Pistoia

Coordinates: 43°56′N 10°55′E / 43.933°N 10.917°E / 43.933; 10.917
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Pistoia
Città di Pistoia
The bell tower of the cathedral in Piazza Duomo
The bell tower of the cathedral in Piazza Duomo
Flag of Pistoia
Coat of arms of Pistoia
Pistoia within the Province of Pistoia
Pistoia within the Province of Pistoia
Location of Pistoia
Map
St. Jacopo
Saint dayJuly 25
WebsiteOfficial website
The Ospedale del Ceppo
The octagonal baptistery
The Duomo
Basilica of Our Lady of Humility

Pistoia (US: /pɪˈstɔɪə, pˈstjɑː/,[3][4] Italian: [pisˈtoːja] [5]) is a city and comune in the Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of a province of the same name, located about 30 kilometres (19 mi) west and north of Florence and is crossed by the Ombrone Pistoiese, a tributary of the River Arno. It is a typical Italian medieval city, and it attracts many tourists, especially in the summer. The city is famous throughout Europe for its plant nurseries.

History

Pistoria (in

Latin other possible forms are Pistorium or Pistoriae) was a centre of Gallic, Ligurian and Etruscan settlements before becoming a Roman colony in the 6th century BC, along the important road Via Cassia: in 62 BC the demagogue Catiline and his fellow conspirators were slain nearby. From the 5th century the city was a bishopric, and during the Lombardic kingdom it was a royal city and had several privileges. Pistoia's most splendid age began in 1177 when it proclaimed itself a free commune
: in the following years it became an important political centre, erecting walls and several public and religious buildings.

In 1254 the

Castruccio Castracani of Lucca. The town was officially annexed to Florence
in 1530.

One of the most famous families of the city was that of the

Clement IX
(1667–69), and gave several cardinals to the church.

In 1786 a famous

was convened in Pistoia.

According to one theory, Pistoia lent its name to the pistol,[6] which started to be manufactured in Pistoia during the 16th century. But today, it is also notable for the extensive plant nurseries spreading around it. Consequently, Pistoia is also famous for its flower markets, as is the nearby Pescia.

Geography

Pistoia borders with the municipalities of Agliana, Alto Reno Terme, Cantagallo, Lizzano in Belvedere, Marliana, Montale, Quarrata, Sambuca Pistoiese, San Marcello Piteglio and Serravalle Pistoiese.[7]

A panoramic view of Pistoia from the northwest.

Government

Frazioni (Districts)

Name Population
Sant'Agostino
Sant'Alessio in Bigiano
Badia a Pacciana
Baggio
Villa di Baggio
Bargi
Barile
San Biagio
Bonelle
Bottegone 6.000
Campiglio
Canapale
Candeglia
Capostrada
Castagno di Piteccio
Gello
Germinaia
Le Grazie
Chiazzano
Chiesina Montalese
Chiodo
Cignano
Cireglio
Collina
Corsini Bianchi
Corsini Neri
Fabbrica
San Felice
Le Fornaci
Lupicciano
Masiano
Casa Nuove di Masiano
Masotti
San Mommè 177
Nespolo
Orsigna
Piazza
San Pierino Casa al Vescovo
Piestro
Piteccio
Piuvica
Pontelungo
Pontenuovo
Pracchia 268
Pupigliana
Ramini [it]
San Rocco
Santomato
Saturnana
Spazzavento
Sazzana
Torbecchia
Valdibrana
Villanova di Valdibrana
Vicofaro

Culture

Literature

In Anatole France's novel The Wicker-Work Woman, the Ospedale del Cappo in Pistoia is mentioned for its "vigor and truth" depicted on the "frieze of painted terracotta that surrounds the hospital".

Cinema

Pistoia has been a setting for numerous works of fiction and movies, including films, such as

Medici: Masters of Florence
.

Music

Main sights

Although less visited than other cities in Tuscany, the medieval city within Pistoia's old walls is charming and well-preserved.

Piazza del Duomo

The large Piazza del Duomo, dominated by the cathedral, is lined with other medieval buildings, such as the Palazzo del Comune and the Palazzo del Podestà: it is the setting (in July) of the Giostra dell'Orso ("Bear Joust"), when the best horsemen of the city's traditional quarters tilt with lances at a target held up by a dummy shaped like a bear.

The original

Cathedral of San Zeno (5th century) burned down in 1108, but was rebuilt during the 12th century, and received incremental improvements until the 17th century. The façade has a prominent Romanesque style, while the interior received heavy Baroque additions which were removed during the 1960s. Its outstanding feature is the Altar of St James, an exemplar of the silversmith's craft begun in 1287 but not finished until the 15th century. Its various sections contain 628 figures, the total weighing nearly a ton. The Romanesque belfry, standing at some 67 metres (220 ft), was erected over an ancient Lombard
tower.

In the square is also the 14th-century

style, with white and green striped marble revetment characteristic of the Tuscan Gothic.

The Palazzo dei Vescovi ("Bishops' Palace"), is characterized by a Gothic

mullioned windows and frescoes, of which traces remain. It was later modified in the mid-12th century (when the St. James Chapel, mentioned by Dante Alighieri in the XXIV canto of his Inferno
) and in the 13th century; to the latter restoration belongs the white marble-decorated staircase, one of the most ancient examples in Italy in civil architecture. In the 14th century, the Chapel of St. Nicholas was decorated with stories of the namesake saint and other martyrs.

The Tower of Catilina dates to the High Middle Ages, and stands 30 metres (98 ft) high.

Religious buildings

Others

Sport

Football

The city's football team US Pistoiese 1921 plays in Serie D, the fourth flight of Italian football.

Basketball

The city's basketball team Pistoia Basket 2000 plays in Serie A1.

Transportation

Buses

Consorzio Pistoiese Trasporti, also known as COPIT, was a company that operated since 1969 the local public transport in Pistoia and in its

CTT Nord. Since 2005 made part in two consortium: BluBus and PiùBus, the first operated in the Province of Pistoia and the other in the Empoli area.[9]

Since 1 November 2021 the public local transport is managed by Autolinee Toscane.[10]

Train

The

Porrettana railway, the original line between Florence and Bologna
.

Notable residents

International relations

Twin towns - sister cities

Pistoia is twinned with:[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Pistoia". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). HarperCollins. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Pistoia". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  5. ^ Canepari, Luciano. "Dizionario di pronuncia italiana online" (in Italian). Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  6. ^ Online Etymology Dictionary
  7. ^ 42722 (x a j h) Pistoia on OpenStreetMap
  8. ^ "Pistoia Blues" on lonelyplanet.com
  9. ^ "Direzione Uffici". CTT Nord. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Guida al primo giorno di servizio". Autolinee Toscane. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Pistoia". italien.de (in German). Italien.de. Retrieved 2019-12-22.

Sources

External links