Nicknamed The Little Jerusalem, because starting from the sixteenth century, it hosted a large Jewish community within its walls. Pitigliano is today one of the fascinating historic villages in Italy and an unmissable stop during a trip to Tuscany ... #tuttitaly
Pitigliano, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, is a jewel in the heart of the province of Grosseto and stands perched on a spectacular tuff cliff.
Ancient medieval buildings and arches of a majestic aqueduct characterize the village.
The surrounding area is dotted with Etruscan tombs, some of which have been converted into cellars.
The historic center of Pitigliano is known as the Little Jerusalem for the historical presence of a thriving Jewish community.
History and legend
According to tradition, Pitigliano was founded by two young Romans, Petilio and Celiano, who, fleeing from Rome after the theft of the golden crown of Jupiter, took refuge in the countryside of this area and founded the first community, from which then originated the city that bore the name of Pitigliano (from the merger of the terms of the two Romans).
Beyond the legend, the territory was already inhabited since the Neolithic, and with the Etruscans' arrival, the Tuscan town's history began.
The Etruscans built the famous via Cave, ancient communication routes carved by hand in the tufaceous rock, used as a communication and defense route.
What to see
Once you have entered the city, you will find yourself in Piazza Garibaldi; immediately after, you will find the enormous aqueduct and the fortress built in the sixteenth century. Inside the fort, we see the Palazzo Orsini from the Renaissance period.
The halls of the Palace have jewels, clothes, and sacred objects of all kinds on display.
In the Palace, you can also visit the Etruscan Museum, with its collection of jewels, vases, and pendants found in the Etruscan archaeological site of Poggio Buco.
In the basement of the fortress, we find the Museum of Giubbonaia Civilization, where various folkloristic objects of the Maremma are preserved.
Behind the fortress, the Piazza della Repubblica, with the two fountains and the splendid terrace from which you can admire the suggestive panorama of the river, the waterfalls, and the profile of Monte Amiata.
Gastronomy
In addition to the delicious dishes based on wild boar meat, in particular, the bread gnocchi with wild boar, among the typical dishes of Pitigliano, we find the sweet tortello, a puff pastry filled with ricotta, sugar, and various aromas; the tozzetto di Pitigliano, a local version of the Tuscan cantucci; the cialdino dei tufi, the bastard focaccia.
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