Pietrasanta

Pietrasanta is a town and comune on the coast of northern Tuscany in Italy, in the province of Lucca. Pietrasanta is part of Versilia, on the last foothills of the Apuan Alps, about north of Pisa. The town is located off the coast, where the frazione of Marina di Pietrasanta is located.
It lies on the main road and rail link from Pisa to Genova, just north of Viareggio.
History
The town has Roman origins and part of the Roman wall still exists.
The medieval town was founded in 1255 upon the pre-existing "Rocca di Sala" fortress of the Lombards by Luca Guiscardo da Pietrasanta, from whom it got its name. Pietrasanta was at its height a part of the Republic of Genoa (1316–1328). The town is first mentioned in 1331 in records of Genoa, when it became a part of the Lucca along with the river port of Motrone, and was held until 1430. At that time it passed back to Genoa until 1484, when it was annexed to the Medici held seigniory of Florence.
In 1494, Charles VIII of France took control of the town. It remained a Luccan town again until Pope Leo X, a member of the Medici family, gave Pietrasanta back to his family. The town then became the capital of the Capitanato di Pietrasanta (Captaincy of Pietrasanta), which included all the main settlements of the historical heart of Versilia.
The town suffered a long period of decline during the 17th and 18th centuries, partially due to malaria. In 1841, Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany promoted several reconstruction projects (including the building of schools specially created to teach carving skills, and the reopening of the once famous quarries).
Culture
The area, like most of Tuscany in general, has long enjoyed the patronage of artists. 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. It has continued to attract many artists including Fernando Botero, Joan Miró, Henry Moore, and Damien Hirst. The town is still home to over 50 marble workshops and bronze foundries.
Main sights
Cathedral of St. Martin (Duomo, 13th-14th centuries).
Sant'Agostino (15th century), Romanesque style former church, now seat of art exhibitions. It includes remnants of 14th-15th centuries frescoes.
The Gothic Civic Tower.
Column and Fountain of the Marzocco (16th century).
Palazzo Panichi Carli (16th century).
Palazzo Moroni (16th century), home to the local Archaeological Museum.
Museo dei Bozzetti, with over 700 sculptures by international artists
Musa, the Virtual Museum of Sculpture and Architecture
Notable people
Eugenio Barsanti, together with Felice Matteucci invented the first version of the internal combustion engine in 1853
Ottavio Barsanti, New Zealand missionary, priest and writer born in Pietrasanta
Fernando Botero, Colombian painter and sculptor, lived in the commune
Julia Vance, Norwegian Sculptor, lives in the commune
Hanneke Beaumont, Dutch-born sculptor, lives in the commune
Romano Cagnoni, Italian photographer, was born and lived in the commune
Giosuè Carducci, poet and teacher; recipient of 1906 Nobel Prize in Literature
Carlo Carli, politician
Claude Cehes, sculptor
Christian Dalle Mura, footballer
Corinna Dentoni, tennis player
Giulio Donati, footballer
Irene Fornaciari, opera singer
Cesare Galeotti, composer, conductor and concert pianist was born in Pietrasanta on 5 June 1872. He was best known for his opera Anton and Dorisse
Silvia Gemignani, Olympic triathlete
Kathleen Jones, English biographer and poet, lives in the commune
Robert Kubica, Polish F1 driver, lives in the commune
Massimo Mallegni, Italian Senator and former Mayor of Pietrasanta
Leonardo Massoni, footballer
Igor Mitoraj, Polish sculptor, lived in the commune
David Philippaerts, Grand Prix motocross world champion
Diego Romanini, race car driver
Luca Tesconi, Olympic sport shooter
Nicola Vizzoni, Olympic hammer thrower
Neil Estern, American Sculptor
Morten Søndergaard, Danish poet
Merete Pryds Helle, Danish author
Jørgen Haugen Sørensen, Danish sculptor
Kirsten Ortwed, Danish sculptor
Håkon Anton Fagerås, Norwegian sculptor
Daniele Taccola, Italian Doctor and Politic
Sister cities
Pietrasanta is twinned with
Écaussinnes, Belgium
Grenzach-Wyhlen, Germany
Villeparisis, France
Zduńska Wola, Poland
Montgomery, USA
Utsunomiya, Japan
References
External links
Official website
Pietrasanta Portal
Video Introduction to Pietrasanta
Cities and towns in Tuscany