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Inhabitants in 1991: 4.316
 The
municipal of Pitigliano extends for 102,89 square kilometres in a hilly
zone in the province of Grosseto on its borders with Lazio. Seigneurial
dominion of the Aldobrandeschi and the Orsini it was Vicariate Seat in
modern times and, from 1660 Seat of the Sovana Bishops. It has not suffered
important changes to its territorial borders.
Of very ancient origins Pitigliano was an Etruscan and Roman city.
Sometimes it is identified also with the vicus Torianu from the Longobarda
era, but reliable historic attestations only go back to 1061, the
year in which Pope Noccolò II confirmed the possession of the parish
church of Pitigliano to the Bishop of Sovana. Even though the history
of the location is obscure until the beginning of the XIII century, it
is known for certain that the castle had belonged for some time to
the Aldobrandeschi Counts, who defended it at length from the territorial
expansion attempts by the municipality of Orvieto.
In 1274, with the act of division of the Aldobrandesca county, Pitigliano
was assigned to the branch of the Counts of Sovana, who had already made
it centre of their Dukedom. In 1293, with the marriage between Romano
Orsini and Anastasia Aldobrandeschi, began a long period of the Orsini
ruling over the county of Pitigliano and Sovana, comprising also the castles
of Sorano, Saturnia, Manciano, Orbetello and Piancastagnaio. During the
1300s the Orsini managed to maintain the county territory integral,
safeguarding it from the expansionistic aims of Orvieto and Siena, until
in 1455, at the end of long series of wars provoked by the Sena republic
in the preceding forty years, they witnessed their dominion being reduced
to only the territories of Pitigliano and Sorano. Only in 1562 did
an uprising of the pro Medicea people put an end to the Orsini domination.
At the beginning of the XVII century Pitigliano became part of
the Grand Duchy of Toscana. The community saw the birth of Francesco
Zuccarelli (1702-1788) landscape artist and founder of the Royal Pictorial
Academy of London. In the Giolittiano period Pitigliano developed a strong
rural movement, which brought about, among other things, the cultivation
of fallow lands. During the resistance partisan formations operated in
the territory.
Places to visit:
The Aqueduct, spectacular building
from 1543, erected by Gian Francesco Orsini on the design of Sangallo.
Palazzo Orsini, Medieval structure, today the Seat of the Curia
Espiscopate.
Museum of the diocese of Sacred Art, collects
precious works and finds from the churches in the area.
Civic
Museum of Archaeology, it is particularly well cared for with
modern exhibition criteria . A collection of important Etruscan finds.
La Synagogue, finished in 1589 it has been recently restored
and reopened for worship.
The Cathedral, named for Ss.
Pietro e Paolo, reworked several times, has a Baroque style façade.
It has an imposing bell tower. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization
of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi
e Giuridici
Picture by Sandro Santioli
Translated by Ann Mountford
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Gallery: Grosseto area
