| Montecatini
Alto is the original Montecatini settlement, lying
a few hundred metres above the 'new' town.
The views from here are splendid, and the delightful Piazza
Giusti is home to some good bars and restaurants.
Montecatini alto (high) is
a characteristic medieval village, abounding in historical
events culture and illustrious personages, is one of the
most ancient inhabited centrs in the Valdinievole. The Vallis
Nebulae, or Valley of Fog, as it was called was, of old,
inhabited by the Ligurians, Etruscans, Romans and Longobards
and was always of relevant strategic importance because its
hill dominated the important roads of communication such
as the Cassia, the Francesca and the Romea. The Montecatini
Alto of today, a suggestive outdoor masterpiece, does not
retain the image of a sole period nor does it have a style
with a definite, rigid imprint Instead, it is witness toa
historical parable of intense experiences, filled with dark
moments, almost total descruction opposed to other periods
of growth and splendour. Borgo, Castello, Terra Murata: around
the year 1000 this ancient nucleus already had twenty-five
house-towers and two fortresses to its name, town walls two
kilometres long, built according to the natural course of
the two hills, with seven gateways confirming a proud and
uncompromising civic nobility and an indisputable strategic
and military importance that lasted up until the fatal year
of 1315, when Castruccio Castracani, a Ghibelline, lieutenant
of Uguccione della Fagiola, laid siege to the castle, took
it by storm and sacked it atrociously.
Montecatini Alto view
 The
defensive works of Montecatini Alto date back to 1016
(still indicated as Villa) and 1074 (indicated for the
first time as Castle). During the XI century Montecatini
Alto belonged to the Church of Lucca (Saint Martin's Bishop)
and to the aristocratic family of Lambardi from Maona
and Montecatini; subsequently it became an independent
municipality with its own consul (appointed in 1167 according
to a Frederick I's placitum) In the XII century (1177-1179)
Montecatini Alto took part, with Lucca, in the wars against
Pistoia. In 1260 it gave hospitality to Florence and Lucca
Guelph refugees and, being of Guelph part, it was besieged
and conquered in August 1315 after a bloody battle, where
many Guelph soldiers died and the survivors were imprisoned
by the Ghibelline Uguccione della Faggiola, Lord of Pisa
and Lucca. In 1328 after Castruccio Castracani's (Anteminelli
family) death, it allied to other Valdinievole municipalities
under the Florence protectorate. The local Ghibellines
had not borne this domination for a long time and the
Guelphs were driven out. In 1330 Florence besieged Montecatini
Alto for 11 months and finally subdued it after its surrender.
In summer 1554, during the Siena war, it was occupied
by the Italian/French mercenary troops, hired by the Florentine
refugee Pietro Strozzi, but it was re-conquered by Cosimo
I De Medici and destroyed almost completely in July 11
of the same year. Seven gates opened along the two-kilometer
mighty walls; only one of them has remained: the "Porta
di Borgo". On the contrary some of the 25 towers
have remained: some of them incorporated into the built-up
area, in the square, in front of the S. Maria a Ripa's
convent (XVI century), and others, such as the bell tower
of the parish, in the fortress, in the Lemmi's tower
(called "of
the Carmine", with the clock), are still well visible.
Montecatini Alto flourished again in the XVIII century
thanks to the Lorena family who definitely enhanced the
value of its already famous curative waters, by starting
the building up of the thermal town.
The
religious buildings:
The Church and convent of Santa Maria a Ripa (3) are located
near Porta di Borgo (1), in the quarter previously called
Ripa. The Ancient-style church dates back to the XII century;
the convent foundation took place subsequently (XV-XVI
century), by a group of women from Montecatini who joined
the Order of St. Augustine. Todate the religious community
of Benedectine nuns live in the convent and the church
recently restored. The aisleless interior shows the beautiful
stone altar, belonging to the ancient church, remains
of frescos portraying two Evangelists on the vault of
the presbytery, the church entrance with the organ and
the Nuns' Choir dating back to the end of the XVII century.
St. Peter's Church, (5) where the present Rectory is located,
dates back to the XI century and has undergone many changes;
first of all its complete re-building during the second
half of the XII century. New works were carried out during
the late Middle Ages, but the present aspect is mainly
due to the drastic changes by the architect A. Zannoni
during the second half of the XVIII century i.e. the widening
of the lateral aisles, the westward elevation and lengthening
of the Apse etc. More recently (1962) new decorations
were added and parts of columns belonging to the former
ancient church were made visible.
To
be visited inside the church:
the Baptismal Font, a white marble bowl dated
1580 and relative carved walnut wood cover; St. Anthony's
and St. Joseph's altars in sandstone (XVIII century);
Confessionals (XVII century), decorated by sandstone floral
festoons; St. Barbara's Martyrdom (Montecatini's Patron
Saint, celebrated on December 4), oil painting realized
in 1595 by the painter Santi di Tito by order of one of
Montecatini's inhabitants, portrayed on the right lower
side (please note the exact representation of the bell
tower located in front of St. Peter's church); Wooden
crucifix of the second half of the XIV century realized
following the model of the Borgo a Buggiano miraculous
crucifix; Pipe organ by G. Banci of the XVIII century;
Oratory of St. John, formerly the see of the homonymous
confraternity, the access of which is from inside the
church; it presents an aisleless, precious sandstone structure
with altar and canopy with painting towering above, decorated
by two twisted finely sculptured columns. St. James' and
St. Philip's Church (called the Carmel church) (16) was
built in 1296, next to the Castelnuovo fortress, by the
Carmelitans; few years later they also built the convent
nearby (presently a private hospital) and subsequently,
the Oratory of St. Sebastian (17) that can be reached
through roof-covered stairs (presently private property).
The Carmel church, as well as St. Peter's, underwent many
changes up to the present late baroque aspect following
the complete restoration in 1764. To be visited inside:
the Martyrdom of St. Sebastian, painted at the beginning
of the XVII century by Bartolomeo Marinari, showing the
ancient castle of Montecatini with walls and towers in
the background; Our Lady with Infant Jesus, a tempera
painting from the Florentine school, dating back to the
second half of XIV century: the Montecatini inhabitants
have great devotion for this image that shows Our Lady
sitting on a throne and feeding her child - the painting
is located inside a larger glass-case together with other
small relics; Crucifixion, oil painting on canvas by
an unknown Florentine artist dating back to the XVII
century; it represents Christ crucified adored by St.
Paul, St. James and St. Peter; ten terra-cotta, almost
life-size statues of Carmelitan Saints located inside
niches along the nave walls: among them St James and
St. Philip located at both sides of the high altar. Small
Chapel in the main square (10) built in 1403 inside the
Tavarnelli's tower by desire of a noblewoman from Montecatini
who had great devotion for the Virgin who is portrayed
in the fresco on the altar holding Infant Jesus on her
lap, with St. John the Evangelist and St. John the Baptist
placed side by side; presently the chapel is dedicated
to the Fallen. St. Margherita's church (12) was built
in 1276 by the St. Augustine monks and close to the homonymous
convent (presently St. Francis' Rest-home). Only the
imposing bright stone front of this
building, roofless and not accessible to the public, is
visible and located near the Oratory of St. Anthony Abbot.
The
walls: The passing of time, the violent
battles (among them the destruction due to the Florentine
army in 1554) and the construction of new roads have completely
cancelled the Montecatini's defensive system made of surrounding
walls, gates and watch towers. The only gate left is Porta
di Borgo (1). The ancient papers relate several gates
along the walls (one for each road entering the castle),
of which at present the name of a street or of an alley
survives.
The
Fortresses: they belong to
the village's ancient defensive system and are located
on the top of both heights of the hill. The present Fortress
(4), near St. Peter's church, in the ancient papers was
called "The Fortress of the Ancient Castle" or
"Tramontana" in order to distinguish it from "The
Carmel Fortress" or "New Castle" located
on the opposite height. Its present aspect, its pentagonal
enclosure of slope walls with a tower on the top, was
arranged by the Florentines in the XIV century (as it
has been confirmed by the recent archeological excavations),
utilizing the former aristocratic dwelling-place, dating
back to the XII century, composed of tower buildings,
one of them being destined to be the castle keep. The
second fortress, the Carmel, (15) was probably built
at the end of the XII century by Montecatini Municipality
in a position overlooking the plain, the Serravalle passage
to Pistoia and the castles of the southern Valdinievole.
Its walls and gates do not exist anymore (this modification
is also due to the building of the church and of the
convent nearby), while the imposing tower still remains;
subsequently it was made higher and provided with merlons
and, from the end of the XVII century, with a clock visible
from all the castle.
The
medieval towers: typical medieval ancient
buildings, evidence of their owner's wealth and power,
visible from far off and characterizing the skyline. Once
they were private houses, re-utilized during the centuries;
sometimes they were destined to other uses (e.g. inside
the Fortress), sometimes other buildings were built next
to them so as to widen them as houses. Todate 7 of them
are visible and date back to 2nd half of the XII (2, 4,
10, 11, 13, 14, 18) The ancient municipal buildings: they
are all located in the main square and they are no more
dedicated to their previous functions: presently they
are private property. The Court House (7) dates back to
the Middle Ages, during the XVI century it was completely
restored and enlarged; it was subsequently modified, keeping
in any case its dimensions and the coats of arms located
on its front. In its ancient Assembly Place (called the
loggias) (8) took place the public assemblies and the
markets; the upper floor, completely restored during 1920s
as well as the front, was destined to be a theater (The
Risorti's Theatre). The Podesta's Palace (9) shows architectural
details typical of the XVII-XVIII centuries such as the
window frames and the sandstone door; in the past the
Podesta, charged by the Florentine government, lived in
it.
 Funicular
of Montecatini
The Funicular looks like one of those little trains of
the Western movies pursued by the Red Indians and even
its age brings us back to that period: 1898.
At the end of the XIX century, Mr. Alessandro Ferretti,
an engineer from Genoa, had the idea to realize a ropeway
between Montecatini Alto and Montecatini Terme, called
respectively "the Castle" and "the Montecatini
Baths".
He obtained the relative licence by the Montecatini Municipality
on October 8 1896 but he needed to find the necessary financing
for this complex and expensive work.
He found his capital partners in Genoa: Mr. Carlo Barbano
and Mr. Giacomo Giovannetti (the square next to the Funicular
is named after them)
They took about 4 months to terminate the studies relative
to the layout and to the location of the stations and to
carry out the on-the-spot investigations on the lands where
the Funicular would have run through and their consequent
expropriation; in the end, on February 11, 1897, the majority
partner, Mr. Carlo Barbano, sent to the Montecatini Terme
Municipality "copy of the final layout and of the
longitudinal profile of the Funicular according to the
finally selected way and for which the definitive expropriation
contracts were being entered into, according to the preliminary
agreements taken with the land owners".
On March 1, 1897 the first rail works began. The dream
of many inhabitants of Montecatini to be easily connected
to the "Castle" was about to come true.
The excavation and building works such as viaducts and
bridges and the track laying lasted some months.
The beginning of 1898 was employed for the technical improvements
of the facility and especially in preparing the great opening
ceremony which took place on June 4, 1898 with the participation
of famous people such as the genius of the opera, Giuseppe
Verdi.
Up to 1921 the two red little trains were operated by a
big steam boiler located in the uphill station; subsequently,
thanks to electricity, traction was carried out by a powerful
electric motor.
The Funicular service went on safely up
to September 2, 1944 when a troop of sappers in retreat,
in setting off some charges arranged in various sides of
the facility caused serious damaged to it, making it unserviceable
up to 1949. A Florentine entrepreneur, in collaboration
with the Montecatini Municipality carried out the restoration
works necessary for its reopening.
The end of the war was followed by the years of the economic
recovery. Montecatini became a very attractive thermal
resort for thousands of people during summer and the Funicular
was more and more utilized by the tourists who wish to
visit the "Castle".
In 1977 following some difficulties due to the facility
upgrading and fitting works, the Funicular was closed and
reopened only with the contribution of the Tuscany Region
allowing the coaches restoration, the installation of a
new motor and of a very modern "black box" for
the trip control.
The activity reopening took place on August 3, 1982. Since
then in order to make the vehicle safer to passengers,
various mechanical traction parts have been replaced and
very important upgrading works have been realized.
The two historical coaches, which "greet" half
way, have not been modified.
The structure is the same: three compartments with wooden
benches and two external balconies, the most longed-for
places from which you can enjoy a wonderful panorama.
Funicular service is Open every day
Phone and Fax 0572/766862 - 329/5698986
At
a short distance there are Monsummano
Terme town with her great natural grottos. |
Thermal
spas in tuscany
