Baggio
Welcome to Baggio!
Hello everyone! Today, I will talk to you about Baggio, a beautiful hamlet in the town of Pistoia located between 495 and 560 meters above sea level. This incredible place is full of history and interesting places to visit. Are you ready to discover them with me?
The history of Baggio
The first time the name Baggio appeared in history was in the year 982, when the location of "Case, boschi e beni in locus Bagio" was mentioned. From then on, Baggio had several lords, including the Counts Cadolingi of Fucecchio, the Alberti, and the Guidi.
In the sixteenth century, the Pistoia area experienced a great economic development thanks to the production of wood and coal. This led to the abandonment of agricultural activities and the employment of most of the population in cutting wood and producing coal, giving Baggio a period of great economic splendor. Much of the town's urban complex dates back to this period.
According to Emanuele Repetti, the population of Baggio between 1833 and 1846 was 678 units.
The origin of the name
The origin of the name Baggio is still uncertain today, but several hypotheses have been formulated. It is thought that the name may come from an ancient Roman temple dedicated to "Bajo", companion of Ulysses, or to "Bajante", another ancient pagan idol.
The glottologist Carlo Tagliavini thinks instead that the toponym may derive from the Latin proper names "Baius" and "Badius". Professor Adolfo Oxilia also leans towards a chromatic derivation, due to the reddish-brown color typical of the surrounding forests.
Finally, the historian Ugo Gestri states that the name Baggio derives from the union of two words: "Bad" and "Agium". Bad indicated the Greek god Aeolus, while "Agium", in Latin, means mastery. "Badagium" therefore means "mastery of the winds", finding confirmation in the strong presence of wind in the area.
Places of interest
Now, let's move on to the places of interest in Baggio. The first mandatory stop is the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, a historic building that will leave you speechless. The church dates back to the fourteenth century and is one of the most beautiful in the area, with a white stone facade and a quadrangular plan structure.
Another place you cannot miss is the ancient stretch of the Via Baiana. From the center of the village, it is possible to enter directly into this main itinerary of the Via Baiana, an ancient communication route between Pistoia and the Abbey of San Salvatore in Fontana Taona, born as a connection route for the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage.
Conclusions
There you have it! As you have seen, Baggio is a fantastic village where you can breathe history in every corner. I hope I have introduced you to this location in a fun way and that it has intrigued you enough to decide to visit it. You won't regret it!
