Pontassieve
Discovering Pontassieve: history, geography and monuments
Hello everyone! Today I will talk to you about Pontassieve, a Tuscan municipality of just over twenty thousand inhabitants, located about thirteen kilometers from Florence. The city is located on the right bank of the Arno River, near its confluence with the Sieve River, from which it takes its name. Pontassieve is crossed by the SS 67 Tosco-Romagnola, an important connection route between different cities in Tuscany. If you are trekking enthusiasts, you can walk the Dante's Way, a trail of over 400 km that connects Florence to Ravenna, passing right through Pontassieve.
Discovering the physical geography
As far as seismic classification is concerned, Pontassieve falls into zone 2, which is the medium-high seismicity zone. The municipality has been declared zone D in terms of climate, with 1928 degree days. I also inform you that the atmospheric diffusivity is low, as confirmed by a CNR research.
A brief history of Pontassieve
The first evidence of the settlement of Pontassieve dates back to the Middle Ages. Here, the Florentine Republic built the castle of Sant'Angelo, a fortification on the connecting road with Romagna and Casentino. The construction of the Medici bridge over the Sieve River led to the birth of the current locality. During the Middle Ages, Pontassieve was an important agricultural center, especially for wine production, and a place of important markets. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the city developed thanks to the construction of the railway lines Firenze-Roma and Pontassieve-Borgo San Lorenzo. This resulted in the creation of the important Officine Ferroviarie di Pontassieve of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, which are currently partially disused. During the Second World War, the railway junction and the adjacent settlement were bombed by the allied aviation. After the post-war reconstruction, Pontassieve returned to being an important center of Valdisieve, known for the production of quality craftsmanship, including leather goods.
Monuments and places of interest
Let us now move on to the monuments and places of interest in Pontassieve. The Medici bridge over the Sieve River is certainly one of the main attractions of the city. I also recommend Palazzo Sansoni Trombetta, which currently houses the headquarters of the Municipality. The three gates of the ancient castle, including the Clock Tower, have remained intact and represent a testimony to the history of the city. The medieval walls are also still visible, with a visible section between the two buildings of the E. De Amicis Elementary School and the Cinema Italia. Among the other monuments, I recommend the Pievecchia eccidio nazifascista 1944, an important place of memory for the city.
Theaters and cinema
For cinema lovers, the Cinema Accademia is the ideal place to attend major film festivals. I also want to point out the Fabrizio de André River Park, a space that can potentially be used for outdoor cinema, concerts and dance festivals.
That said, if you are planning a visit to Pontassieve, do not forget to visit these places and immerse yourself in the history and tradition of this Tuscan city. I await you for another trip to discover other beauties of our Italy.
