Toscana - Amordivino

Toscana

Population: 3.527.303
Surface (Kmq): 22993
Density (Inhabitants/Kmq.): 153
Main city: Firenze (FI)
Other towns: Arezzo (AR); Grosseto (GR); Livorno (LI); Lucca (LU); Massa - Carrara (MS); Pisa (PI); Pistoia (PT); Prato (PO); Siena (SI)

The Tuscan landscape is mainly mountainous and hilly, stretching over the slope of the Apennines and across a flat area (the Maremma) to the Tyrrhenian sea. Tuscany is unrivalled as a cradle of art. One can find examples of every age and style: from the Etruscan civilisation to Roman monuments and ruins; from the Romanesque architecture to the impressive Gothic cathedrals, to the exceptional artistic explosion of the Renaissance. Florence has preserved its masterpieces and great works of architecture over the centuries. The most important collection of paintings in the world is offered by the city's Uffizi Gallery, while there are 15th century shops on the Ponte Vecchio. Siena is another well-preserved medieval city, boasting the beautiful Piazza del Campo. Pisa has the Campo dei Miracoli, with the famous Leaning Tower. In addition to art, Tuscany offers scenes of outstanding natural beauty.

Tuscany was first inhabited by the Etruscans. The Romans conquered the region in the mid-4th century B.C. and, after the decline and fall of Rome, the area became a Lombard duchy with Lucca as its capital, and still later a powerful fief under the Franks. Eventually, Tuscany became papal territory, causing long-lasting strife between popes and emperors and their backers - the Guelph (pro-papal) and Ghibelline (pro-imperial).

In the late Middle Ages and throughout the Renaissance, Tuscany was a centre for the arts and of learning. The Tuscan spoken language became the literary language of Italy after Dante Alighieri, Petrarch, and Boccaccio used it instead of the traditional Latin to create profound works that are still read today. Notable schools of architecture, sculpture and painting developed from the 11th century in many cities, particularly Florence, Pisa, Siena, and Arezzo (top left, Castello di Romena).

Under the Medici, the ruling family of Florence, Tuscany became a grand duchy in 1569 and so a powerful political and economic force, in addition to being one of the main intellectual and artistic centres in Europe at the time. A visitor needs only to stroll the streets of Florence today from ancient palace to cathedral, wander across the Ponte Vecchio that straddles the Arno River, or visit any of the ancient towns, such as San Gimignano, to be overwhelmed by the region's glorious past.