Inhabitants in 1991: 8.103
The
municipal territory of Calcinaia extends for 15 square kilometres on the
plain to the right of the Arno, at the foot of the south western off shoots
of the Cerbaie hills. Village and then castle it has undergone
remodelling, aggregations and detachments of land quotas over the centuries.
In 1929 it obtained a district of territory parcelled out by the municipality
of Casina and another in exchange for that of Bientina.
Before the year one thousand, it seems that the name of Calcinaia
was that of Vico Vitri, perhaps referring to a glazed crockery works.
The present day name probably is due to the activity connected with earthenware
ovens present in the area. On the Calcinaia territory, Seat of an ancient
parish church, the Cadolingi di Fucecchio and their successors exercised
the Lordly rights, then the Upezzinghi of Pisa, but at the end of the
XIII century the Pisana republic installed its own magistrates. It
passed under the dominion of the Fiorentini, in 1555 Duke Cosimo I
put unto action drainage works and regulated the course of the Arno
to prevent the frequent flooding of the plain, which made the position
of the habitation change on the banks. The tower of the Medieval castle
still remains well preserved. The Lawyer and Poet Narciso Feliciano
Pelosini (1823-1896) was born in the municipality of Calcinaia.
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |