Stagno
Stagno: a historic hamlet of Collesalvetti
Stagno is a hamlet that is part of the municipality of Collesalvetti, located in the province of Livorno, Tuscany. It is the largest hamlet of the municipality and directly borders the provincial capital. The history of Stagno is very interesting and linked to the famous San Leonardo hospital.
The history of Stagno
The swamp located in the area between the coast, Coltano, and the hills of Livorno was called "Lo Stagno" and is mentioned in a medieval document. Its importance was due to Porto Pisano and the road that connected Pisa with the port. The road in question was long and crossed the swampy area of Stagno with seven famous bridges called "the seven bridges of Stagno". Under the bridges, the ditches and drainage channels of the swamp and the entire hinterland of the Pisan plain passed, each with its own name: Acqua Salsa, Toretta, Tora, Antifosso or Zannone, Fosso Reale, Fossa Nuova, Canale dei Navicelli and finally, the Arnaccio.
The San Leonardo Hospital was located near Stagno, and its construction was reportedly intended by the Pisans to accommodate travelers passing through the area. The road in question crossed the swampy territory of the area, and the presence of the hospital was important to help the travelers. However, the ongoing wars, floods, and diseases caused by stagnant water meant that Stagno, with the decline of the hospital, fell into near obscurity.
In the eighteenth century, the Tuscan dynasty of the Lorena filled the Padule of Stagno, and the hydraulic engineers of the Tuscan government reclaimed the territories between the Fosso Reale and the Livorno hills and the plain between Stagno and the Colline road. From that moment on, the small hamlet could recover from decline and begin to grow along the Aurelia road, which still connects Livorno and Pisa today.
The "Palazzotto di Stagno"
One of the buildings that remains in Stagno is the so-called "Palazzotto di Stagno", a massive square building, partly fortified, used as a hunting lodge by the grand dukes. It was built between the Fosso Reale and the Fossa Nuova, along the Maestra Pisana road.
The Maremmana railway
In the second half of the nineteenth century, the village of Stagno was affected by the construction of the Maremmana railway, in the section that connected Livorno to Collesalvetti. A small station without double tracks was built in Stagno, but the importance of the line suffered a serious downsizing following the development of the line between Collesalvetti and Pisa and the subsequent connection between Livorno and Cecina along the coast.
In conclusion, Stagno is a fascinating historic hamlet located in an area that was once rich in swamps. Its importance to Porto Pisano and the San Leonardo Hospital, combined with its strategic position along the Aurelia road, have allowed for its development and growth over the centuries.
