Pietrasanta, renamed "Little Athens" by the art historian and minister Antonio Paolucci as the cradle of artists, craftsmen and sculptors, just like the splendid Greek capital, is certainly a unique city of its kind; despite its size, it enjoys a worldwide reputation that has attracted and continues to attract numerous tourists and art lovers from all over the globe. In 1841 it was even awarded the title of Noble City by Leopolo II of Lorraine, of which a statue stands in Piazza del Duomo, due to the illustrious families who were linked to it and for its history.
But let's take a step back in time, to retrace the history and origins that led Pietrasanta to become a famous and renowned city of art. The historical documents testify that already at the time of the Roman Empire the lands of the ancient Pietra Apua were a crossroads of different peoples and cultures, such as Romans, Etruscans and Ligurians. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, in 476 AD, the Lombards also began to gravitate to the territory and around 574 AD the Duchy of Tuscia was established, a Lombard duchy with Lucca as its capital.Pietrasanta was born later in 1255, the year in which the Milanese nobleman Guiscardo di Pietrasanta, who from 1254 to 1257 had been elected Podestà of the Republic of Lucca, decided to build, for strategic purposes, a town surrounded by walls in the hinterland of Versilia. He chose to place a group of soldiers in the Rocca di Sala, which still dominates the Versilian hilly landscape, to face the fight against the feudal lords of the Corvaia and Vallecchia, who constantly fluctuated their alliances, now with the Lucchesi, now with the Pisans. Guiscardo called the town with his surname which has not changed since then, as well as the well-known coat of arms depicting a column supporting a consecrated host, emblem of the Pietrasanta family. The location of the village was undoubtedly influenced by the proximity to the Motrone's Port, located at the mouth of the ancient Versilia river at the time called Sala, which had acquired more and more importance around the 11th century: today Marina di Pietrasanta rises nearby, famous for its sunny beaches, an enchanting place to buy or rent a house for the summer season. The city was built following an orthogonal scheme, characterized by a checkerboard plan in which the streets intersect each other creating a grid: this was the first example of planned urban planning attested in all of Tuscany. In any case, for a short time the Milanese aristocrat managed to keep the situation stable, until the Pisans, in 1267, obtained initial control of the city, which they lost momentarily and regained from 1312 to 1314. The period of greatest splendor for the beautiful Pietrasanta was during the fourteenth century, under the government of Castruccio Castracani, Duke of Lucca and standard-bearer of the Holy Roman Empire. Castracani, in 1324, to strengthen the defenses of Pietrasanta, had the Rocchetta Arrighina built adjacent to the Porta a Pisa, recently renovated and restored to its ancient splendor, respecting its original shape and structure. Also in this period were built the Duomo of Pietrasanta, the splendid church in Romanesque-Renaissance style located in the center of the main square, the Palazzo Pretorio and the Convent of S. Agostino, attributed to the work of the architect Antonio Pardini, built for the Augustinian friars.
A small city with a great history, where today it is still possible to admire the remains of the walls, as well as the ancient buildings and monuments that over time have become the symbol of Pietrasanta. The city's past echoes in many properties for sale in the historic center; in fact, the presence of original ancient walls is common in many apartments, which contribute to making the atmosphere there unique and magical. Pietrasanta is truly the pearl of Versilia: in every corner we can breathe the ancient scent of the medieval village, which has remained intact in the spirit. Living in the historic center of Pietrasanta is a quality choice, not only because of the importance that the town had in the past, but because it continues to be a place rich in art, culture and history today. Those who arrive in Little Athens can only fall in love with its streets, its squares, its enchanting views of the surrounding hills, a short distance from the sea of Versilia. By relying on the courtesy and professionalism of the Pietrasanta Real Estate Agency staff, you will surely find the ideal home to fully experience the historic center of Pietrasanta, with its lights, its scents and its enchanting history.
