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The
southwestern boundary called Capitanato between Pistoiese Mountain and the
Republic of Lucca is located in the higher part of the Lima Valley. It has
always had both commercial and military strategic relevance. For people
who lived on the mountains and for those that had to cross the Apennines
from Modena and Bologna, it was the doorway to the Serchio Valley and Lucca
towards the Tyrrhenian Sea. As it is on the border and hence reason for
conflict between Pistoia and Lucca, it provided space for commerce and room
for growth on one hand, and difficult situations to be managed on the other.
This generated
the importance, since medieval times, of the fortified villages that controlled
the medieval roads, and most of all Popiglio and Piteglio. Popiglio (also
known as Pupiglio as mentioned by Ripetti in 1841) with towers later abandoned,
was one of the most populated mountain areas. It is situated "on the
western side of a hill, on the right bank of the river Lima and is crossed
by a stone bridge called Pupiglio which used to house the customs guard".
Piteglio, now a municipality, is located on the opposite side, "on
the peak of a hill, with buildings that go surround the older ruins of the
tower, whilst on the western base runs the Lesina and on the other side
runs the Torbecchia of Piteglio, both tributary rivers on the left of the
river Lima". (E. Repetti, Dictionary of Tuscan Geography History Phisycs,
Florence 1833-1845).
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THE
TOWERS AND FORTIFIED VILLAGES |
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The
Roman origin of the renowned "Popiglio Towers" seems to have been
confuted by more recent findings which prove that the ruins found on the
top of the hill dominating the populate area of Popiglio correspond to a
medieval castle. Its name is the only evidence of the presence of a Roman
settlement in this part of the Mountain of Pistoia, which witnessed the
erection of numerous important fortified villages. Documentary traces of
these, such as in Piteglio, where the parish is commemorated in a document
dated 1005.
Popiglio
is also commemorated in a document written by Pope Innocenzo II dated 1133.
All these villages, quite heavily populated in 13th century, took part,
siding with either part at different times, in the battles that occurred
in the Pistoia territory, which continued into modern times, turning into
village feuds throughout the "ancient régime", as aptly
described in the diary of Popiglio Girolamo Magni, exiled in 1559 due to
a feud between and his family and those of other villages. "When his
brother Onofrio killed a young man of the land - son of Menichin Lippi -
who had beaten him in public, afraid of the danger of being killed by the
deceased's relatives and knowing he could no longer remain in Popiglio",
he had no choice but flee to Lucca where he stayed for over five years.
(The Diary of Girolamo Magni. Life, devotion and art on the Pistoiese Mountain
of the 16th Century, by F. Falletti, Pisa 1999)
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THE
BORDER CONTROLS OF POPIGLIO |
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In second half of the 18th Century, at the time of the amendment of the
border control system made by Pietro Leopoldo, there was talk of a "border
control in Pupiglio, that would watch over the main roads coming from Vico,
Limano and Lucchio, all
castles of the state of Lucca", roads clearly outlined on a map of
those times, nowadays preserved in the State Archives of Florence.
(The Mountain Road Conditions in a document of military topography of the
18th century, second part, "Historical Bulletin of Pistoia", XCV,
1993 A. Ottanelli ). |
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THE
SUSPENDED BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER LIMA AND THE FOUNDRIES OF MAMMIANO |
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Located
near Popiglio is one of the highest suspended bridges of Europe, built at
the start of the 20th century over the river Lima to allow people to reach
the other side of the valley and the main industrial areas of the mountain.
There have been important factories since the medieval times that used the
energy produced by the mountain waters and wood from the forests to process
the iron extracted from mines on Elba and the area of Maremma.
The suspended bridge was built by SMI in 1922 to connect the people of Popiglio
to the foundry in Ponte Benedetta, built at the end of the 18th century
near the inhabited area of Mammiano along the road to Abetone. |
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THE
BRIDGE OF CASTRUCCIO AND THE LEGEND OF FILIPPO TEDICI |
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Popiglio was in a crucial position for the medieval road connections,
as confirmed by the special need to protect and control the road "from
where came Carfagnini" back in the constitution of the Governor of
Pistoia in 1296. Therefore Popiglio played a leading role in the battles,
which stained the Pistoiese Mountain in Medieval times and in particular
in the battles, which resulted from the conflict between Lucca and Castrucci
Castracani against the Florentine and Pistoiese people in the first half
of the 14th century. According to the legend, Filippo Tedici was killed
right near the bridge of Campanelle; his family, taking advantage of the
support of Lucca, had become lords of Pistoia, then allied with Florence.
Following the death of Castracani, Filippo Tedici - at the time exiled
from Pistoia - tried to relieve the city of its control by the Florentine
Guelfi, entering the territory of Pistoia through the Lima Valley but
was attacked and killed by the local people who were still faithful to
Pistoia.
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