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Inhabitants in 1991: 7.951
 The
municipal territory of Gavorrano extends for 164,04 square kilometres
in a hilly zone in the north western Maremma. Originally a Medieval
Podesta Office comprising within the borders of its community Vetulonia
and Tirli, aggregated in 1832 to the new community of Castiglione della
Pescaia, and Scarlino, detaching itself in 1960 to form an autonomous
municipality.
The first historic mention of Gavorrano goes back to 1164,
when Emperor Federico I Barbarossa confirmed, in a privilege, the
possession of the castle to the Counts Alberti di Mangona. Towards
the middle of the XII century, with the death of Count Rainaldo degli
Alberti, this passed in succession to the Counts Pannocchieschi of the
Elci branch, under whose dominion it was temporarily occupied in 1271
by the Ghibellini exiling from Siena. Subsequently the Pannocchieschi
subjugated the castle to the authority of the municipal of Volterra,
but also sold a part of their rights to Malavolti of Siena. In the 1300s
Massa and Siena exercised contrasting attempts at dominance over the territory:
and the first managed to acquire the dominion between 1328 and 1329; but
a few years later, with the subordination of Massa to the republic of
Siena (1335), Gavorrano entered decisively in the political orbit
of the latter. Until 1465 however, it was the Malavolti who with alternating
fortunes (in 1390 Gavorrano passed momentarily in partnership with
the Firenze republic and in 1450 it was occupied by the troops of Alfonso
d’Aragona, King of Napoli), maintained the effective control
of the castle.
Subsequently the community followed the Siena republic. Of historic
interest there are also Giuncarico, Ravi and Castle di Pietra during the
Medieval included in the Aldobrandesca county but subjected to the direct
dominion of the Pannocchieschi. During the resistance the partisan formation
“gruppo Tirli” operated in the area and on 11 June 1944 occupied
the town centre. Gavorrano is the birth place of the writer and patriot
Giuseppe Bandi (1834-1894).
Places to visit:
S. Giuliano, 1300s parochial
enlarged and remade in the subsequent centuries, it holds a precious
Madonna col Bambino by Giovanni di Agostino. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |
