Pontito is administratively a
frazione
A ''frazione'' (plural: ) 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 consolidate territ ...
of the
comune
The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces ('' province''). The can ...
of
Pescia
Pescia () is an Italian city in the province of Pistoia, Tuscany, central Italy.
It is located in a central zone between the cities Lucca and Florence, on the banks of the :it:Pescia (fiume), river of the same name.
History
Archaeological excav ...
, in the
Province of Pistoia
The province of Pistoia ( it, provincia di Pistoia) is a province in the Tuscany region of central Italy. Its capital is the city of Pistoia and the province is landlocked. It has an area of and a total population of 291,788 inhabitants (as of 2 ...
,
Tuscany
it, Toscano (man) it, Toscana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Citizenship
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 = Italian
, demogra ...
.
Location and description
It is one of the localities called ''Dieci castella'' (Ten castles) of the Valleriana area, otherwise called ("Switzerland of Pescia"). It is located in the northernmost part of the Valleriana area. Pontito is an ancient village with its old stone houses in an almost total solitude, perched on a hill of 745 meters above sea level. The village is famous for is bell shape, obtained in accordance with the characteristics of the hill on which it has arisen. The bell shape widens as the altitude diminishes. In all likelihood the origins of the village are early medieval, making it one of the oldest and most iconic villages of the area.
Etymology
According to tradition, the name should be traced to a bridge built here by the Roman emperor
Titus
Titus Caesar Vespasianus ( ; 30 December 39 – 13 September 81 AD) was Roman emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death.
Before becoming emperor, Titus gained renown as a mili ...
. A more probable hypothesis binds the name of the village to a saint named Pontito.
Etimologia e storia di Pontito - La svizzera Pesciatina di G. Biagi - Associazione i Montagnardi
/ref> Another hypothesis is to derive the name from the village's characteristic pointed shape, defined as ''appuntito'' ("pointed"), which then became the current name of the village.
Monuments and places of interest
*
Gallery of images
Image:Pontito panorama 02.JPG, View of Pontito from the village of Stiappa
Image:Pontito - Lazzaro Papi square 01.JPG, Piazza Lazzaro Papi, the main village square
Image:Pontito - Lazzaro Papi square 02.JPG, Piazza Lazzaro Papi
Image:Pontito - Lazzaro Papi square 03.JPG, Piazza Lazzaro Papi
Image:Pontito - Lazzaro Papi monument.JPG, Monument to
Image:Pontito - Church.JPG, Chiesa dei Santi Lucia e Andrea (Church of Saints Andrea and Lucia)
Image:Pontito - Bell tower.JPG, Il campanile (the bell tower), formerly a medieval defense tower
Image:Pontito - Lazzaro Papi plaque.JPG, Plaque dedicated to Lazzaro Papi
Image:Pontito - Porta a Luca.JPG, Piazzetta called "Porta a Luca"
Image:Pontito - Pillone.JPG, The village's main fountain, called "il Pillion" (the Pill).
Image:Pontito - Pilloncino.JPG, The village's lesser fountain, called "il Pilloncino"
Image:Pontito - Former school.JPG, Building of the former elementary school, now reconverted into a house
References
External links
*{{cite web, title=Original Memory Art - Franco Magnani "The Memory Artist", url=https://francomagnani.net
* Frazioni di Pescia
Frazioni of the Province of Pistoia