Gavorrano

Modern Gavorrano has transformed from a small medieval village into a city of art and culture, impossible not to love!

A visit to Gavorrano is hard to forget. Nestled amidst mountains of gray stone, it appears small and picturesque. At first glance, you can tell it’s a mining town just by observing the shadow cast by the looming mountain. Governed by Vetulonia during the Etruscan era, Gavorrano had a rather tranquil history until the 20th century when 100 km of pyrite mines turned it into an industrial powerhouse in the Italian economy. Farmers became miners, and the mines funded everything. Today, you can walk through the entire historic center, admiring the green shutters on stone houses and the courtyards overflowing with plants. The soft yellow stones of the city walls wrap around the settlement, much like the gray mountains and chestnut forests, so you can’t help but feel the beauty of isolation. If you ask the elderly residents of Gavorrano for their favorite stories, they’ll tell you about when Adriano Celentano used to drive through the town in his red sports car. Or perhaps they’ll tell you about the director of Casablanca, who drew inspiration for Humphrey Bogart’s character from the adventurous life of politician Randolfo Pacciardi, who was born in this area. Even better, they might tell you about the nearby Stone Castle, described by Dante Alighieri as the place where the beautiful medieval aristocrat Pia dei Tolomei was killed by her jealous husband.

What to See in Gavorrano:

Admire the medieval walls of Gavorrano from the arches and alleys of the historic center or head directly to Piazza Bruno Buozzi, where you’ll be greeted by a salmon-colored 19th-century building, the Municipal Palace.

On the corner of the square, you’ll find the Church of San Giuliano. Its dimensions and the beautiful stone steps contrast with the gray facade from 1920. The church was built on a much older one that was the resting place of Governor Nello Pannocchieschi in 1321. The marble statue of the Madonna with Child inside dates back to approximately the same era and was sculpted by Giovanni di Agostino. It is Gavorrano’s most precious possession, stolen in the 20th century and returned after a brief exhibition in a museum in Rome.

Finally, on Via Terranova, you’ll find the “Davide Manni” Documentation Center (Sundays: 09:00-13:00; July-August: weekday afternoons and Sunday mornings; 0566 846231; free), which has a remarkable collection of Etruscan artifacts from the tombs in nearby Santa Teresa. The museum also tells the story of Pia Tolomei and her legendary murder.