Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Pitigliano
POP 3840
This spectacularly sited town is surrounded by gorges on three sides, constituting a natural
bastion completed to the east by a constructed fortress. Within the Old Town, twisting
stairways disappear around corners, cobbled alleys bend tantalisingly out of sight beneath
graceful arches and quaint stone houses are crammed next to each other in higgledy-
piggledy fashion.
Originally built by the Etruscans, who left a rich legacy of tombs and
vie cave
(sunken
roads) that remain to this day, Pitigliano came under Roman rule before becoming a fief-
dom of the wealthy Aldobrandeschi and Orsini families; the Orsinis, who were from
Rome, enlarged the fortress, reinforced the defensive walls and built an imposing aque-
duct. Their rule came to an end in 1608 when the town was absorbed into the grand duchy
of Tuscany under Cosimo I de' Medici.
There's a fine walk from Pitigliano to Sovana (8km) that incorporates parts of the
five
cave
. For a description and map, go to
www.trekking.it
and download the pdf in the
Maremma section.
The major event of the year is the
Torciata di San Giuseppe
, a torchlit procession on 19
March. This wends its way down the Via Cava di San Giuseppe before culminating in a
huge bonfire in Piazza Garibaldi.
Sights
La Piccola Gerusalemme
(Little Jerusalem; 05 6461 4230;
www.lapiccolagerusalemme.it
; Vicolo Manin 30; adult/reduced €4/3;
10am-1.30pm & 2.30-6.30pm Sun-Fri summer, 10am-12.30pm & 3-5.30pm Sun-Fri winter)
Head
down Via Zuccarelli and turn left at a sign indicating 'La Piccola Gerusalemme' (Little
Jerusalem) to visit this fascinating time capsule of Pitogliano's rich but sadly near-exinct
Jewish culture. It incorporates a tiny, richly adorned synagogue (established in 1598 and
one of only five in Tuscany), ritual bath, kosher butcher, bakery, wine cellar and dyeing
workshops.
MUSEUM
Museo Civico Archeologico
di Pitigliano
MUSEUM
