The
old city walls of LASTRA A SIGNA (Florence) |
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From the Superstrada Florence-Pisa-Livorno, exit at Lastra a
Signa. From the Autostrada Autostrada del Sole (A1), exit Firenze-Signa. Direction Lastra
a Signa.
Situated 15 km from Firenze (Florence), the original name of Lastra a Signa
was “Lastra a Gualandi”, derived from the name of the Gualandi nobles. The name
Lastra derives from the workmanship of slabs (lastra) of sandstone which were excavated in
the nearby caves. The village of Lastra a Signa originated in the Early Middle Ages as a
resting station with a market along the road between Florence and Pisa. The city walls of
Lastra a Signa are still intact and maintain their original configuration and the town
contains buildings of noteworthy historical interest.
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The city walls preserve long lines
of galleries sustained by robust and elegant corbels. The restored gates of Porta Pisana
and the gate called Portone di Baccio remain of the three original city gates, the Porta
Fiorentina was destroyed during the world war II. The construction of the town walls began
in 1400 and were terminated in 1426, Filippo Brunelleschi took part in the last part of
the work. Lastra a Signa was the strongest Florentine outpost against Pisa. Inside the
walls are the ancient quarters with the Palazzo Pretorio, and the Spedale di
Sant’Antonio, also attributed to Brunelleschi. The surrounding hills are dotted with
numerous villas like that of Bellosguardo, with the garden of the Tribolo, once the
property of Enrico Caruso. Also interesting is the Chiesa di San Martino a Gangalandi with
its apse designed by Leon Battista Alberti, and the ancient fortified village of Malmantile.
Search Hotels and agriturism |
| Tower in the city walls of Lastra a
Signa. |
| Old city walls of Lastra a Signa. |
| Old city walls of Lastra a Signa. |
| Detail of the walls, Lastra a Signa. |
| Angular tower of the wall, Lastra a
Signa. |
| Angular tower of the walls, Lastra a
Signa. |
| Old city walls of Lastra a Signa. |
| Porta Pisana (Pisana Gate), Lastra a
Signa. |
| Coat of arms, Porta Pisana, Lastra a
Signa. |
| The seven-arched loggia of Spedale
Sant'Antonio, Lastra a Signa. It was built between 1416 and 1421 and appears to bear the
markings of an early collaboration of Brunelleschi. |
 
| Portone di Baccio, Lastra a Signa. |
| Coat of arms, Portone di Baccio,
Lastra a Signa. |
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