MASSA MARITTIMA

'Massa Marittima' is a town and commune of the province of Grosseto, southern Tuscany, Italy, 49 km NNW of Grosseto.

There are mineral springs, mines of iron, mercury, lignite and copper, with foundries, ironworks and olive-oil mills. At Follonica, on the coast, are the furnaces in which are smelted the iron ore of Elba.

Contents

History

Main sights

Notable people

References

External links

History

The town appeared in the early Middle Ages, the bishopric seat of Populonia being moved here around 1000 AD. After the initial domination of the Republic of Pisa, it became an independent commune in the 13th century.
In the following century it was conquered by Siena, to which it belonged until it became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany in the mid-16th century.

Main sights

★ The 13th century cathedral containing a Romanesque font (1267 with a cover of 1447) and a Gothic reliquary (1324) of Saint Cerbone, to whom the cathedral is dedicated. The battlemented municipal palace of the 13th century is picturesque.

★ ''Palazzo Pretorio''. It houses the Archaeological Museum, containing a work by Ambrogio Lorenzetti.

★ The ''Cassero Senese'' (Sienese Fortress), built in the 13th-14th centuries.

★ Monteregio Castle, built by the Aldobrandeschi in the 9th century, later used as the bishops' residence.

★ Church of St. Francis, founded, according to the tradition, by the saint himself in Gothic style.

★ Church of St. Augustine (14th century), with a Renaissance cloister.

★ ''Palazzo delle Armi'', in Renaissance style.

★ Church of ''San Rocco'' (15th century).

★ Native house of San Bernardino da Siena.
In the ''frazione'' of Prata are a medieval castle with two towers and the ''Pieve of Santa Maria Assunta''. The walled borough ot Tatti includes the medieval church of ''San Sebastiano'' and another ''Cassero''.

Notable people

Massa Marittima was the birthplace, in 1380, of San Bernardino da Siena.

References

External links

★ Tecnological and Archaeological Park of Colline Metallifere Grossetane

★ Walking in Massa Marittima

★ Massa Marittima art pictures

★ Massa Marittima in Tuscany: accommodations, vacation rentals, architecture, food, wine