Grosseto

Grosseto () is a city and a ''comune'' in the central Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the province of Grosseto and the main city of the Maremma region. The city lies from the Tyrrhenian Sea, at the centre of an alluvial plain on the Ombrone river.

It is the most populous city in Maremma, with 82,284 inhabitants. The comune of Grosseto includes the ''frazioni'' of Marina di Grosseto, the largest one, Roselle, Principina a Mare, Principina Terra, Montepescali, Braccagni, Istia d'Ombrone, Batignano, Alberese and Rispescia.

History

The origins of Grosseto can be traced back to the High Middle Ages. It was first mentioned in 803 as a fief of the Counts Aldobrandeschi, in a document recording the assignment of St. George's Church to Ildebrando degli Aldobrandeschi, whose successors were counts of the Grossetana Mark until the end of the 12th century.

Grosseto steadily grew in importance, owing to the decline of Rusellae and Vetulonia until it was one of the principal Tuscan cities. In 1137 the city was besieged by German troops, led by Duke Heinrich X of Bavaria, sent by the emperor Lothair III to reinstate his authority over the Aldobrandeschi. In the following year the bishopric of Roselle was transferred to Grosseto.

In 1151, the citizens swore loyalty to the Republic of Siena, and in 1222 the Aldobrandeschi gave the Grossetani the right to have their own podestà, together with three councilors and consuls. In 1244 the city was reconquered by the Sienese, and its powers, together with all the Aldobrandeschi's imperial privileges, were transferred to Siena by order of the imperial vicar. Thereafter Grosseto shared the fortunes of Siena. It became an important stronghold, and the fortress (''rocca''), the walls and bastions can still to be seen.

In 1266 and in 1355, Grosseto tried in vain to win freedom from the overlordship of Siena. While Guelph and Ghibelline parties struggled for control of that city, Umberto and Aldobrandino Aldobrandeschi tried to regain Grosseto for their family. The Sienese armies were, however, victorious, and in 1259 they named a podestà from their city. But Grosseto gained its freedom and in the following year and fought alongside the Florentine forces in the Battle of Montaperti.

Over the next 80 years Grosseto was again occupied, ravaged, excommunicated by Pope Clement IV, besieged by emperor Louis IV and by the antipope Nicholas V in 1328, until it finally submitted to its more powerful neighbour, Siena. The pestilence of 1348 struck Grosseto hard and by 1369 its population had been reduced to some hundred families. Its territory, moreover, was frequently ravaged, notably in 1447 by Alfons V of Sicily and in 1455 by Jacopo Piccinino.

Sienese rule ended in 1559, when Charles V handed over the whole duchy to Cosimo I de Medici, first grand duke of Tuscany. In 1574 the construction of a line of defensive walls was begun, which are still well preserved today, while the surrounding swampy plain was drained. Grosseto, however, remained a minor town, with only 700 inhabitants at the beginning of the 18th century. Under the rule of the House of Lorraine, Grosseto flourished. It was given the title of capital of the new Maremma province. In 1943, the city was heavily bombed by the Allies. On 22 March 1944, the Maiano Lavacchio massacre took place into the countryside between Grosseto and Magliano in Toscana.

In 2024, Grosseto was selected as the European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism. This accolade, awarded by the European Commission, recognizes small, non-traditional, and emerging sustainable tourism destinations in Europe, with Grosseto being chosen ahead of 40 other cities.

Geography

Climate

Grosseto has a Mediterranean climate with very mild wet winters and very hot dry summers. On average there are 25 nights a year where the low reaches or dips below freezing but there are also 41 days where the high is at or surpasses . There are 12 days of fog on an average year.

Government

Subdivisions

The Municipality of Grosseto was subdivided into eight districts ('' circoscrizioni'') from 1977 to 2011.

Frazioni

Alberese

Alberese, located south-east of the capital, is the heart of the Natural Park of Maremma. The name is also extended to the surrounding rural areas which go from the first foothills of the hinterland hills to the sea through the northern slopes of the Uccellina Mountains.

Batignano

Of uncertain origins, Batignano developed in the Medieval period, around the castle which controlled the outlet of the road towards Siena on the plain of Grosseto and some lead and silver mines. It was a feud of the Aldobrandeschi and in 1213 belonged to Manto da Grosseto. In the 14th century, it then passed under the dominion of Siena, hosting many immigrants from Corsica, and so in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. In 1738 it was reunited with the comune of Grosseto.

Braccagni

Once being simply an appendix of Montepescali, Braccagni is seen today more independently as it is believed to be the nodal point of the economy of the area. The railway station, the Aurelia, many activities which have developed in the last few years, new habitations, these have all created its new identity as a modern town, in continuous evolution.

Istia d'Ombrone

Istia d'Ombrone is a town situated about east of the capital. The center of Istia emerged as a fortified settlement along the valley of the river Ombrone and it was owned by the bishops of Roselle since 862.

Marina di Grosseto

Marina di Grosseto is a famous tourist destination located from Grosseto; it is an important seaside resort in Maremma. Once a fishing village, it is known for its hilly hinterland, rich in macchia and wide beaches overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, with a vast pine forest that extends from Punta Ala to Alberese.

Montepescali

Montepescali is a small town of medieval origins. The site, from which the scenic panorama of the coastal strip and the Tuscan Archipelago up to Corsica can be seen, is also known as "Terrace or balcony of the Maremma".

Principina a Mare

Principina a Mare is a seaside resort. The center, sparsely populated land in winter, consists primarily of houses of holidaymakers, hotels, high class and a camp category average. However, the location is quite popular due to its proximity to the mouth of the river Ombrone and the Natural Park of Maremma.

Principina Terra

The village of Principina Terra is located south-west of the capital city, almost halfway between the city center and the seaside resorts of Marina di Grosseto and Principina a Mare. The area surrounding the village was washed from the shores of ancient Lake Prile.

Rispescia

Rispescia is a modern residential area, located about south-east of the capital, near the Natural Park of Maremma and the ''frazione'' of Alberese.

Roselle

Roselle, in Latin ''Rusellae'', now a municipal ''frazione'' of Grosseto, was once the main city in the area. Of Etruscan origin, it was built on a hill that offered protection and commanded all the nearby valley. The extent of its dominion is not clear, but probably at its peak included most of the Vetulonia territory. The city's splendour ended in 294 BCE, when, according to Livy, the Roman Republic conquered it. After the end of the Roman Empire, in the 5th century, Roselle was still the most important centre of what is now southern Tuscany. Its gradual decline began in 1138, when the diocesan seat was moved to Grosseto.

Etruscan ruins had been discovered in Roselle, including cyclopean walls, in circumference, and sulphur baths, which in the last century were restored for medicinal uses. There was formerly an amphitheatre.

Demographics

Culture

Language

Literature

Andrea da Grosseto was born in Grosseto in the first half of the 1200's. He is very important in Italian literature, because he is considered the first writer in the Italian language. Andrea da Grosseto translated from Latin the Moral Treaties of Albertano of Brescia, in 1268. His texts were written in the Italian language, without too many redundancies and constructions, words and typical ways of speech of the vernacular and the dialect. The writer intended to not utilise his own Grossetan dialect, but to use a general "Italian national language". In fact he twice refers to the vernacular which he uses defining it ''italico'' (Italic). So Andrea da Grosseto was the first to intend to use vernacular as a national unifying language from the north to the south of the entire Peninsula.

Museums

* Museo archeologico e d'arte della Maremma
* Museo di storia naturale della Maremma
* Museo Collezione Gianfranco Luzzetti

Cinema

Grosseto and Maremma have been settings for numerous works of fiction and movies, including the novels and associated films, such as '' The Easy Life'' (1962) with Vittorio Gassman; '' La vita agra'' (1964), from the novel of the same name by Luciano Bianciardi, with Ugo Tognazzi; '' An Ideal Place To Kill'' (1969) directed by Umberto Lenzi; '' In viaggio con papà'' (1982), with Alberto Sordi; '' Nothing Left to Do But Cry'' (1984), with Massimo Troisi and Roberto Benigni; '' It's Happening Tomorrow'' (1988); '' Viola bacia tutti'' (1997) with Asia Argento; '' The Talented Mr. Ripley'' with Matt Damon and Jude Law; '' Emma sono io'' (2002); Roberto Benigni's ''Pinocchio''; '' Manuale d'amore 3'' (2011) with Robert De Niro and Monica Bellucci; Swiss movie '' Summer Games'', and some Leonardo Pieraccioni's movies. Famous Italian actress Elsa Martinelli and actor Luigi Pistilli were both born in Grosseto. Actress Laura Morante was born in Santa Fiora, and director Umberto Lenzi in Massa Marittima, both in the province of Grosseto.

Cuisine

''Schiaccia alla pala'' ( oven-baked bread with oil) and ''Schiaccia con cipolle e acciughe'' (oven-baked bread with onions and anchovies) are typical breads of the city of Grosseto. ''Acquacotta'' is typical of Mount Amiata: it is a poor soup, and the main ingredients are artichokes, broccoli, cabbage, beans, borage, pisciacane (dandelion) and similar vegetables. The Maremmana cattle is one of the two breeds used in the preparation of the florentine steak.

Main sights

The Medicean Walls

The walls were commissioned by Cosimo I de Medici in 1564, in order to replace those from the 12th-14th centuries, as part of his policy of making Grosseto a stronghold to protect his southern border. The design was by Baldassarre Lanci, and construction began in 1565. Until 1757 the exterior was surrounded by a ditch with an earthen moat. There were two main gates: Porta Nuova on the north and Porta Reale (now Porta Vecchia) on the south.

The walls are now used as a public park and walking area.

Religious architecture

Cathedral

The Romanesque cathedral, the main monument of the city, is named for its patron St. Lawrence, and was begun at the end of the 13th century, by architect Sozzo Rustichini of Siena. Erected over the earlier church of Santa Maria Assunta, it was only finished in the 15th century (mainly due to the continuing struggles against Siena).

The façade of alternate layers of white and black marble is Romanesque in style, but is almost entirely the result of 16th century and 1816–1855 restorations: it retains decorative parts of the originary buildings, including Evangelists' symbols. The layout consists of a Latin cross, with transept and apse. The interior has a nave with two aisles, separated by cruciform pilasters. The main artworks are a wondrously carved baptismal font from 1470–1474 and the '' Madonna delle Grazie'' by Matteo di Giovanni (1470).

The campanile (bell tower) was finished in 1402, and restored in 1911.

Churches in the city centre

* Church of San Francesco. Situated on the square with the same name, it was built in the 13th century, initially a Benedictine, later Franciscan convent. The complex underwent several restorations and reconstructions: the bell was rebuilt in the first half of the 20th century. Very characteristic is the wooden tabernacle that stands on the front and inside there are works of art from various historical periods. At the center of the cloister stands the characteristic Pozzo della Bufala (''Well of the Buffalo'') in travertine; another well is located in the square outside the church.
*''Convent of Clarisse''. Located on ''strada Vinzaglio'', the convent is annexed to the Church of Bigi. The convent of Clarisse and the church of Bigi are now deconsecrated. The entire complex is characterized by the probable medieval origins, which was followed by a series of restorations in Baroque style in the 17th century. Today the convent hosts the ''Museolab Città di Grosseto'' and the university.
* Church of San Pietro. The oldest religious building in town, on Corso Carducci.
*''Church of Misericordia'' (19th century). It belonged to various religious orders during the following centuries, before moving on brotherhood in the early decades of the 19th century. In the past, there were several well-preserved works of art currently on display in the section on Sacred Art of the Archaeological and Art Museum of Maremma.

Churches outside the city walls

* Basilica of Sacro Cuore di Gesù, a minor basilica built in 1958, it was designed by engineer Ernesto Ganelli and is located on Via della Pace.
* Church of Medaglia Miracolosa, built in the early 20th century behind the Palazzo delle Poste in a neo-Romanesque style. It has a bell tower.
* Church of San Giuseppe, located in the western part of the urban area, in the Barbanella neighborhood, it was built in the 1930s in Romanesque Revival style.
* Church of San Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo, built on the eastern end of the urban area around the middle of last century, the style is Romanesque Revival. It was designed by engineer Ganelli and consecrated in 1951.
*''Maria Santissima Addolorata'', built in the 1970s in the neighbourhood of Gorarella, it was designed by architect Carlo Boccianti.
*''Santissimo Crocifisso'', a modern parish church for the residents of the suburb of Porta Vecchia, it was designed by Carlo Boccianti.
*''Santa Lucia'', a modern church situated in the neighbourhood of Barbanella.
* Church of Santa Famiglia, designed by Enzo Pisaneschi and located in the neighbourhood of Sugherella.
*''Santa Teresa'', consecrated in 2018, it is situated in the northern part of the urban area.

Abbeys

* Abbey of San Rabano, at the southern end of the town of Grosseto in the heart of the Natural Park of Maremma. It was built in the Middle Ages as a Benedictine monastery, passed after the Order of the Knights of Jerusalem and it was finally abandoned in the 16th century.
* Abbey of San Pancrazio al Fango, situated between Grosseto and Castiglione della Pescaia, in the heart of Nature Reserve Diaccia Botrona, not far from La Badiola estate. The church, which is in the form of ruins, was built in the Middle Ages on a slight hill overlooking the surrounding wetlands, once occupied by Lake Prile near a building from Roman times.

Civil architecture

Palazzi and other buildings

Within the walls of Grosseto are the following buildings:

* Palazzo Aldobrandeschi, located on Piazza Dante, is a Gothic Revival building designed by architect Lorenzo Porciatti as the seat of the Province of Grosseto.
*Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall), located on Piazza del Duomo, to the left of the Cathedral, was built between 1870 and 1873.
* Episcopal Palace. It hosts the offices and the curia of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grosseto.
*Palazzo Monte dei Paschi, it is a Renaissance Revival palace designed by Vittorio Mariani.
* Grand Hotel Bastiani, a Renaissance Revival style building designed by Mariani.
* Palazzo del Genio Civile, built in the early 20th century, it shows fine ceramic decorations.
* Palazzo Tognetti, an Art Nouveau style building on three levels located on Corso Carducci.
*Palazzo Moschini, it houses the Grosseto State Archives.
*Palazzo Carmignani, a landmark building built in 1921.
*Palazzo Chiarini, located in Via dell'Unione, it dates back to the 17th century.
*Palazzo Berti. Overlooking on Corso Carducci in the front of the Church of San Pietro, it is a stately and elegant building built in 1894.
*Palazzo Cappelli, located on Corso Carducci to the right of San Pietro, it is in a neoclassical style building.
*Palazzo Pallini, a neoclassical building of the early 20th century, it is located along Corso Carducci.
* Palazzo Mensini, built in 1898, it is the seat of the Chelliana Library.
* Cassero del Sale, built during the 13th century to store the salt collected from the wetland of the coast.
* Casa del Fascio, it was built during Fascism to host the local National Fascist Party.
* Cinema Marraccini, former cinema opened in 1926 and closed in 2003.
* Grosseto Prison, a 19th-century jailhouse.
*Villino Magrassi, an eclectic-style villa built in 1927 by architect Francesco Pistelli.
*Villino Mazzoncini, an early 20th-century villa on Via Mazzini, in front of the Theatre of Industri.

Outside the walls of Grosseto are the following buildings:

* Villino Pastorelli, a Gothic Revival villa built between 1908 and 1913 by the architect Lorenzo Porciatti.
* Villino Panichi, an Art Nouveau villa built in 1900 by the architect Porciatti.
*Middle school "Giovanni Pascoli", a middle school located in Piazza della Vasca, it was originally built in 1923 by the engineer Giuseppe Luciani to accommodate boarding and a normal school.
* Palazzo delle Poste (Post Office), located on Piazza della Vasca, it was designed by the architect Angiolo Mazzoni in 1930, as a symbol of Fascist architecture.
* Palazzo del Governo, it was designed by Vittorio Mariani and built in 1927.
* Cosimini Building, it is a multipurpose facility (bank, offices, apartments and shops) designed by Ludovico Quaroni in 1970.
* Palazzina Tempesti, an Art Nouveau building on Viale Mameli.
* Villino Andreini, an Art Nouveau building on Viale Mameli.

Theatres

* Teatro degli Industri, located on Via Mazzini, it was built in the 19th century. It is one of the main sites of the culture of Grosseto.
*Teatro Moderno, a modern theatre located outside the city walls. It was used for the trial against Francesco Schettino in 2014–15.

Sculptures and memorials

*''Canapone'', a marble statue celebrating Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany, located in the center of Piazza Dante.
*''Colonna dei bandi'', a Roman column from Rusellae located at the right side of the cathedral, it was traditionally used as the public spot to post municipal notices.
*Grosseto War Memorial, originally built in 1896, it is located along the walls, on the Rimembranza bastion. It honors the victims of the Italian War of Independence, World War I and World War II.
*Monument to Andrea da Grosseto, made between 1973 and 1974 by sculptor Arnaldo Mazzanti, it is located in Piazza Baccarini. It commemorates Andrea da Grosseto, the scholar who translated the ''Moral Treatises'' of Albertanus of Brescia in 1268 providing a first example of Italian literary prose.
*Monument to Ettore Socci, located in the Piazza Ettore Socci, it was made in 1907 by Emilio Gallori in honor of the politician Ettore Socci.

Wells

*''Pozzo dello Spedale'' (), made during the 15th century, it is located in the Piazza San Francesco in front of the right lateral side of the church of San Francesco.
*''Pozzo della Bufala'' (), located in the courtyard of the cloister of San Francesco, was built by the Medici to replace an existing well to supply water to the men who lived in the convent.
*''Pozzo della Fortezza'' (), located in the Piazza d'Armi inside the Fortezza bastion that surrounds the fortified Citadel, it was built in the 16th century for supply water of the guards stationed there.

Others

*The Etruscan-Roman site of Rusellae.
*Medieval buildings in the ''frazioni'' of Batignano, Istia d'Ombrone and Montepescali.
* Granducal villa of Alberese, built by the Knights Hospitaller in the 15th century, and later used as residence by the Grand Dukes of Tuscany.

Sports

Grosseto has enjoyed a long tradition in sports. Baseball and football are perhaps the most popular in Grosseto. However, other sports such as American football, cricket, horse racing and athletics are also widely practised. The premier society of men's baseball in Grosseto is called Bbc Grosseto Orioles (also referred to by its sponsored name of Montepaschi). Grosseto participates in the highest level of play in Italy, Serie A1, and it won the national championship in 1986, 1989, 2004 and 2007. The team won the European Cup in 2005. Montedeipaschi Grosseto hosts his home games at Stadio Roberto Jannella.

The Unione Sportiva Grosseto Football Club was founded in 1912. It has participated in the National Championship of Soccer in Serie B (the second level of the Italian soccer leagues) since the 2007–2008 season. The football club U.S. Grosseto hosts its games at the Stadio Carlo Zecchini.

Other important teams are the ''Maremma Cricket Club'' (Serie A) and ''American Football Condor Grosseto'' (Serie B).

Horse racing is of considerable importance, with several races throughout the year that, in summer, often taking place at night. The sports facility where are played the various races is the ''hippodrome Casalone'', located in the south of the city, at the beginning of the road that leads to Principina a Mare.

The city is a major center for athletics: Stadio Carlo Zecchini has in fact hosted the European Junior Championships in 2001 and World Junior Championships in 2004. Grosseto in 2006 was also the headquarters of the ''World Military Fencing Championships''.

Transportation

Trains

The city is served by the Pisa-Livorno-Rome railway line connecting Genoa to the capital and serves as the terminus of trains on the single track branch line from Grosseto via Monte Antico to Siena, where it converges with a line from Chiusi and proceeds north to Empoli and Florence.

Here is the list of railway stations in the city of Grosseto:

* Grosseto station, situated along the Pisa-Livorno-Roma line, it is also the terminus of the Siena-Grosseto line. It is the main railway station of the city, which serves the city center and the urban area.
* Montepescali station, located at the northern limits of the municipality, at the point of bifurcation between the Pisa-Livorno-Rome railway and the branch line towards Siena.
* Alberese station, located along the railway Pisa-Livorno-Roma to the southern limits of the municipal area, since 2010 only served by buses.
* Rispescia station, now disused, situated near the village of Rispescia and was a place of occasional stop for regional trains.

Buses

Local bus service in Grosseto was managed by Tiemme Toscana Mobilità, one of the companies of the consortium ONE Scarl to accomplish the contract stipulated with the Regione Toscana for the public transport in the 2018-2019 period. Intercity buses depart from the main bus station in ''Piazza Marconi''. There are also several bus services going from the city to Florence, Siena and other cities in Tuscany. A network of urban bus routes also operates in Grosseto, and the bus station serves as an interchange point between these, the intercity routes and extra-urban routes which extend into the rest of the Province of Grosseto. Since 1 November 2021, the public local transport is operated by Autolinee Toscane.

Port

The city has a modern tourist dock opened in 2004 in the seaside resort of Marina di Grosseto, at the mouth of the San Rocco Canal. For passenger traffic in the medium range, the main port is Porto Santo Stefano (40 km), with ferry only for the islands of Giglio and Giannutri.

Airport

Grosseto and the Maremma are served by Grosseto Baccarini Airport, located midway between the capital and Marina di Grosseto. The airport is a military site which is also used as a commercial airport by civilian charter flights and private aircraft, and has a small terminal to accommodate these.

With regard to domestic and international flights, the airports of reference are the airports of Florence, Pisa and Rome-Fiumicino. All three airports are located about from the capital of the Maremma. For a few months in 2018, the airport was served by a flight to Bern, operated by SkyWork Airlines, until it went into liquidation.

Notable people

* Andrea da Grosseto (13th century), writer and translator
* David Bellini (1972–2016), screenwriter and television writer
* Etrusco Benci (1905–1943), partisan
* Luciano Bianciardi (1922–1971), novelist
* Blind Fool Love (2005–2012), post-hardcore band
* Jessica Brando (1994–), singer
* Carlo Cassola (1917–1987), novelist, lived in Grosseto from 1948 to 1971
* Lucio Corsi (1993–), singer-songwriter
* Orsola Cozzi (1788–1831), novelist and nun
* Ginevra De Carolis (1985–), costume designer
* Tolomeo Faccendi (1905–1970), sculptor
* Ivo Faenzi (1932–), politician
* Francesco Falaschi (1961–), film director and screenwriter
* Francesco Falconi (1976–), fantasy writer
* Marco Giusti (1953–), film critic and writer
* Stefano Lodovichi (1983–), film director
* Egisto Macchi (1928–1992), composer
*Elsa Martinelli (1935–2017), actress
* Francesco Mori (1975–), painter
* Ivo Pacini (1883–1959), sculptor
*Oreste Piccioni (1915–2002), physicist
* Luigi Pistilli (1929–1996), actor
* Quartiere Coffee (formed 2004), reggae band
* Alessandra Sensini (1970–), windsurfer, winner of four medals in the Olympic Games
* Francesco Turbanti (1988–), actor

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Grosseto is twinned with:

* Birkirkara, Malta
* Cottbus, Germany
* Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria
* Kashiwara, Japan
* Montreuil, France
* Narbonne, France
* Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France

See also

* Diocese of Grosseto
* Andrea of Grosseto

Sources and references

External links

*
Grosseto
''Catholic Encyclopedia'' article
*

{{Authority control

Coastal towns in Tuscany