Pozzale is a ''

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 ...

'' in

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 ...

commune,

Metropolitan City of Florence The Metropolitan City of Florence () is an administrative division called metropolitan city in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Florence. It replaced the province of Florence. It was first created by the reform of local a ...

. It was the site of a medium-security women's prison. In 2010, it was announced that it would be converted into a facility exclusively for transgender prisoners, making it the first such facility in the world. However, the project was later cancelled by the

Ministry of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...

and as of 2013, the prison had resumed its normal operation as a women's prison. In 2020, the prison was converted to a REMS (Residenza per l'Esecuzione delle Misure di Sicurezza) for mentally ill people who have committed crimes, replacing the old asylum-like hospital-prison placed in Villa Medicea L'Ambrogiana. It used to be the seat of a

literary award A literary award or literary prize is an award presented in recognition of a particularly lauded Literature, literary piece or body of work. It is normally presented to an author. Organizations Most literary awards come with a corresponding award c ...

called Premio Pozzale (now set in Empoli).

References

Empoli {{Florence-geo-stub