Grosseto () is a city and a ''
comune
A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...
'' in the central
Italian region of
Tuscany
Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence.
Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
, the capital of the
province of Grosseto
The province of Grosseto () is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Grosseto. As of 2013 the province had a total population of 225,098 people.
Geography
The Province of Grosseto completely ...
and the main city of the Maremma region. The city lies from the
Tyrrhenian Sea
The Tyrrhenian Sea (, ; or ) , , , , is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy. It is named for the Tyrrhenians, Tyrrhenian people identified with the Etruscans of Italy.
Geography
The sea is bounded by the islands of C ...
, 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
A ''frazione'' (: ''frazioni'') is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' ('municipality') in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidat ...
'' of
Marina di Grosseto
Marina di Grosseto () is a popular tourist destination located twelve kilometers from Grosseto; it is an important seaside resort in Grossetan Maremma. Once a fishing village, it is known for its hilly hinterland, rich in macchia and wide beach ...
, the largest one,
Roselle,
Principina a Mare
Principina a Mare () is an Italian '' frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Grosseto, in the province of the same name.
Overview
The centre, less populated during winter, is mainly made up of houses of holidaymakers, hotels and a campsite. It is fr ...
,
Principina Terra
Principina Terra () is a village in southern Tuscany, a '' frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Grosseto.
Overview
The frazione is situated south-east of the capital, nearly halfway between the residential centre and the coastal localities of Marina ...
,
Montepescali
Montepescali () is a small town in southern Tuscany, Italy, a '' frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Grosseto.
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 "Terra ...
,
Braccagni,
Istia d'Ombrone
Istia d'Ombrone () is a small town in southern Tuscany, Italy, a ''frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Grosseto.
History
In the area surrounding the centre of Istia there have been found some ruins of ancient habitations dating back to the Etruscan ci ...
,
Batignano,
Alberese
Alberese () is a rural town in southern Tuscany, a '' frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Grosseto. It is situated 20 km south-east of the capital, in the heart of the Maremma Regional Park. This area includes the surrounding rural territorie ...
and
Rispescia
Rispescia (), or Santa Maria di Rispescia, is a small town in southern Tuscany, a '' frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Grosseto, situated about 10 km south-east of the capital, right outside the Natural Park of Maremma, near the frazione of Al ...
.
History
The origins of Grosseto can be traced back to the
High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the periodization, period of European history between and ; it was preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended according to historiographical convention ...
. 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
Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...
, 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
The Republic of Siena (, ) was a historic state consisting of the city of Siena and its surrounding territory in Tuscany, Central Italy. It existed for over 400 years, from 1125 to 1555. During its existence, it gradually expanded throughout south ...
, and in 1222 the Aldobrandeschi gave the Grossetani the right to have their own
podestà
(), also potestate or podesta in English, was the name given to the holder of the highest civil office in the government of the cities of central and northern Italy during the Late Middle Ages. Sometimes, it meant the chief magistrate of a c ...
, 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
An imperial vicar () was a prince charged with administering all or part of the Holy Roman Empire on behalf of the emperor. Later, an imperial vicar was invariably one of two princes charged by the Golden Bull with administering the Holy Roman E ...
. 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
The Guelphs and Ghibellines ( , ; ) were factions supporting the Pope (Guelphs) and the Holy Roman Emperor (Ghibellines) in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy during the Middle Ages. During the 12th and 13th centurie ...
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
The Battle of Montaperti was fought on 4 September 1260 between Republic of Florence, Florence and Republic of Siena, Siena in Tuscany as part of the conflict between the Guelphs and Ghibellines. The Florentines were routed. It was the blood ...
.
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
Nicholas V, born Pietro Rainalducci (c. 125816 October 1333) was an antipope in Italy from 12 May 1328 to 25 July 1330 during the pontificate of Pope John XXII (1316–1334) at Avignon. He was the last antipope set up by a Holy Roman Emperor.
...
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
Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence.
Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
. 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
The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...
, 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
A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
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
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...
, around the castle which controlled the outlet of the road towards
Siena
Siena ( , ; traditionally spelled Sienna in English; ) is a city in Tuscany, in central Italy, and the capital of the province of Siena. It is the twelfth most populated city in the region by number of inhabitants, with a population of 52,991 ...
on the plain of Grosseto and some lead and silver mines. It was a feud of the
Aldobrandeschi
The Aldobrandeschi family was an Italian noble family from southern Tuscany.
Overview
Of probable Lombard origin, they appear in history as counts in the 9th century. The first known count was Hildebrand II (857). Their possession extended t ...
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
Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...
, and so in the
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany (; ) was an Italian monarchy located in Central Italy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1860, replacing the Republic of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. In the 19th century the population ...
. 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
The Tyrrhenian Sea (, ; or ) , , , , is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy. It is named for the Tyrrhenians, Tyrrhenian people identified with the Etruscans of Italy.
Geography
The sea is bounded by the islands of C ...
, 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
Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...
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
A ''frazione'' (: ''frazioni'') is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' ('municipality') in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidat ...
'' 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
Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding i ...
, the
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( ) was the era of Ancient Rome, classical Roman civilisation beginning with Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establis ...
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
Italian (, , or , ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European language family. It evolved from the colloquial Latin of the Roman Empire. Italian is the least divergent language from Latin, together with Sardinian language, Sardinian. It is ...
. 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
Vittorio Gassman (; born Gassmann; 1 September 1922 – 29 June 2000), popularly known as , was an Italian actor, director, and screenwriter.
He is considered one of the greatest Italian actors, whose career includes both important producti ...
; ''
La vita agra'' (1964), from the
novel of the same name by
Luciano Bianciardi, with
Ugo Tognazzi
Ottavio "Ugo" Tognazzi (23 March 1922 – 27 October 1990) was an Italian actor, director, and screenwriter.
He is considered one of the most important faces of Italian comedy together with Vittorio Gassman, Nino Manfredi, Marcello Mastr ...
; ''
An Ideal Place To Kill'' (1969) directed by
Umberto Lenzi
Umberto Lenzi (6 August 1931 – 19 October 2017) was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and novelist.
A fan of film since young age, Lenzi studied at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia and made his first film in 1958 which went unre ...
; ''
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
Matthew Paige Damon ( ; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. He was ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars in 2007, and in 2010 was one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He has received va ...
and
Jude Law
David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He began his career in theatre before landing small roles in various British television productions and feature films. Law gained international recognition for his role in An ...
; ''
Emma sono io'' (2002); Roberto Benigni's ''
Pinocchio
Pinocchio ( , ) is a fictional character and the protagonist of the children's novel, ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'' (1883) by Italian writer Carlo Collodi of Florence, Tuscany. Pinocchio was carved by a poor man named Geppetto in a Tuscan vil ...
''; ''
Manuale d'amore 3'' (2011) with
Robert De Niro
Robert Anthony De Niro ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor, director, and film producer. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of List of awards and ...
and
Monica Bellucci; Swiss movie ''
Summer Games'', and some
Leonardo Pieraccioni's movies. Famous Italian actress
Elsa Martinelli
Elsa Martinelli (born Elisa Tia; 30 January 1935 – 8 July 2017) was an Italian actress and fashion model. Described by ''The Guardian'' as a "versatile star of Hollywood’s international years whose work spanned romantic comedies, period epi ...
and actor
Luigi Pistilli were both born in Grosseto. Actress
Laura Morante was born in
Santa Fiora, and director
Umberto Lenzi
Umberto Lenzi (6 August 1931 – 19 October 2017) was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and novelist.
A fan of film since young age, Lenzi studied at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia and made his first film in 1958 which went unre ...
in
Massa Marittima, both in the
province of Grosseto
The province of Grosseto () is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Grosseto. As of 2013 the province had a total population of 225,098 people.
Geography
The Province of Grosseto completely ...
.
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
Broccoli (''Brassica oleracea'' var. ''italica'') is an edible green plant in the Brassicaceae, cabbage family (family Brassicaceae, genus ''Brassica'') whose large Pseudanthium, flowering head, plant stem, stalk and small associated leafy gre ...
,
cabbage
Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of '' Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.& ...
,
beans
A bean is the seed of some plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) used as a vegetable for human consumption or animal feed. The seeds are often preserved through drying (a ''pulse''), but fresh beans are also sold. Dried beans are tradition ...
,
borage
Borage ( or ; ''Borago officinalis''), also known as starflower, is an annual herb in the flowering plant family Boraginaceae native to the Mediterranean region. Although the plant contains small amounts of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, some parts ar ...
, pisciacane (
dandelion
''Taraxacum'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, which consists of species commonly known as dandelions. The scientific and hobby study of the genus is known as taraxacology. The genus has a near-cosmopolitan distribu ...
) 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
A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell to ...
(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
A bell /ˈbɛl/ () is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be m ...
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
The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
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
Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectura ...
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
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
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
Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...
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
Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hie ...
to host the local
National Fascist Party
The National Fascist Party (, PNF) was a political party in Italy, created by Benito Mussolini as the political expression of Italian fascism and as a reorganisation of the previous Italian Fasces of Combat. The party ruled the Kingdom of It ...
.
*
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
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
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
Middle school, also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school, is an educational stage between primary school and secondary school.
Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, middle school includes g ...
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
Fascist architecture encompasses various stylistic trends in architecture developed by architects of fascist states, primarily in the early 20th century. Fascist architectural styles gained popularity in the late 1920s with the ri ...
.
*
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
The House of Medici ( , ; ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first consolidated power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici and his grandson Lorenzo "the Magnificent" during the first half of the 15th ...
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
Istia d'Ombrone () is a small town in southern Tuscany, Italy, a ''frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Grosseto.
History
In the area surrounding the centre of Istia there have been found some ruins of ancient habitations dating back to the Etruscan ci ...
and
Montepescali
Montepescali () is a small town in southern Tuscany, Italy, a '' frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Grosseto.
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 "Terra ...
.
*
Granducal villa of Alberese, built by the
Knights Hospitaller
The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), is a Catholic military order. It was founded in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century and had headquarters there ...
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
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
are perhaps the most popular in Grosseto. However, other sports such as
American football
American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...
,
cricket
Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
,
horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
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
The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club association football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that is contested by top-division European clubs. The competition begins with a round robi ...
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 Serie B (), officially known as Serie BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 season. It had 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
Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
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
Principina a Mare () is an Italian '' frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Grosseto, in the province of the same name.
Overview
The centre, less populated during winter, is mainly made up of houses of holidaymakers, hotels and a campsite. It is fr ...
.
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
Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
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
Chiusi ( Etruscan: ''Clevsin''; Umbrian: ''Camars''; Ancient Greek: ''Klysion'', ''Κλύσιον''; Latin: ''Clusium'') is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Siena, Tuscany, Italy.
History
Clusium (''Clevsin or Camars'' in Etruscan) ...
and proceeds north to
Empoli
Empoli () is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Florence, Tuscany, Italy, about southwest of Florence, to the south of the Arno River, Arno in a plain formed by the river. The plain has been usable for agriculture since Ancient Ro ...
and
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
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
Rispescia (), or Santa Maria di Rispescia, is a small town in southern Tuscany, a '' frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Grosseto, situated about 10 km south-east of the capital, right outside the Natural Park of Maremma, near the frazione of Al ...
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
The province of Grosseto () is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Grosseto. As of 2013 the province had a total population of 225,098 people.
Geography
The Province of Grosseto completely ...
. 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
Marina di Grosseto () is a popular tourist destination located twelve kilometers from Grosseto; it is an important seaside resort in Grossetan Maremma. Once a fishing village, it is known for its hilly hinterland, rich in macchia and wide beach ...
, 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
Marina di Grosseto () is a popular tourist destination located twelve kilometers from Grosseto; it is an important seaside resort in Grossetan Maremma. Once a fishing village, it is known for its hilly hinterland, rich in macchia and wide beach ...
. 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
Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...
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
Bern (), or Berne (), ; ; ; . is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city".; ; ; . According to the Swiss constitution, the Swiss Confederation intentionally has no "capital", but Bern has gov ...
, 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
Elsa Martinelli (born Elisa Tia; 30 January 1935 – 8 July 2017) was an Italian actress and fashion model. Described by ''The Guardian'' as a "versatile star of Hollywood’s international years whose work spanned romantic comedies, period epi ...
(1935–2017), actress
*
Francesco Mori (1975–), painter
*
Ivo Pacini (1883–1959), sculptor
*
Oreste Piccioni
Oreste Piccioni (October 24, 1915 – April 13, 2002) was an Italian-American physicist who made important contributions to elementary particle physics. He is the co-discoverer of the antineutron.
Biography
He was a graduate student of En ...
(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
Birkirkara (abbreviated as B'Kara or BKR) is a city in the Eastern Region, Malta, Eastern Region of Malta. It is the second most populous on the Malta (island), island, with 24,356 inhabitants as of 2020. The town consists of five autonomous pari ...
, Malta
*
Cottbus
Cottbus () or (;) is a university city and the second-largest city in the German state of Brandenburg after the state capital, Potsdam. With around 100,000 inhabitants, Cottbus is the most populous city in Lusatia. Cottbus lies in the Sorbian ...
, Germany
*
Dimitrovgrad, Bulgaria
*
Kashiwara, Japan
*
Montreuil, France
*
Narbonne
Narbonne ( , , ; ; ; Late Latin:) is a commune in Southern France in the Occitanie region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. It is located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and was ...
, France
*
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France
See also
*
Diocese of Grosseto
*
Andrea of Grosseto
Sources and references
External links
*
Grosseto''
Catholic Encyclopedia
''The'' ''Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church'', also referred to as the ''Old Catholic Encyclopedia'' and the ''Original Catholic Encyclopedi ...
'' article
*
{{Authority control
Coastal towns in Tuscany