Signa () is 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 ...

'' (municipality) in the

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 ...

in the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

region

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 ...

, located about west 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 ...

. Signa borders the following municipalities:

Campi Bisenzio Campi Bisenzio () is a (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Florence, in the Italian region of Tuscany, located about northwest of Florence. History The word Campi in the municipality's name stems from the fields which are widespread in t ...

Carmignano Carmignano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Prato, part of the Italian region Tuscany. It is located about west of Florence and about southwest of Prato. It is the centre of the wine region of the same name. It has 14,577 ...

Lastra a Signa Lastra a Signa is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the metropolitan city of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence. Main sights *Hospital of Sant'Antonio (1411) *"Brunelleschi" Walls, although the attribution to the ...

Poggio a Caiano Poggio a Caiano is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Prato in the region of Tuscany in Italy, located south of the provincial capital of Prato. It has 9,944 inhabitants. The town is the birthplace of Filippo Mazzei. Dem ...

Scandicci Scandicci () is a ''comune'' (municipality) of c. 50,000 inhabitants in the Metropolitan City of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence. Scandicci borders the following municipalities: Campi Bisenzio, Floren ...

History

The origins of Signa are uncertain. Most likely it already existed in ancient times, although it is not known if it was founded by the

Etruscans The Etruscan civilization ( ) was an ancient civilization created by the Etruscans, a people who inhabited Etruria in List of ancient peoples of Italy, ancient Italy, with a common language and culture, and formed a federation of city-states. Af ...

or by

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

. It is also scarcely mentioned in the Low

Middle Ages 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 global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...

donated to one of his captains a "Castle of Signa", although this is disputed. The local pleban churches of San Giovanni Battista and San Lorenzo are mentioned in a 977/978 AD document.Scuola Elementare "Leonardo Da Vinci" e Gruppo Archeologico Signese, ''Signa fra Storia e Tradizione'' Signa acquired local importance in the 14th century after the construction of a nearby bridge, the only one in the area allowing passage of the

Arno river The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber. Source and route The river originates on Monte Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a ...

. It was conquered by condottiero

Castruccio Castracani Castruccio Castracani degli Antelminelli (; 1281 – 3 September 1328) was an Italian condottiero and duke of Lucca. Biography Castruccio was born in Lucca, a member of the noble family of Antelminelli, of the Ghibelline party. In 1300, he w ...

and is also mentioned in

Dante Alighieri Dante Alighieri (; most likely baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri; – September 14, 1321), widely known mononymously as Dante, was an Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer, and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called ...

's ''Divine Comedy''. Signa became an important centre of craftmanship in the 19th century.

Main sights

Pieve In Italy in the Middle Ages, a ''pieve'' (, ; ; : ''pievi'') was a rural church with a baptistery, upon which other churches without baptisteries depended. ''Pieve'' is also an Italian and Corsican term signifying the medieval ecclesiastical/a ...

of San Giovanni Battista (7th-9th centuries). *Pieve of San Lorenzo *Church of Santa Maria in Castello *Church of San Miniato *Villa Castelletti *Villa San Lorenzo

Culture

Signa is a typical Tuscan town. On the day after Easter, there is an important religious festival in honour of the Beata Giovanna. There is a procession that parades in the streets of Signa, and many people wear old costumes. In

Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for List of compositions by Giacomo Puccini#Operas, his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he ...

's ''

Gianni Schicchi () is a comic opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Giovacchino Forzano, composed in 1917–18. The libretto is based on an incident mentioned in Dante's ''Divine Comedy''. The work is the third and final part of Puccin ...

'', the "''molini di Signa''" (mills of Signa) are the most coveted by his relatives of Buoso Donati's properties. The 1875 novel ''Signa'' by

Ouida Maria Louise Ramé (1 January 1839 – 25 January 1908), going by the name Marie Louise de la Ramée and known by the pseudonym Ouida ( ), was an English novelist. Ouida wrote more than 40 novels, as well as short stories, children's boo ...

(Mary Louise Ramé) is set in Signa.

People

The anonymous

Master of Signa The Master of Signa refers to an anonymous 15th-century Italian painter active in the area of Signa, region of Tuscany, Italy. References External links Signa Signa () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Floren ...

was from the town. Other natives include the artists

Bruno Catarzi Bruno Catarzi (January 5, 1903 in Signa – January 21, 1996 in Florence) was an Italian sculptor and engraver. Biography He began his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence under Domenico Trentacoste. He was a prolific designer of meda ...

Giuseppe Santelli Giuseppe Santelli (Signa, January 20, 1880 – Signa, March 9, 1956) was an Italian painter. References

*Arnolfo Santelli, Un artista gentiluomo - Vita e viatico di Giuseppe Santelli, Edito dalla Società Leonardo da Vinci di Firenze. *Marco ...

Raffaello Fossi Raffaello Fossi, styled RAFO (21 April 1928 in Signa Signa () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Florence in the Italy, Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence. Signa borders the following municipalities ...

Alimondo Ciampi Arimondo Silvio, called Alimondo Ciampi (18 December 1876 in San Mauro a Signa – 8 December 1939 in Florence) was an Italian sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the ...

, and

Alvaro Cartei Alvaro Cartei (28 September 1911 in Signa Signa () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Florence in the Italy, Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence. Signa borders the following municipalities: Campi B ...

; the academics

Tommaso Bisagno Tommaso Bisagno (5 April 1935 – 18 January 2014) was an Italian academic and politician. Biography Bisagno was born in Signa in 1935. Graduated in chemistry, he was a university professor by profession. He enrolled in Christian Democracy in 1 ...

and

Boncompagno da Signa Boncompagno da Signa (also ''Boncompagnus'' or ''Boncompagni''; c. 1165/1175 – after 1240) was an Italian scholar, grammarian, historian, and philosopher. Born in Signa, near Florence, between 1165 and 1175, he was a professor of rhetoric ( ...

; Blessed

Giovanna da Signa Giovanna da Signa (1245 – 9 November 1307) was an Italian people, Italian Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholic from Florence and a recluse with a reputation for being a miracle worker. Her life was spent in silent solitude dedicated to God and ...

; the journalist Piergiorgio Branzi; and the actor Giancarlo Gori.

Sister Cities

Signa is twinned with *

Maromme Maromme () is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in northern France. Geography A suburban town of forestry and light industry situated by the banks of the Cailly, just northwest of Rouen city centre, at the junct ...

, France *

Pukë Pukë ( sq-definite, Puka) is a town and municipality in northern Albania. It was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Gjegjan, Pukë, Qelëz, Qerret and Rrapë, that became municipal units. Th ...

, Albania

References

External links

Official website
Cities and towns in Tuscany {{Florence-geo-stub