The province of Pisa ( it, provincia di Pisa) is a
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions out ...
in the
Tuscany
it, Toscano (man) it, Toscana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Citizenship
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 = Italian
, demogra ...
region of central
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. Its capital is the city of
Pisa
Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the ci ...
. With an area of and a total population of 421,642 (), it is the second most populous and fifth largest province of Tuscany. It is subdivided into 37 ''
comuni''.
With a history that dates to 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, roug ...
and
Phoenicians
Phoenicia () was an ancient thalassocratic civilization originating in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily located in modern Lebanon. The territory of the Phoenician city-states extended and shrank throughout their his ...
, the province achieved considerable power and influence in the Mediterranean in the 12th and 13th centuries. Pisa, the provincial capital, is known for its
Leaning Tower, and other historic landmarks that attract tourists.
History
The area has a long maritime history dating back to the Etruscans, the Phoenicians and the
Gauls
The Gauls ( la, Galli; grc, Γαλάται, ''Galátai'') were a group of Celtic peoples of mainland Europe in the Iron Age and the Roman period (roughly 5th century BC to 5th century AD). Their homeland was known as Gaul (''Gallia''). They sp ...
. Under the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
, it was responsible for naval battles against the
Ligurians
The Ligures (singular Ligur; Italian: liguri; English: Ligurians) were an ancient people after whom Liguria, a region of present-day north-western Italy, is named.
Ancient Liguria corresponded more or less to the current Italian reg ...
, Gauls and
Carthaginians
The Punic people, or western Phoenicians, were a Semitic people in the Western Mediterranean who migrated from Tyre, Phoenicia to North Africa during the Early Iron Age. In modern scholarship, the term ''Punic'' – the Latin equivalent of the ...
, becoming a Roman colony in 180 B.C. and gaining further colonial independence under
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...
. Thanks to its complex river system, with the fall of the Roman Empire, Pisa did not suffer unduly and was able to combat
Saracen
upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens
Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek and Latin writings, to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Romans as Arabia ...
pirates. In 828, it launched an expedition against the north African coast while in 871, Pisan troops helped to defend
Salerno
Salerno (, , ; nap, label= Salernitano, Saliernë, ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' in Campania (southwestern Italy) and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after ...
from the
Moors
The term Moor, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages.
Moors are not a distinc ...
.
In the 11th century,
Pisa became a republic, reaching its zenith in the 12th and 13th centuries when its navy controlled the western Mediterranean. As a Maritime Republic, its power extended well beyond the Italian peninsula. After first being an ally then a rival of the
Republic of Genoa
The Republic of Genoa ( lij, Repúbrica de Zêna ; it, Repubblica di Genova; la, Res Publica Ianuensis) was a medieval and early modern maritime republic from the 11th century to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast. During the La ...
, it suffered defeat at the
Battle of Meloria
The Battle of Meloria was fought near the islet of Meloria in the Ligurian Sea on 5 and 6 August 1284 between the fleets of the Republics of Genoa and Pisa as part of the Genoese-Pisan War. The victory of Genoa and the destruction of the Pisa ...
in 1284. As a result, it began to decline and in 1406 was annexed to
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico ...
becoming part of the
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany ( it, Granducato di Toscana; la, Magnus Ducatus Etruriae) was an Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Republic of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. In th ...
in the 16th century. In the 20th century, Pisa was hit hard by allied bombing and Nazi reprisals.
[
The current province descends from the Grand Duchy, while its territories are part of the former Maritime Republic of Pisa. In 1925, the municipalities of ]Bibbona
Bibbona is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Livorno in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Livorno in the Val di Cecina.
History
The town's hilly location allowed for natural def ...
, Campiglia Marittima
Campiglia Marittima is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Livorno in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Livorno.
Its toponym has been attested for the first time in 1004 as ''Ca ...
, Castagneto Carducci, Cecina, Collesalvetti
Collesalvetti is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Livorno in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence, northeast of Livorno and only south from Pisa.
Geography
Collesalvetti borders the following munici ...
, Piombino
Piombino is an Italian town and '' comune'' of about 35,000 inhabitants in the province of Livorno ( Tuscany). It lies on the border between the Ligurian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea, in front of Elba Island and at the northern side of Maremma.
...
, Rosignano Marittimo, Sassetta
''For the village near Livorno, see Sassetta, Tuscany''
Stefano di Giovanni di Consolo, known as il Sassetta (ca.1392–1450 or 1451) was an Tuscan painter of the Renaissance, and a significant figure of the Sienese School.Judy Metro, ''Italia ...
, and Suvereto
Suvereto is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Livorno in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Livorno.
Government
;''Frazioni ''
The municipality is formed by the municipal sea ...
were transferred to the Province of Livorno
The province of Livorno or, traditionally, province of Leghorn ( it, provincia di Livorno) is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. It includes several islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, including Elba and Capraia. Its capital is the cit ...
, and at the same time the municipalities of Castelfranco di Sotto
Castelfranco di Sotto is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence and about east of Pisa.
Castelfranco di Sotto borders the following municipalities: Altopascio, Bientina ...
, Montopoli in Val d'Arno, San Miniato, Santa Croce sull'Arno, and Santa Maria a Monte
Santa Maria a Monte is a ''comune'' in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region of Tuscany. The town lies about west of Florence and about east of Pisa.
Geography
The main ''frazioni'' are the villages of Cerretti, Montecalvoli, San Don ...
were acquired by the Province of Florence. In 1938, the comune of Castellina Marittima bought a small slice of the territory of the municipality of Cecina, part of the province of Livorno, which was attributed to an administrative error.
Geography
Pisa Province extends from the alluvial plain
An alluvial plain is a largely flat landform created by the deposition of sediment over a long period of time by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms. A floodplain is part of the process, being the smal ...
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 so ...
, in western Tuscany, to the Ligurian Sea
The Ligurian Sea ( it, Mar Ligure; french: Mer Ligurienne; lij, Mâ Ligure) is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea. It lies between the Italian Riviera (Liguria) and the island of Corsica. The sea is thought to have been named after the ancient ...
and has the shape of a gun upside down. It is bordered to the north by the Province of Lucca, to the east by the Metropolitan City of Florence
The Metropolitan City of Florence ( it, Città Metropolitana di Firenze) is an administrative division called metropolitan city in the Tuscany region, Italy. Its capital is the city of Florence. It replaced the Province of Florence. It was firs ...
and Province of Siena
The province of Siena ( it, provincia di Siena, link=no, ) is a province in Tuscany, Italy. Its capital is the city of Siena.
Geography
The province is divided into seven historical areas:
* Alta Val d'Elsa
* Chianti senese
* The urban are ...
, to the south by Province of Grosseto
The province of Grosseto ( it, links=no, provincia di Grosseto) is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Grosseto. As of 2013 the province had a total population of 225,098 people.
Geography
The Province of Gro ...
, and to the west by the Province of Livorno
The province of Livorno or, traditionally, province of Leghorn ( it, provincia di Livorno) is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. It includes several islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, including Elba and Capraia. Its capital is the cit ...
and the Ligurian Sea. The province contains 39 comuni (municipalities). The most populous cities in the province as of 2013 are Pisa
Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the ci ...
(86,494), Cascina (44,040), San Giuliano Terme (31,039), Pontedera
Pontedera (; la, Pons Herae) is an italian comune with a population of 29.270 inhabitants, located in the province of Pisa, Tuscany, central Italy.
The town is located 20 km (12 miles) from Pisa and 50 km (31 miles) from Florence.
It hou ...
(28,793), San Miniato (27,580), Ponsacco
Ponsacco is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa.
La Popolazione è composta da Diletta Pratelli
Geography
The municipality of Ponsa ...
(15,503).
The northern area is mountainous, containing the Apennine mountain range of Mount Pisano, adjacent to the extreme offshoot of the Apuan Alps, that separates the province of Pisa from Lucca. The highest point of Monte Pisano range and of the province is at Monte Serra (). The Pisan coast, extends for about , and includes the following locations: Calambrone
Calambrone is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Pisa, province of Pisa
The province of Pisa ( it, provincia di Pisa) is a province in the Tuscany region of central Italy. Its capital is the city ...
, Tirrenia
Tirrenia is a frazione (parish) of Pisa, Italy with a population of 3,112 inhabitants. Immersed in the pine forest of the "Litorale Pisano" and in the coast of Ligurian Sea (even if the name of the village refers to Tyrrhenian Sea, in Italian ''M ...
and Marina di Pisa
Marina di Pisa is a seaside resort of Tuscany, in central Italy.
It is a ''frazione'' of the provincial capital of Pisa, which lies about 10 km to the east.
Geography
Marina di Pisa lies on the left bank of the Arno River, where it flows ...
in the Municipality of Pisa, a stretch of coast about , protected as a park and administered by the City of San Giuliano Terme; Vecchiano Marina, in the municipality of Vecchiano
Vecchiano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence and about north of Pisa. It is home to a castle, known as Gaetani or Lanfranchi castle, or as the hermitage of Santa M ...
, is also located in the park. The area of Pisa is flat, but, a few miles further south, in the southern part of the province, is classic Tuscan landscape consisting of hills, forests and ancient villages. Of particular note in the south is the Val di Cecina
Val may refer to: Val-a
Film
* ''Val'' (film), an American documentary about Val Kilmer, directed by Leo Scott and Ting Poo
Military equipment
* Aichi D3A, a Japanese World War II dive bomber codenamed "Val" by the Allies
* AS Val, a So ...
, the valley of the Cecina River, and the ancient city of Volterra
Volterra (; Latin: ''Volaterrae'') is a walled mountaintop town in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its history dates from before the 8th century BC and it has substantial structures from the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval periods.
History
Volt ...
to the west. The southern area of the province is hilly, containing the peak of Monte Aia dei Diavoli (867m).
Demography
Statistics recorded since 1861 show that the population of the province has increased gradually, from 240,000 is the 1860s to c. 390,000 in the 1990s. Since the new millennium, it has increased by some 30,000 to over 420,000 today.
As of 1 January 2014, the ten most populated municipalities were Pisa (88,627), Cascina (44,901), San Giuliano Terme (31,315), Pontedera
Pontedera (; la, Pons Herae) is an italian comune with a population of 29.270 inhabitants, located in the province of Pisa, Tuscany, central Italy.
The town is located 20 km (12 miles) from Pisa and 50 km (31 miles) from Florence.
It hou ...
(28,915), San Miniato (28,072), Ponsacco
Ponsacco is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa.
La Popolazione è composta da Diletta Pratelli
Geography
The municipality of Ponsa ...
(15,609), Santa Croce sull'Arno (14,528), Castelfranco di Sotto
Castelfranco di Sotto is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence and about east of Pisa.
Castelfranco di Sotto borders the following municipalities: Altopascio, Bientina ...
(13,431), Santa Maria a Monte
Santa Maria a Monte is a ''comune'' in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region of Tuscany. The town lies about west of Florence and about east of Pisa.
Geography
The main ''frazioni'' are the villages of Cerretti, Montecalvoli, San Don ...
(13,197) and Casciana Terme Lari
Casciana Terme Lari is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa.
Geography
Casciana Terme Lari borders the following municipalities: Cap ...
(12,536),
Economy
The Province of Pisa has a wide variety of companies and organisations in the public and private sectors. One of the main areas of production is leather and footwear, where some 800 enterprises employing about 10,000 workers manufacture 35% of the Italy's total output in the sector. Since 2003, clothing has also been under development. There are also a number of enterprises in the chemical sector, while pharmaceuticals are also a strong sector. Catalysed by the CNR national research authority, facilities have been developed in Cascina, Pontedera, Santa Croce and Peccioli. There are also a number of software development firms and IT consultancies. While in recent years the economic crisis has reduced activities in most areas, agriculture had continued to grow, thanks to traditional crops, wine production and diversification in the fruit and vegetables sector. Other sectors that have recently prospered include technology (+3.4%) and glass (+4.5%) while there have been drops in footwear (-3.1%), metals (-2%), electronics and transport equipment (-9.7%), construction (-7.8%) and manufacturing (-8.2%).[
Tourism is also an important contributor to the local economy but in 2013 it suffered from a reduction of 10.7% in the number of visitors to the province, with a reduction of 3.5% in nights spent in hotels.]
Government
''Comuni''
The province is subdivided into 37 '' comuni'' (singular: ''comune''). This is the complete list of ''comuni'' in the province of Pisa:
* Bientina
Bientina () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany.
History
The toponym Bientina is attested the first time in 793 as Blentina and probably comes from the Etruscan name Plitine.
Geography
Ter ...
* Buti
* Calci
Calci is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence and about east of Pisa.
Government
; ''Frazioni''
The main settlement is the municipal seat of La Pieve; the rest of th ...
* Calcinaia
* Capannoli
Capannoli is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa.
Capannoli borders the following municipalities: Casciana Terme Lari, Palaia, Pecc ...
* Casale Marittimo
Casale Marittimo is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa. It is located in the Pisan Maremma.
Casale Marittimo borders the following ...
* Casciana Terme Lari
Casciana Terme Lari is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa.
Geography
Casciana Terme Lari borders the following municipalities: Cap ...
* Cascina
* Castelfranco di Sotto
Castelfranco di Sotto is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence and about east of Pisa.
Castelfranco di Sotto borders the following municipalities: Altopascio, Bientina ...
* Castellina Marittima
* Castelnuovo di Val di Cecina
* Chianni
Chianni is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa.
Its territory includes vast chestnut woods and cultivations of vine and olive tree ...
* Crespina Lorenzana
Crespina Lorenzana is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italy, Italian region Tuscany.
Geography
Crespina Lorenzana borders the following municipalities: Casciana Terme Lari, Cascina, Collesalvetti, Fauglia, Orciano Pisa ...
* Fauglia
Fauglia () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,298 and an area of .All demographi ...
* Guardistallo
* Lajatico
Lajatico is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa. Lajatico sits in mainly hilly terrain at variable elevations from above sea level) ...
* Montecatini Val di Cecina
* Montescudaio
* Monteverdi Marittimo
Monteverdi Marittimo is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa
Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, str ...
* Montopoli in Val d'Arno
* Orciano Pisano
Orciano Pisano is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa, in the Pisan Hills.
Orciano Pisano borders the following municipalities: ...
* Palaia
* Peccioli
* Pisa
Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the ci ...
* Pomarance
* Ponsacco
Ponsacco is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa.
La Popolazione è composta da Diletta Pratelli
Geography
The municipality of Ponsa ...
* Pontedera
Pontedera (; la, Pons Herae) is an italian comune with a population of 29.270 inhabitants, located in the province of Pisa, Tuscany, central Italy.
The town is located 20 km (12 miles) from Pisa and 50 km (31 miles) from Florence.
It hou ...
* Riparbella
* San Giuliano Terme
* San Miniato
* Santa Croce sull'Arno
* Santa Luce
Santa Luce is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa
Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling th ...
* Santa Maria a Monte
Santa Maria a Monte is a ''comune'' in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region of Tuscany. The town lies about west of Florence and about east of Pisa.
Geography
The main ''frazioni'' are the villages of Cerretti, Montecalvoli, San Don ...
* Terricciola
Terricciola is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa.
Terricciola borders the following municipalities: Capannoli, Casciana Terme Lar ...
* Vecchiano
Vecchiano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence and about north of Pisa. It is home to a castle, known as Gaetani or Lanfranchi castle, or as the hermitage of Santa M ...
* Vicopisano
Vicopisano is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence and about east of Pisa. It occupies the former valley of the Arno River (which now flows some km southwards), bounde ...
* Volterra
Volterra (; Latin: ''Volaterrae'') is a walled mountaintop town in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its history dates from before the 8th century BC and it has substantial structures from the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval periods.
History
Volt ...
List of presidents of the province of Pisa
Main sights
In addition to the many sights in the city of Pisa (the Leaning Tower, the cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations ...
and the Carovana Palace), the province has many attractions in its other towns and villages. The historic city of Volterra
Volterra (; Latin: ''Volaterrae'') is a walled mountaintop town in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its history dates from before the 8th century BC and it has substantial structures from the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval periods.
History
Volt ...
is noted for its cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations ...
, its Etruscan and Roman remains and its museums, churches and palaces.
Set on the top of three hills, the medieval city of San Miniato has a cathedral, a fortress tower, two palaces and numerous old churches.
The province has many villages of interest, including Vicopisano
Vicopisano is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence and about east of Pisa. It occupies the former valley of the Arno River (which now flows some km southwards), bounde ...
with its fortress and towers, Calci
Calci is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence and about east of Pisa.
Government
; ''Frazioni''
The main settlement is the municipal seat of La Pieve; the rest of th ...
with its Charterhouse (now a museum), and Buti with its castle and Medici villa.
Other points of interest include the Villa di Corliano in San Giuliano Terme, the gated medieval village of Castelfranco di Sotto
Castelfranco di Sotto is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about west of Florence and about east of Pisa.
Castelfranco di Sotto borders the following municipalities: Altopascio, Bientina ...
, the towers of Montopoli in Val d'Arno, the bell-tower of Peccioli, and the Rocca Sillana fortress in Pomarance.
References
External links
Province homepage
{{Authority control
P
Pisa
Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the ci ...