the defeat of in the war with Civic Museum was developed which Larciano Castle . As the tradition wants the lion contains many relics of the prehistoric LARCIANO is without head because the beheading period up to the present day. Climbing was done by the Cecina people, about 200 steps up to the Tower it will who have always been rivals of the seem to you to go back in time, to the Larciano people. With the domination wars of the Middle Ages; reaching the of Florence, Larciano became a place top you will remain breathless, enjoying of Townhall. Among the mayors we the beautiful scenery which opens out in remember Francesco Ferrucci, the front of you, on the clearest days to the general of the Florentine Republic, Apuan Alps and S. Gimignano. killed during the battle of Gavinana in 1530 between the Florentines and the Museo Civico Imperial Army who tried to restore the Piazza Castello n° 1 - Larciano Castello Per informazioni Medicis to power in the town. In the U.O.S. Cultura e Pubblica Istruzione square we findthe church dedicated Tel. 0573/858150.51 Fax 0573/838430 to Saint Silvestro (7), as it was under E-mail: [email protected] his Papacy that Larciano became converted to Christianity. The Church www.visitlarciano.com Where medieval walls shows a structure with a single nave, tell a whole story raised presbitery and rectangular apse. www.prolocolarciano.it The organ is very special, situated under the entrance and main altar in stone. And finally we arrive to the Castle Palace (8), defended by a wall of 203 meters by 13 with two entrances: one is where we go out and which overlooks the square, the other is along the course of the wall to the East of the tower. Originally the structure was setted with a raised passage which linked the four lookout points arranged at the edges. On our left the Captain House allowed people to reach the tower across the drawbridge situated ten meters above the ground. These days it is possible Guided historical-itinerary to see the cistern for the storage of of Larciano Castle water and the underground where the groves) and was strategic (with the Guided historical-itinerary of Larciano Castle Tirrenean sea. We can start our itinerary with the Nord West Gate (1), one of possibility of using new links to the sea the three main accesses to the Castle. with Marsh Port and Canals to the Arno It is important to imagine Larciano river). In this period was effectively Castle as a structure in a continous stengthened and lengthened the evolution from XI to XIV century: the perimeter as far as the present length first fortification of the ancient villa was of about a kilometer and the Palatium made at the end of XI century by the was rebuilt and the Tower raised, Conti Guidi of , who built reaching the height of 36 meters. a large territory with Larciano, Vinci, Larciano became thus the principle Cerreto and other villages, which do defensive castle at the south of Pistoia not exist anymore. The main purpose Townhall. From the gate, passing of the castle was not defensive, but along the road going downwards,we representative of prestige and power arrive at the “Old Olive Oil of the Conti Guidi on the surrounding Factory” (4),where we can admire territory. Leaving the gate behind us the ancient millstone, the symbol we go along the stone road and after a of olive oil processing. Carrying few meters in the Balzo road appears a on up to the underpass, we turn low wall that delimits the former first left along Spinelli street where, a wall circle (2). Going straight along the little further, we find the South Gate same road we arrive at a single piece of (5). This point reminds us of the wall destroyed, where we can observe, period of conflict between the on our left and covered by a thick Papacy and the Empire in the vegetation, the second gate of access(3), struggle for the investitures. In effect the war between the Guelfa Lucca and perhaps the most ancient, with stones of Florence and the Ghibellina Pistoia big dimension and grossly worked. At determined the passage of the castle to the moment of feudal crisis, the Pistoia Lucca in 1302. Pistoia again purchased Larciano Castle is a proud medieval Townhall acquired, on November 23, Larciano in 1310 with the payment of village situated on the western slopes 1226, the castle and its district from 10000 golden orins. From the south of Montalbano,160 m. above sea level the sons of Conte Guidoguerra of Gate still in Spinelli street we go along where we have a splendid view of Modigliana, paying 6000 Pisa dinars. the underpass and immediately after the , Marshes The high price was in effect favorable for the steep ascent on our right we reach and the Pisa mountains. This excellent the Pistoia Townhall because Larciano the top of the hill from where we can position has stimulated people to live represented an important village on the admire a fantastic panorama. Having here ever since the Etruscan period. In political-military point of view inside arrived in the Castle Square we have the Roman times in Larciano there were the conflict with Lucca Townhall, but in front of us the Marzocco (6), sitting a lot of roads linking the village with the also an economic advantage (because it lion which is the symbol of Florentine Fucecchio Marsh, the Arno River and the was rich in wood, vineyards and olive domination which began in 1401, after