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Inhabitants in 1991: 755
 The
municipal territory of Monteverdi Marittimo extends for 98,35 square kilometres
in the high valley of the river Cornia, on the southern slopes of the
Metalliferous hills. The autonomous community has origins from the
Leopoldine reforms.
The history of the Monteverdi Castle is linked to that of the Abbey of
San Pietro at Palazzuolo (founded in 754), to whom it belonged thanks
to the donations made to the Monks in 1063 by Ugo della Gherardesca. In
1230 Monteverdi was placed under the political guidance of the municipality
of Massa and in 1308 the village was surrounded by walls, but in 1340
it became too demanding for the Abbots to guarantee the safety of the
location, and it was ceded to Volterra. Conquered in 1405 by Firenze,
in 1431 by the Appiani, in 1447 by the troops of Alfonso d’Aragona,
it returned to Volterra in 1449, who kept it until the Fiorentina
annexation in 1472. In 1665 the Grand Duke Ferdinando II raised it
into Grand Duchy feudal with the title of Marquisate and assigned it to
the Volterra noble Ferdinando Incontri, it remained with his heirs
until it was constituted in autonomous community (1776). In 1920 it
added the denomination of Marittimo.
Places to visit:
S.Pietro in Palazzuolo, the ruins of this 1200s Abbey which
had an imposing bell tower are a short distance outside the town. |
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |
