Signa () is a ''
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 also ...
'' (municipality) in the
Metropolitan City of Florence
The Metropolitan City of Florence ( it, Città Metropolitana di Firenze) is an administrative division called Metropolitan cities of Italy, metropolitan city in the Tuscany region, Italy. Its capital is the city of Florence. It replaced the Provin ...
in the
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
region
Tuscany
it, Toscano (man) it, Toscana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Citizenship
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 = Italian
, demogra ...
, located about west of
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany Regions of Italy, region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilan ...
.
Signa borders the following municipalities:
Campi Bisenzio
Campi Bisenzio is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about northwest of Florence.
History
The word Campi in the municipality's name stems from the fields which are widespread i ...
,
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.
Geography
C ...
,
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
Filippo Brunelleschi ( , , also kn ...
,
Poggio a Caiano
Poggio a Caiano is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Prato, Tuscany region Italy. The town, birthplace of Philip Mazzei, lies south of the provincial capital of Prato.
Sister towns
Poggio a Caiano has two sister cities:
* Charlottesvi ...
,
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, Flore ...
.
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 developed by a people of Etruria in ancient Italy with a common language and culture who formed a federation of city-states. After conquering adjacent lands, its territory covered, at its greatest extent, rou ...
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 ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
.
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 late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
:
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first ...
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. 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 ...
and is also mentioned in
Dante Alighieri
Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called (modern Italian: '' ...
's ''Divine Comedy''.
Signa became an important centre of craftmanship in the 19th century.
Main sights
*
Pieve
In the Middle Ages, a pieve (, ; la, plebe, link=no; plural ''pievi'') was a rural church with a baptistery, upon which other churches without baptisteries depended.
The Italian word ''pieve'' is descended from Latin ''plebs'' which, after t ...
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 ( Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long ...
'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 Pucci ...
'', 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
Ouida (; 1 January 1839 – 25 January 1908) was the pseudonym of the English novelist Maria Louise Ramé (although she preferred to be known as Marie Louise de la Ramée). During her career, Ouida wrote more than 40 novels, as well as s ...
(Mary Louise Ramé) is set in Signa.
People
The anonymous
Master of Signa was from the town. Other natives include the artists
Bruno Catarzi,
Giuseppe Santelli,
Raffaello Fossi
Raffaello Fossi, styled RAFO (born Signa, 21 April 1928 - died there 8 January 1962) was an Italian painter.
ReferencesBiographyfrom the Comune of Signa (Italian)
20th-century Italian painters
20th-century Italian male artists
Italian mal ...
,
Alimondo Ciampi
Arimondo Silvio, called Alimondo Ciampi (18 December 1876 in San Mauro a Signa – 8 December 1939 in Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany Regions of Italy, region. It is ...
, and
Alvaro Cartei; the academics
Tommaso Bisagno and
Boncompagno da Signa; Blessed
Giovanna da Signa; the journalist
Piergiorgio Branzi; and the actor
Giancarlo Gori.
Sister Cities
Signa is twinned with
*
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. The ...
, Albania
References
External links
Official website
Cities and towns in Tuscany
{{Florence-geo-stub