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Inhabitants in 1991: 21.020
 The
municipal territory of Quarrata extends for 46 square kilometres from
the north eastern slopes of Monte Albano to the plains which are watered
by the river Ombrone. Originally being part of the Podesta office of the
Grand Duchy of Tizzana, modified in 1775 and 1838, in 1880 Quarrata
became capital of the municipality, which continued nevertheless to call
itself Tizzana until 1959.
Probably of Roman origins, the first mention of Quarrata goes back
to 997 in a certificate of Ottone III; already in this era the area
was under the Lordship of the Cadolingian Counts and the Episcopate
of Pistoia. In the XII century it was the Seat of an important public
meeting place and of a hospital for pilgrims, in the 1300s Quarrata
was capital of a vast community, strongly tied to Pistoia and
in particular to the Pistoiese Taviani family patrons of the parish church
and land owners. The Castle of Tizzana, even though presumably
of a more bygone era, was nominated for the first time only in 1252 when
it was besieged by the Fiorentini in war against Pistoia; ceded in
1306 to Firenze, it passed again under the Lords of Pistoia in
1314 to then entered definitively as part of the Fiorentina republic
in 1351. From then until 1838 there was a Podesta in Tizzana.
Places to visit:
Villa Medicea della Màgia, a little way outside the
township, it was originally a little fort, which Buontalenti transformed
into a country residence for the Grand Duke Francesco I.
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Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |
