Pitigliano

Pitigliano is an Italian town with 3847 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) in Tuscany ( province of Grosseto), between steep valleys with a medieval core.

Geography

The tuff of this area is due to the volcanic past of this part of Tuscany. About 20 km from Pitigliano Lake Bolsena, a caldera is about 14 km in diameter. It is the result of an enormous volcanic explosion, which occurred about 300,000 years ago. The Monte Amiata, a 1738 m high extinct volcano can be seen from Pitigliano, in the winter it is a popular ski resort. Pitigliano itself is situated on the rivers Lente and Meleta.

A district is casone.

The neighboring communities are Farnese (VT), Ischia di Castro ( VT), Latera (VT), Manciano, Sorano and Valentano (VT).

History

The city is located in the original Etruscan home country and is built on a 300 m high tuff rock. The tuff is the usual building material here that is cut into brick shapes from the rock. Pitigliano is encircled by the deep ravines of the streams Lente and Meleta that have cut the passage of time in the plateau. In addition to the natural canyons can be found around the city, many so-called " Vie Cave " road systems of the Etruscans, who were dug into the tuff to get on the sides of the valley opposite the city. This Etruscan roads are partly equipped with sophisticated drainage systems.

The first written mention of the city dates from the year 1061. In the early 13th century, the city became the property of the Aldobrandeschi and became the capital of the surrounding area. In 1293 she went to the Orsini, the beginning of the 17th century, the Medici, which they incorporated into the Duchy of Tuscany in 1604. In the wake of the Risorgimento in the 19th century it became part of the Kingdom of Italy.

The history of the city is stronger than helped shape elsewhere in the Maremma of Jews who were in the 16th century in Pitigliano refuge from persecution and expulsion. An association takes care of the Jewish heritage of the city, so that the synagogue and the Jewish Quarter ( " Little Jerusalem " ) are restored in the old town today and visit again.

Demographics

Attractions

• The Cathedral " Santi Pietro e Paolo " dates back to the Middle Ages. In the 16th century, after which it was changed a lot and now has a late Baroque façade. Contains two works by Pietro Aldi. The Campanile widely overtops the city.
• The impressive aqueduct was begun in the mid-16th century, but only completed in the 17th century under the Medici.
• Around Pitigliano find a large number of tombs of the Etruscans, the most famous of the " Tomba Ildebranda " is. It is erroneously named after the famous Ildebrando of Sovana, which became known as Pope Gregory VII in the Church's history in the 11th century. The site is open to the public.
• Another important example of the Etruscan culture in the vicinity of the town are the remains of the settlement " Poggio Buco " between Pitigliano and Manciano, where there is also a museum that deals with the history of the area.