times Italian champion. In 2006 the club won the European Cup and 2007 Intercontinental Cup.
The Ippodromo dei Pini is the harness racing track in the city.
Regular events
- Carnival of Follonica, with parades and floats of the different neighborhoods ( since 1949)
Traffic
Follonica is located on the Strada Statale 1 Via Aurelia or to Grosseto Livorno parallel Aurelia. Their departures are Follonica Est - Massa Marittima and Follonica Nord. The train station of Follonica lies on the railway Pisa - Rome.