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Lucchio
The whole of the rock, of the stone of the medieval village, and of that of the fortress merged together in a dark image of pure Middle Ages makes Lucchio one of the most scenic towns of the most hidden Tuscany. The fortress, dating back to the 11th century and developed in the full feudal age, enjoys one of the most dominant positions in the surrounding area and above all on the valley bottom road that runs along the river Lima. In these years, the country is enjoying a phase of redemption from degradation and ruin.
Foto: ©castelliere
Observatory
Three kilometers from the village of Gavinana and six from San Marcello, in the locality of Pian de ‘Termini, there is an astronomical observatory, inside the building a conference room equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment and instruments. Among these, a digital projector that, connected to a VHS mini-camera, allows to observe live the images acquired by the telescope.
The observatory is: equipped with two telescopes, one of 40 centimeters with a mirror of 410 millimeters in diameter and one of 60 centimeters with a mirror of 600 millimeters able to collect twice the light coming from a star, therefore it also makes visible the stars more; distant, those with the weakest light.
The observatory is: equipped with two telescopes, one of 40 centimeters with a mirror of 410 millimeters in diameter and one of 60 centimeters with a mirror of 600 millimeters able to collect twice the light coming from a star, therefore it also makes visible the stars more; distant, those with the weakest light.
Foto: ©Territori di Pistoia
Ponte del Diavolo
Its singular profile, with its large arch, has inspired numerous artists and made legends flourish about its construction. Its slender appearance, which still strikes those who admire it, must have been even more suggestive in the past, when the dam had not yet been built, which since the second post-war period has raised the water level near the bridge.
Foto: ©siviaggia.it
Ponte di Castruccio
The bridge of Castruccio, also called of Campanelle, is located downstream of the town of Popiglio on the Lima river. At the sight of the bridge one is immediately fascinated by the shape of a donkey’s back and the ancient stones and pebbles with which it was built.
It is a solid construction, has defied the passing of the centuries and the impetuous floods of the river, without needing consistent reconstructions.
Probably, it was built at the back of a donkey to overcome the difference in height between the two attachment points of the bridge and to make it easy for the passage of wagons.
It bears the name of Castruccio, in 1317, was built, or according to certain rumors it was remade on an ancient Roman bridge, by the Lucchese leader Castruccio Castracani, who, being in struggle with Pistoia, aimed to conquer the castle of Popiglio first and then all the mountain.
There are two stone buildings from the Middle Ages: they were customs control for the entry of goods and people.
It is a solid construction, has defied the passing of the centuries and the impetuous floods of the river, without needing consistent reconstructions.
Probably, it was built at the back of a donkey to overcome the difference in height between the two attachment points of the bridge and to make it easy for the passage of wagons.
It bears the name of Castruccio, in 1317, was built, or according to certain rumors it was remade on an ancient Roman bridge, by the Lucchese leader Castruccio Castracani, who, being in struggle with Pistoia, aimed to conquer the castle of Popiglio first and then all the mountain.
There are two stone buildings from the Middle Ages: they were customs control for the entry of goods and people.
Foto: ©turistipercaso.it
Ponte Sospeso
The suspension bridge over the Lima river is located in Mammiano Basso, between Popiglio and San Marcello. It is a structure present in the Guinness Book of World Records, as it is the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world (it measures 220 meters in length). It is certainly not a work of art, but still represents a skill; engineering, dating back to 1922.
Made with steel cables anchored with massive concrete rock chains and iron boards with metal nets to form the walkway a little less than a meter wide, it has side tie rods to make it less subject to hesitation and safer. Today the suspension bridge represents a very successful tourist destination (there is also a small lake for sport fishing below), but when it was born it was a shortcut for the workers of the nearby areas and of the other part of the valley that had to reach the metallurgical factories of Limestre and Campo Tizzoro. Impossible not to try at least a little thrill …
Photo by Matteo Vistocco on Unsplash
Contacts
Via San Giovanni, 1, 51028 Popiglio (PT)
Tel: +39 338 5935361
+39 338 4071443
Email: info@agriturismoilrifugiodellarcobaleno.it
P.IVA 01471080471