Grosseto

Grosseto is the capital of the most southerly province of Tuscany, it is the most important city in the Maremman territory, seen as a splendid centre rich in history and art, immersed amongst locations and landscapes of great beauty and profound fascination.

Absolutely distinctive and the only one of its kind, the town is the ideal location for lovers of art, offering to its visitors the opportunity to see churches and monuments that are undoubtedly splendid and particular.

The city of Grosseto rises on the striking plains of the Maremma, in the territory of the Ombrone River, a few kilometres from the enchanting Natural Park of the Maremma, a beautiful protected reserve which is home to a great number of species of animal and vegetation that are typically Maremman.

The wonderful centre of Grosseto can boast a unique and definitely interesting nature that is found in few other Italian cities.

In fact, the town is one of the few to have the original city wall still in perfect condition. Its historic centre is therefore, today, completely surrounded by impressive and strong surrounding walls, which give this stunning Maremman city a sense of austere and importance.

Not to miss:

The Cathedral of St. Lorenzo: the principal sacred building of Grosseto, its construction dates back to the 1138 and is a fascinating example of gothic art. Inside you can find many precious alfresco pieces and a beautiful main altar

Chiesa della Misericordia (The Church of Pity): a very ancient seat of various fraternal and religious orders. Its construction dates back to the 12th century even if its actual appearance was changed by reconstruction the 19th century.

Covento delle Clarisse e la Chiesa dei Biagi (Convent of the Clarisse and the Church of Biagi): both have actually been deconsecrated, but they were built in the medieval period, despite now carrying Baroque and 17th century architectonic elements.

The Church of St. Francesco: a splendid medieval structure redecorated in the course of the subsequent centuries. Its original purpose was as the convent of the Franciscans and inside it is decorated with numerous works of art, from a fantastic wooden tabernacle to alfresco pieces of priceless value.

The Church of St. Pietro: one of the oldest buildings in Grosetto, its construction travels along the outline of via Aurelia.

Palazzo Aldobrandeschi: its construction dates back to the medieval period, even if was almost entirely rebuilt in the 19th century. The building is a fantastic example of gothic art, rich in architectonic elements, and is today the seat of the Province.

Teatro degli Illustri (Theatre of the Illustrious), still is used today, it underwent a fascinating construction in the 19th century, created over a pre-existent historic building.

Palazzo Communale: a captivating neo- Renaissance building, facing Piazza Dante.

Cassero del Sale (Bridge House of Salt): whose ancient function was to collect and sort the salt which came from the salt-works. Its construction dates back to the 14th century and it is extremely close to the Porta Vecchia.

The Archaeological and Art Museum of the Maremma:: housed on the inside of Palazzo del Vecchio Tribunale, the museum’s rooms are filled with a vast exhibition of funeral urns collected from the nearby necropolises of Volterra and Chiusi, as well as Etruscan and Roman objects and ruins. The museum also tells the story of the neighbouring ancient city of Roselle, with references to the Iron Age, the Etruscan dominion and the period of the Roman Empire,

The Museum of Sacred Art of the Diocese of Grosseto: also housed in Palazzo del Vecchio Tribunale, it has an exhibition on religious works of art, antique objects and some splendid paintings, including “La Madonna” and “Il Giudizio Finale” (The Final Judgement)

The Museum-lab of the city of Grosseto: a sort of innovative museum, inside it explains and describes to visitors the new research methods used by archeologists and the results of recent studies. It also displays reconstructions, graphics and explicative panels; which provide interesting information on the economic, political and lifestyle activities of the past.

The Museum of the Natural History of the Maremma: an interesting centre which houses a vast collection of mineralogy, zoology, prehistory and paleontology related objects. Its displays are spread across numerous rooms, filled with wonderful exhibitions and explicative panels which explain the morphological characteristics of the Grosseto territory.

Communal Aquarium: housed in the Bastione delle Rimembranze across the city walls, the aquarium allows you to admire numerous collections of ichthyic species of the Tirreno, as well as a large collection of shells from the Mediterranean and tropical seas.

The Visitor Centre of the Natural Park of the Maremma

History:

The city of Grosseto cannot boast Roman and Etruscan origins, whilst there does exist some important ruins which date back to this period; there is not enough evidence to prove the existence of a real city in this area. To understand the foundations of the town of Grosseto we therefore have to look back to the High Middle Ages. The city was, in fact, part of the dominion of the Aldobrandeschi and the Orsini family. It then passed into the hands of the city of Siena, and then the Lorena dynasty. With the arrival of Grand Duke Leopold the city was annexed by the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, before becoming part of the Kingdom of Italy in 1860.