|
| A view of Tuscan town of San Gimignano. (Photo by: unknown) |
The Italian region of Tuscany is famous for its recognizable landscape of rolling hills, vast green plains, Chianti vineyards, gastronomy, and for its great historic and artistic heritage. The capital of the region is Florence, the historical centre of which is included among UNESCO protected sites in 1982. Other UNESCO protected sites in Tuscany include the historical center of Siena (1995), the square of the Cathedral of Pisa (1987), the historical center of San Gimignano (1990), the historical center of Pienza (1996) and the Val d'Orcia (2004).
|
| Etruscan sculpture. (Photo by: unknown) |
During late second millennium BC, the territory of Tuscany was inhabited by peoples of the so-called Apennine culture. These peoples had traded with the Minoan and Mycenaean civilisations in the Aegean Sea. The Villanovan culture later appeared in the area, which was, as the rest of Etruria, taken over by chiefdoms. City-states developed in the late Villanovan period before the rise of the Etruscan civilisation rose.
The Etruscans were the first major civilization in the area. They set up a transport infrastructure, implemented agriculture and mining, and produced vibrant art. They inhabited the area between the Arno River and Tiber River from the eighth century, and reached their peak during the seventh century BC and sixth century BC. The Etruscan civilization was finally taken over by the Romans by the first century. Throughout their existence, the Etruscans were not able to keep their entire territory which was lost to Magna Graecia, Carthage and Gaul. One of the reasons the Etruscan civilization fell was the significant increasing absorption by surrounding cultures, such as the adoption of the Etruscan upper class by the Romans. Not long after absorbing Etruria, Roman Empire established the cities of Lucca, Pisa, Siena, and Florence. Romans also introduced new technologies and development, and ensured peace. The Western Roman Empire collapsed in the fifth century and the region was left to the likes of Goths, and other peoples. In the sixth century, the Longobards designated Lucca the capital of their Duchy of Tuscia.
|
| Catherina de Medici, married Prince Henry of France. |
During the medieval period, pilgrims travelling between Rome and France brought wealth and development. Because they required food and shelter, new communities grew around churches and taverns. The conflict between the Guelphs and Ghibellines, factions supporting the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire during the 12th and 13th centuries, divided the Tuscan people. This caused several powerful and rich medieval communes to rise in Tuscany. These were Arezzo, Florence, Lucca, Pisa, and Siena. However, by the renaissance, Florence had become the cultural heart of the region.
The region of Tuscany is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance movement, with an enormous artistic heritage that includes architecture, painting and sculpture. This is collected in museums in towns and cities across Tuscany. During the 1400s, the Medicis, the ruling family of the city of Florence, annexed surrounding land thus creating modern Tuscany.
As a result of the War of Polish Succession in the 1730s, Tuscany was transferred from the Medicis to Francis, Duke of Lorraine and Holy Roman Emperor. However, when Napoleon dissoluted the Holy Roman Empire, the region was inherited by the Austrian Empire as successor to the Holy Roman Empire. During the 1850s and the Italian Wars of Independence, Tuscany was transferred from Austria to the newly unified nation of Italy.
When Benito Mussolini arose to power, the region was dominated by the local National Fascist Party leader Dino Perrone Compagni. After Mussolini's fall and the re-establishment of the Kingdom of Italy, in the northern regions of Italy the Italian Social Republic was established. When the Social Republic met its end, and the dawn of the modern Italian Republic, Tuscany once more became the cultural center of Italy.
The region of Tuscany has a roughly triangular shape and is situated between the Tyrrhenian Sea, its northern part, and the central Apennines. The region has an area of 22,993 square kilometres, and its terrain is hilly and surrounded with mountain chains and fertile plains. Mountains cover 25% of the total area, whereas plains cover a mere 8.4% of the total area. The rest, 66.5% of the total area, is covered with hills. Tuscan coastline measures more than 300 kilometres in length and features rocky coasts interchanging with long stretches of beaches decorated with pinewoods. The 300 sq.km of the archipelago’s islands also make up part of the territory.
The climate of the region is mild in the coastal area, while teh interior has more harsh and rainy climate with significant fluctuations between summer and winter temperatures.
The region is a stronghold of the center-left Democratic Party. Tuscany together Emilia-Romagna, Umbria and Marche forms the political "Red Quadrilateral". Administratively, the region of Tuscany is divided into ten provinces: Province of Arezzo, Province of Florence, Province of Grosseto, Province of Livorno, Province of Lucca, Province of Massa-Carrara, Province of Pisa, Province of Pistoia, Province of Prato, and Province of Siena.
The Tuscan subsoil is rich in iron ore, copper, mercury and lignite mines, soffioni (fumarole) at Larderello and marble mines in Versilia. Although its significance is decreasing, agriculture still contributes to the economy of Tuscany. Cereals, potatoes, olives and grapes are still grown in Tuscan inland, whereas the swamplands now produce vegetables, rice, tobacco, beets and sunflowers. Since every Tuscan town and city is significantly rich in architectural beauty, there is a constant influx of visitors throughout the year to Tuscany. As a result, the service sector became important to the region's economy.
Tuscan gastronomy includes everything from fish, through soups, to meat. Some of the famous Tuscan dishes are the Finocchiona (aromatised pork), Livorno’s caciucco (fish soup), the Pisan cèe (new-born eel), soppressata, prosciutto ham, ribollita soup, bean and lard soup or spelt soup, including the pasta dishes such as pappardelle pasta with hare ragù, tomato pappa, black rice. There is also the tasty Florentine steak and the mixed roast, and the desserts like cenci, panforte and cantucci.
Tuscany is well known for its wines, most notably the Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano as well as the white Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Chianti can be inexpensive but drinkable wine, but at its best it is Chianti Classico, a world class wine. The wines of Montalcino and Montepulciano are of high quality, particularly Brunello, which regularly receives awards and is priced accordingly. Rosso di Montalcino and Rosso di Montepulciano are there for those who do not wish to pay a rather large amount of money for a bottle of wine.
