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Massa Marittima is situated in the Maremma in Tuscany, Italy - specifically, the inland hills of the Alta or northern Maremma - 51 km north of Grosseto and despite its name is some distance from the sea. It was founded by the Etruscans, like many cities in Tuscany, and is located in the Colline Metallifere so that its history is closely linked to the copper and silver mines nearby. The city can be divided into three distinct areas, la Citta Vecchia (old city), la Città Nuova (new city) and the Borgo. Each area is architecturally distinct and among the sights to be seen are Piazza Garibaldi, Il Duomo, Palazzo Pretorio and the Palazzo Communale. There is also a museum of mining which is partly housed in a disused mine shaft. Massa is the birthplace of the family Albizzeschi, San Bernardino da Siena (1380-1444). Prata and the castles of Perolla and Tatti are also of historic interest.
Massa Marittima is a Città Slow - a "slow town" of Italy
The mediaeval centre of the town is well preserved, with the gorgeous Duomo, the Palazzo Pretorio, Palazzo Comunale, the Church of Sant' Agostino and the Fonte dell' Abbondanza. It is considered one of the mediaeval jewels of Tuscany.
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Vacation
apartments in
Torniella, convenient to
Massa
Marittima and the
Maremma |
The "Balestro del Girifalco" has taken place since ancient times, twice a year on the first Sunday after May 20 and the 2nd Sunday of August. The Balestro is a crossbow competition between the quarters of the city, named " Terzieri", which consists of hitting the target placed at a distance of 36 meters from the start. Each crossbowman, 24 maximum, shoots an arrow. The crossbowman who is able to put the arrow nearest the target centre is the winner. A gold arrow made by an artist, is the prize for the winning arbalester, whereas, the winning quarter receives the "Palio", a painted silk cloth. About 200 people in mediaeval costumes take part in this pageant.
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Massa Marittima, in the Province of Grosseto, in Tuscany, was first mentioned in the
8 C. It grew at the expense of
Populonia, an ancient city of the Etruscans, where numerous
Etruscan ruins may be viewed today. Populonia was important on account of its iron,
tin and copper works. It was besieged by Sulla, and in Strabo's time was already
in decline and later it suffered at the hands of Totila, of the Lombards, and in 817, of a Byzantine fleet. After this, the bishops of Populonia abandoned the town, and in the eleventh century, established their residence at Massa. In 1226 Massa became a commune under the protection of Pisa. In 1307 it made an alliance with Siena, which was the cause of many wars between the two republics that brought about the
downfall of Massa as an economic centre.
The first known Bishop of Populonia was Atellus (about
495) and another was Saint Cerbonius (546), protector of the city, to whom Saint Gregory refers in his Dialogues. Among the bishops of Massa were the friar Antonio (1430), a former general of the Franciscans, and legate of Boniface IX; Leonardo Dati (1467), author of poetic satires; Alessandro Petrucci (1601), who embellished the cathedral and the episcopal palace; the Camaldolese Eusebio da Ciani (1719), who governed the diocese for fifty-one years. This see was at
first suffragan of
Pisa, but since 1458 of
Sienna.
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Click here for a more detailed history of Massa Marittima
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