 Just
3 km (1.8 miles) from the coast, mountains and sea blend
together beautifully at Pietrasanta, a small medieval town
straddling the last foothills of the Apuan Alps.
The town has Roman origins and part
of the Roman wall still stands. Throughout history, and
even to this day, artists have appreciated the mellowness
of Tuscany and have been inspired to capture the beauty
of this unchanged landscape on canvas.
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's artists and sculptors are drawn to
Pietrasanta from all over the world. Their studios mingle
with small elegant shops among the wooden shutters and ochre
washed buildings in the deep alleyways that radiate from
Piazza del Duomo.
click to open the pietrasanta vicinity map Pietrasanta
town is an historic town with notable monuments
mainly contained in the magnificent Piazza del Duomo
and also important centre for the artistic working of
marble. Marina
di Pietrasanta is located on the
sea front and is a renowned seaside resort with elegant
villas, hotels and sport facilities set amid the greenery.
Famous nightclubs and discotheques available.
A renowned summer festival at the open-air
theatre Versiliana is held in the summer featuring a wide
variety of entertainment. Nearby, in the 'village of Valdicastello
it is possible to visit the native home of the poet Carducci.
Pietrasanta has always been an important cultural centre
in Versilia. The important artisan tradition has been kept
alive by the local workshops and atelier, by the firms specialized
in the artistic-mosaic sector and by many artistic-foundries.
The rich artistic context has functioned
as catalyst for many italian and foreigner artist that have
chosen Pietrasanta as the land where to work and have participated
to the urban fittings with the works and deeds of gifts.
Among these artists is Fernando Botero, the Spanish artist
whose paunchy warrior guards the entrance to the village.
The best observation-point to watch Pietrasanta's town-planning
plant is Sala fortress
Pietrasanta has
been defined the "small
Athens" for
its marble studios, its artistic foundries, its artisans,
the sculptors coming from all over the world, for its cultural
activities, for the ancient and modern monuments, for its
sculptures, gifts of the great artists of this century tha
add beauty to its streets and squares, and also for its historic
center, considered a precious jewlery case of the Middle
Ages. Pietrasanta is correctly considered as the number one
place in the world for marble working.
Pietrasanta museums art
and churches
For its love of art and beauty
in Pietrasanta you can "breath" art
at each corner: there are eight bronze foundries and dozens
of marble laboratories; exhibitions at the Luigi
Russo Cultural Center and more than twenty art galleries;
the Museo
dei Bozzetti (Museum of the Maquettes), which features
maquettes and models of the creations of the most important
contemporary sculptors; the Stagio
Stagi Art Institute established
150 years ago; a route of monumental sculptures donated to
the city by famous artists (such as Botero, Cascella, Folon,
Marinsky, Messina, Mitoraj ) and located in public spaces,
in addition to the large frescoes by Botero in the Church
of San Antonio Abate and by Mitoraj in the Council
Chamber at City Hall.
From an artistic point of view Pietrasanta
is, without doubt, the most interesting town of Versilia and
is considered to be the "capital".
The years following its foundation constituted a period of great splendour, an
idea of which may be gained by viewing the main square, or Piazza.
The lay-out of
the town is particularly interesting as, at first glance,
it looks haphazard but on closer inspection it can be seen
that the old centre was built to a symmetrical checkerboard
plan, where every urban component is placed in an exact relation
to every other, in accordance with the golden proportion.
Visit the exquisite art exhibitions,
marble work shops, musical evenings and restaurants for which
the town is famous. Stroll leisurely through the narrow
cobbled streets which radiate out from the old town square
you will be treading the same pathways used by Michelangelo
all those centuries ago.
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