Grilli
A friend tells you about Grilli, a hamlet in Tuscany
Hi friend, today I want to introduce you to a hamlet in Tuscany that I visited called Grilli. It is located in the municipality of Gavorrano, in the province of Grosseto, and is situated about 10 km from the city. Grilli is developed on a plain along the old Via Aurelia, midway between the hillside hamlets of Giuncarico to the east and Caldana to the west. In addition, it is close to the Etruscan center of Vetulonia, located only 4 km away.
The History of Grilli
If you are interested in history, know that Grilli was born in the mid-19th century as a small industrial settlement in the center of some agricultural estates. Here stood the large Grilli pasta factory, of the eponymous family, which contributed to the development of the hamlet. Over time Grilli has become an agricultural town equipped with commercial services, sports facilities, schools, and a church. In the town, there are still some furnaces of the historic plant and the large company-manor villa, incorporated among modern buildings.
What you can see in Grilli
If you decide to visit Grilli, don't miss the following monuments and places of interest:
Religious Architecture
The Church of Santa Rita da Cascia, which is the main place of worship in the hamlet. It is a modern building with a gable facade, built-in 1969, and dependent on the Church of San Biagio in Caldana. In addition, you will find the chapel of the Lupo, located near the nineteenth-century Lupo farm.
Civil Architecture
Among the civil architecture, I recommend the Lupo farm, dating back to the mid-19th century and situated along the old Aurelia, midway between the town and Giuncarico. The large company-manor villa is particularly interesting, expanded at the beginning of the 20th century with the addition of a three-story tower leaning against the northwest corner of the building with a floral band decoration. There are also the old cistern and two typologically similar coeval farmhouses. I also recommend visiting the Lupo Hydraulic Gatehouse, dating back to 1904 and used to control the waters of the nearby Sovata stream during reclamation works. In the 1970s, it underwent renovations that partially modified the original appearance. You can also see the Poggio Gobbo farmhouse, dating back to the early 20th century and similar to other contemporary buildings that were part of the Morgan agricultural company.
Archaeological Sites
Among the archaeological sites to visit, I point out the Etruscan tomb dating back to the 7th century BC, found near the town by a team from the University of Florence in May 2012. It is a tomb of about 20 meters, consisting of a corridor, vestibule, and funerary chamber with a central pillar dependent on the already known site of San Germano, a necropolis located a few kilometers north of the settlement.
Conclusions
In short, if you want to spend some time in a quiet and pretty hamlet with many things to discover, I recommend visiting Grilli. You can admire the religious and civil architectures, have fun in the sports facilities, buy local products in the shops, and admire the Etruscan tomb. Don't forget to taste delicious Tuscan cuisine in local restaurants and do some shopping in the markets. Happy visit!
