Pontedera (; ) is an Italian
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 ...
with a population of 30070, located in the
province of Pisa
The province of Pisa () is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Pisa. With an area of and a total population of 421,642 (), it is the second most populous and fifth largest province of Tuscany. It is subdivided i ...
,
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 ...
,
central Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
.
The town is located 20 km (12 miles) from
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 50 km (31 miles) from
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 ...
.
It houses the headquarters of the
Piaggio company, the
Castellani winery and the
Amedei
Amedei is a premium artisan chocolate manufacturing company located in Pontedera in the Tuscany region of Italy, considered to be one of the finest chocolate producers in the world.
Their products range from chocolate bars to truffles and pra ...
premium artisan chocolate factory.
Pontedera is in the Arno Valley at the confluence of the
Era River and the
Arno River. Its territory is also crossed by the
Scolmatore dell'Arno
Lo Scolmatore dell'Arno (The Arno floodway) is a artificial flood control channel of the river Arno from Pontedera to the Ligurian Sea at Calambrone. As a consequence of the Arno flood of 1949, it was decided to start the construction of ''Scol ...
canal, and by the Roglio, a tributary of the Era. There is also a small lake, in 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
La Rotta, known as Braccini lake.
The football team in the town is called
U.S. Città di Pontedera, and they currently play in
Serie C
The Serie C (), officially known as Serie C NOW for sponsorship purposes, is the third-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie B and Serie A. The Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico (Lega Pro) is the governing ...
. Another notable attraction is the church of
Santissimo Crocifisso.
History
Pontedera was the seat of several historical battles. In 1369, the Milanese army of
Barnabò Visconti, led by
John Hawkwood, was defeated here by the
Florentine troops. On 11 June 1554, there was a
pyrrhic victory
A Pyrrhic victory ( ) is a victory that inflicts such a devastating toll on the victor that it is tantamount to defeat. Such a victory negates any true sense of achievement or damages long-term progress.
The phrase originates from a quote from ...
in the last effort by 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 ...
to retain its independence, when
Piero Strozzi won against the Florentines. Two months later he was decisively defeated at the
Battle of Marciano, an event which marked the end of the Senese independence.
World War II
Pontedera was heavily bombed during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
by the Anglo-Americans because of the presence of military aircraft manufacturing plants by Piaggio. The three main bombings occurred on 6 January 1944, when the station area was hit; on 18 January, when the open-air area of the "Orto dei Rosati" was targeted (and where people had taken refuge believing it to be safe); and on 21 January 1944, when factories and houses were hit. By the end of the conflict, half the city was devastated, 370 people had lost their lives and thousands had been injured.
Geography
Territory
*
Seismic classification: Zone 3 (medium-low seismicity (PGA between 0.05 and 0.15 g)),
Civil Protection Department seismic classification as April 2021.
Frazioni
Gello,
Il Romito,
La Borra,
La Rotta,
Montecastello,
Pardossi,
Santa Lucia,
Treggiaia
Climate
The average annual temperature is 18.60
°C (65,48
°F). In summer months, temperatures can reach as high as 40°C (104°F), while in winter months sunrise temperatures can be below freezing.
Education
Pontedera boasts great secondary schools in Tuscany, located in an urban area called "Villaggio Scolastico" (''school village'').
Secondary education
Liceo " XXV Aprile"
which is divided into two addresses:
*
Liceo Classico
The ''liceo classico'' or ''ginnasio'' () is the oldest public secondary education in Italy, secondary school type in Italy. Its educational curriculum spans over five years, when students are generally about 14 to 19 years of age.
Until 196 ...
(''classical lyceum'')
*
Liceo Scientifico (''scientific lyceum'')
ITIS "
Guglielmo Marconi
Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi, 1st Marquess of Marconi ( ; ; 25 April 1874 – 20 July 1937) was an Italian electrical engineer, inventor, and politician known for his creation of a practical radio wave-based Wireless telegraphy, wireless tel ...
"
with four branches of study in the technology sector:
*
Mechanics
Mechanics () is the area of physics concerned with the relationships between force, matter, and motion among Physical object, physical objects. Forces applied to objects may result in Displacement (vector), displacements, which are changes of ...
,
Mechatronics
Mechatronics engineering, also called mechatronics, is the synergistic integration of mechanical, electrical, and computer systems employing mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, electronic engineering and computer engineering, and also ...
and
Energy
Energy () is the physical quantity, quantitative physical property, property that is transferred to a physical body, body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of Work (thermodynamics), work and in the form of heat and l ...
*
Electronics
Electronics is a scientific and engineering discipline that studies and applies the principles of physics to design, create, and operate devices that manipulate electrons and other Electric charge, electrically charged particles. It is a subfield ...
and
Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...
("Electronics" articulation with "
Robotics
Robotics is the interdisciplinary study and practice of the design, construction, operation, and use of robots.
Within mechanical engineering, robotics is the design and construction of the physical structures of robots, while in computer s ...
" curvature)
*
IT and
Telecommunications
Telecommunication, often used in its plural form or abbreviated as telecom, is the transmission of information over a distance using electronic means, typically through cables, radio waves, or other communication technologies. These means of ...
*
Graphics
Graphics () are visual images or designs on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, screen, paper, or stone, to inform, illustrate, or entertain. In contemporary usage, it includes a pictorial representation of the data, as in design and manufa ...
and
Communication
Communication is commonly defined as the transmission of information. Its precise definition is disputed and there are disagreements about whether Intention, unintentional or failed transmissions are included and whether communication not onl ...
and a high school address of study:
* High school of Science - Applied Science option
ITGC "
Enrico Fermi
Enrico Fermi (; 29 September 1901 – 28 November 1954) was an Italian and naturalized American physicist, renowned for being the creator of the world's first artificial nuclear reactor, the Chicago Pile-1, and a member of the Manhattan Project ...
"
Istituto " Eugenio Montale"
*
Liceo Linguistico (''Linguistic lyceum'')
*
Liceo delle Scienze Umane e Economico Sociale (''Human Sciences lyceum'')
IPSIA " Antonio Pacinotti"
Primary and Lower secondary education
* Istituto comprensivo "Curtatone e Montanara"
* Istituto comprensivo "Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi"
* Istituto comprensivo "Antonio Pacinotti"
University
*
Polo Sant'Anna Valdera
* Polo Didattico Universitario Daniela Donati dell'Università di Pisa, including:
** Corso di scienze infermieristiche (''nursing science'')
** Segreteria studenti di Pontedera (''Student secretariat Pontedera'')
Culture
Pontedera is home to the "
Giovanni Alberto Agnelli" Piaggio Museum. Created in 2000 from part of the old Piaggio workshops, it now houses numerous models produced by Piaggio as well as a vast historical archive named after Antonella Bechi Piaggio, while the Valdera Campus of the
Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa was carved out of the old Piaggio canteen.
Infrastructure and transportation
Roads
Pontedera is crossed from west to east by State Road 67 Tosco Romagnola, which connects it directly to Pisa and Florence ending in
Ravenna
Ravenna ( ; , also ; ) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire during the 5th century until its Fall of Rome, collapse in 476, after which ...
.
The city is also served by the FI-PI-LI Great Communication Road, which serves as a major arterial road connecting the provinces of
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 ...
,
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
Livorno
Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 152,916 residents as of 2025. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn ...
. The road starts in Florence and splits near
Lavaiano into the northern section, ending in Pisa connecting with the
A12 Motorway, and the southern section, ending in Livorno.
Bus
Urban public bus transportation is operated by
Autolinee Toscane (
CTT Nord before the merger of activities in 2021) with two paid urban routes (previously three) and two free shuttle services.
There are suburban lines connecting it with a variety of Tuscan cities.
Railway
Pontedera train station is an important hub placed on the
Leopolda Railway between Pisa and Florence, due to the many services in the
Valdera area, in the field of education and the piaggio factories, with a daily flow of 4,000 passengers. The station is served by trains about every 15 minutes in both directions, as well as various connections including
Livorno
Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 152,916 residents as of 2025. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn ...
,
Viareggio
Viareggio () is a city and ''comune'' in northern Tuscany, Italy, on the coast of the Ligurian Sea. With a population of over 62,000, it is the second largest city in the province of Lucca, after Lucca.
It is known as a seaside resort as well a ...
,
La Spezia
La Spezia (, or ; ; , in the local ) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy.
La Spezia is the second-largest city in the Liguria ...
,
Lucca
Città di Lucca ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its Province of Lucca, province has a population of 383,9 ...
,
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 ...
to other minor ones, that are part of the
Trenitalia
Trenitalia Società per azioni, SpA is the primary train operator of Italy. A subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, itself owned by the Italian government. It was established in 2000 following a European Union directive on the deregulati ...
regional service. It takes 10–15 minutes to travel to Pisa and 35–40 minutes to travel to Florence.
In the early 20th century the
Lucca
Città di Lucca ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its Province of Lucca, province has a population of 383,9 ...
-Pontedera-
Saline di Volterra railway line was planned. In 1922 work began, ending six years later only on the Lucca-Pontedera section. Due to damage in World War II, the line was decommissioned and dismantled in 1958.
Airport
Pontedera had an airport, which was created for military use as an airfield for airships and later repurposed for aircraft in built in 1913, on the eve of
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
.
After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
it lost importance because of the nearby
Pisa airport. The same passed into use by Piaggio until it was completely dismantled. In its original place today stands the new Pontedera industrial zone (PIP III).
Anthropogenic geography
Neighborhoods
Centro
Extending westward to the railway station, it's bounded on the north by the
Arno river, on the east by the
Era river, and on the south by the railway.
The main pedestrian street is Corso Matteotti, home to stores, bars, bakeries and businesses. Other main streets are Via Gotti, Via Lotti, Via Roma and Via I° Maggio. In the 2007 municipal census, the neighborhood had 7943 inhabitants.
Bellaria
It is the area south of the railway. It is home to the headquarters of Piaggio, its museum, the Polo Valdera, and the "Felice Lotti" hospital.
The residential area consists mainly of small villas. The newly developed western area can be divided into Sozzifanti to the north and Galimberti to the south. The former is the only area in all of Pontedera that does not have its own church. In the 2007 municipal census, the neighborhood had 4648 inhabitants.
Oltrera
It is the area east of the town. It is the neighborhood across the Era River; It's also called in Pisan dialect "Foriderponte" or "Forderponte" (outside of the bridge).
It has seen an extensive expansion from the late 1950s with the construction of the "
Gronchi" Village - Viale Italia. Today it is home to the weekly market, annual
Fair
A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Fairs showcase a wide range of go ...
, Era Theater, "Ettore Mannucci" stadium and the Cineplex, a multiplex cinema with a shopping center inside. In the 2007 municipal census it had 6779 inhabitants.
Villaggi
The Villaggio Piaggio (''Piaggio Village'') neighborhood was built by Piaggio for its employees and inside it contains all the necessary infrastructures to be autonomous.
Another one is the
Antonio Gramsci
Antonio Francesco Gramsci ( , ; ; 22 January 1891 – 27 April 1937) was an Italian Marxist philosophy, Marxist philosopher, Linguistics, linguist, journalist, writer, and politician. He wrote on philosophy, Political philosophy, political the ...
communal village, which is developed north of the railway east of the Villaggio Piaggio.
Notable people
*
Jerzy Grotowski, Polish theatre director and theorist who spent the last 13 years of his life in Pontedera
*
Fabio Innocenti, volleyball player
*
Fabiana Luperini, cyclist
References
External links
Official website
{{Authority control