Pietrasanta: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
English|
EUR 90 - 220 Villa Corte Lotti
 Corte Lotti is an elegant hotel near Pietrasanta centre. There is free parking, and rooms come with free internet and unique decorations.
You will fi… MoreEUR 120 - 310 Residenza Palazzo Visdomini
 The luxury of a grand hotel combined with the simplicity of your own home. This is the philosophy of Residenza Palazzo Visdomini in Pietrasanta.
Enjo… MoreEUR 95 - 500 Palazzo Guiscardo
 Set in an Art Nouveau building in Pietrasanta, Palazzo Guiscardo is 5 km from Forte dei Marmi beach. It offers free Wi-Fi, and large air-conditioned r… MoreEUR 200 - 418 Hotel Pietrasanta
 Albergo Pietrasanta is an atmospheric hotel housed in a 17th-century building with its own gardens. A short walk from Pietrasanta’s medieval main sq… MoreEUR 49 - 155 B&B Da Pio
 B&B Da Pio is 800 metres from the town centre, a 15-minute walk from Pietrasanta Station. It offers air-conditioned rooms with free Wi-Fi access, a po… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pietrasanta: Guide
Pietrasanta is a town on the coast of northern Tuscany in Italy, in the province of Lucca. Located 3 km (1.8 miles) off the coast, Pietrasanta straddles the last foothills of the Apuan Alps. It is 45 km north of Pisa and 1.5 hours from Florence and Genoa.
History
The town has Ancient Rome|Roman origins and part of the Roman wall still exists.
The medieval town was founded in 1255 upon the preexisting "Rocca di Sala" fortress of the Lombards by Luca Guiscardo da Pietrasanta, from whom it got its name. Pietrasanta was at its height a part of the Genova city-state (1316 - 1328). The town is first mentioned in 1331 in records of Genova, when it became a part of the Luccan state along with the river port of Motrone, and was held until 1430. At that time it passed back to Genova until 1484, when the Medicis took control of Florence.
In 1494, Charles VIII of France|Carlo VIII d'Angio di Francia (Charles VIII of France) took control of the town. It remained a Luccan town again until Pope Leo X gave Pietrasanta back to the Medici family.
The town suffered a long period of a decadence during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, partially due to malaria. In 1841, the Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany|Granduke of Tuscany, Leopold II di Lorena promoted several reconstruction projects (including the building of schools specially created to teach carving skills, and the reopening of the once famous quarries), which brought back much of the town's former glory.
The town then became the 'capoluogo' (capital) of the 'Vicariato di Pietrasanta', which included the towns of Forte dei Marmi, Seravezza and Stazzema (this region became the historical heart of Versilia). Finally, with the Plebiscite, the town joined the Italian Kingdom (Regno d'Italia).
Main sights
Cathedral of St. Martin (Duomo, 13th-14th centuries)
Church of Sain Augustine (15th century), in Romanesque architecture|Romanesque style, now seat of art exhibitions.
The Gothic Civic Tower.
Column and Fountain of the Marzocco (16th century)
Palazzo Panichi Carli (16th century)
Palazzo Moroni (16ht century), home to the local Archaeological Museum
The patronage of artists
The area, like most of Tuscany in general, has long enjoyed the patronage of artists. Pietrasanta grew to importance during the 15th century, mainly due to its connection with marble. Michelangelo was the first sculptor to recognize the beauty of the local stone.
Today, the sculptor Fernando Botero has a residence in the commune.
External links
(Italian)
(Italian)
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikipedia article "Pietrasanta". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.