Potassa
Welcome to Potassa: geography of a Tuscan hamlet
Potassa is a hamlet located in the municipality of Gavorrano, in the province of Grosseto, in the Tuscany region. This town is situated in the plain, at the foothills of the Grosseto metalliferous hills, close to the Tirrenica railway and the Aurelia Variant highway.
The history of Potassa
The hamlet of Potassa was established between the late 18th and early 19th centuries, but it developed more from 1864 when the Tirrenica railway was inaugurated. Here was the main station of the municipality of Gavorrano and the actual village developed just west of the station, in a place called "Gabriellaccio". The hamlet takes its name from the processing of potash, thanks to the presence of some plants in the area. Potassa was a stop for the mail on horseback and was named by the archaeologist George Dennis in his "Cities and cemeteries of Etruria" (1884).
Society in Potassa
The hamlet of Potassa has seen a constant demographic growth in recent decades: in the 60s, it had only 94 inhabitants, while in 2011 there were already 208.
Infrastructure and transport
Potassa is served by both the Aurelia Variant highway and the Tirrenica railway. The hamlet is located along the old route of the Via Aurelia, which comes from Grosseto, passing through other towns such as Braccagni, Giuncarico, and Grilli, all in the municipality of Gavorrano. Furthermore, Potassa is served by the "Gavorrano Scalo" exit of the Aurelia Variant highway.
A quote for Potassa
Alberto Prunetti wrote a book about the town titled "Potassa" which can be useful for anyone who wants to deepen the history of this hamlet.
Conclusion
Potassa is a small Tuscan hamlet where the past and the present intertwine thanks to the presence of modern infrastructure such as the Aurelia Variant highway and the Tirrenica railway, but also thanks to the preservation of historical sites that are part of the country's culture. So, if you have the opportunity to visit Potassa, you won't regret it!
