Palaia

For the variety and beauty of the land, the importance in the course of history and folk traditions, Palaia is one of the most interesting places in the province of Pisa.

Its origins date back to the fourth century, and the various discoveries made in recent years confirm that the area was populated since Etruscan times in that dromos tombs, fargments of every day pottery (earthen ware pots), marble memorial stones belonging to the tombs dug into the tuff, have been found here.
The conformation of the territory, the handicraft and the techniques for the processing of materials make us later on, with the advent of the Romans, the Valdera was subdivided according to the system of land division: the land was cultivated by slaves whereas the nobles lived mainly in the town of Pisa.
With the fall of the Roman Empire up to the year 1000, the countryside emptied and decayed, the plains got marshy and the hills filled up with woods.

In the eleventh century, the population begins to concentrate around the lord’s manor and the building of the medieval castle characterized by two drawbridges drooping on the overhanging rocks, dates back to this period. Throughout the middle ages, Palaia is a source of contention, due to its geographical and strategic position between Pisa, Florence and Lucca.

In fact, until the twelfth century it is under the jurisdiction of Bishop of Lucca , but, since 1192 it came under the Republic of Pisa. It was in that century that Palaia had a Municipal Statute that guaranted it a certain autonomy.

Palaia takes its original name in that period; it means precisely “place where posts are made”. In fact, because of the plain and the frequent floods of the rivers, large amounts of poles were used to stem the waters and part of them were also sent to Pisa for the construction of ships.

In the fourteenth century, Palaia enjoys its maximum splendor with the birth of the village bordered to the east by the “Florentine Gate” and to the west by the “Pisa Gate”.Various Monuments are also built such as:

. St. Andrew’s Church;

. St. Mary’s Church;

. The famous St. Martin’s Parish Church.

In 1406 it passes under the rule of Florence and five years later, in order to put an end to that rule, Niccolò Piccinino occupies the village, killing many inhabitants and imprisoning the Florentine Commissioner, a gesture thwarted by the peace of Ferrara in 1433 which brought the village back under the Florence Jurisdiction.

At the beginning of the century, when the plane is over, Palaia has to face a serious economical and political decline under the French Rule.

In the 9th century, due to the exploitation of agricultural resources, the country’s economy flourishes again, but it os only in 1927-28 that we can see the present territorial configuration of the village.

Itinerary inside the village

Our route starts from St. Martin’s Parish Church, at 400 meters from the walls built on a design of Andrea Pisano between 1270 and 1300 in the Romanesque Style and included in the official list of the national monuments.
It stands outside the inhabited centre because it gathered the parishioners.
It is subdivided into three five-bayed aisles with a raised presbytery housing three chapels.
At the entrance of the Church, on the left, we can find the ancient baptismal font, while in the centre of the nave there is a hexagonal baptismal font.
The body of the church is romanesque in style, while the apse is gothic.
In the floor there are the graves of some famous people of the village, while on the wall there are the ones of all the parish priests of Palaia.
In 1564 Alessandro Guidiccioni pointed out the poor of the parish church which had even been deconsecrated. Guidiccioni ordered some restorations and the closing of two side doors for savings reasons.
After its passing under the Diocese of San Miniato in 1639 and at the end of the plague, the parish church was restored again, enriched after the new baroque style and newly consecrated on 23rd May 1689.
The restorations, however, did not solve the problems of the church which was closed once again, in 1814 along with the adjoining cemetery.
Thirty-two years later, an earthquake furtherly worsened its conditions, but at the end of the 19th century the building was completely renovated by engineer Filippeschi who wanted to give the buiding back its austere and bare aspect, typical of the Medieval tradition, by removing all the Baroque details.
Walking along the street, we can find the market square, where markets and fairs still take place.
The structure was built between 1620 and 1630 at the maximum spread of the plague in the area.
In fact a hospital was built in order to get contagion under control as much as possible.
Just before entering the village, we can find the “Villa del Borgo”, a brick building with a beautiful public park.
On the way leading to Montefoscoli there stands St. Francis Church of 1600, built by the local families Cecchi and Pini for their private burials.
Immediately after this Church, there is the source of Fonchioni which was the only water supply up to the construction of the pipeline in 1950.
Under the road there still exists the washroom where people were obliged to wash only the clothes belonging to sick people hit by contagious diseases.
You can enter the village through the Florentine gate, characterized by a lowered arch, dating back to the 12th century.
On the right you can still see the Fort that presided over the door, while on the left there is the guard tower.
Once beyond the door there is St. Mary’s Church mentioned in a document of 1200, probably dating back to the second half of the previous century (11th century).
It is in the romanesque style and inside it you can admire the “Madonna with child” in glazed by Luca della Robbia (1400-1482).
After passing the “Republic Square”, or Mercatale (as it was called in the past) because it was the palce for markets and fairs, we walk on along “Via del Popolo” (People’s Street) till to reach another door, surmonted by a tower, dating back to the 16th century, which was transformed, after 1665, into the ivic clock tower to witness the Florentine rule, upon Palaia.
On the left, “Via della Fonte” leads to the public washrooms.
Beyond the gate there is a short stretch of open road bordered by a wall on the left; here, there was one of the drawbridges leading, since the 11th century, to the castle and the fortress.
On the left of “Via del Popolo” there stands the church of St. Andrew the Apostle dating back to the 11th century.
Inside it you can admire numerous works of art, among which The “Madonna del Carmine” by Francesco Valdambrino (1403) and the “Crucifix” by Giovanni Pisano (1245-1314).
Walking along Via Andrea Mino, ending at the section of the wall where the “Pise gate” once stood, (the gate was destroyed in 1850), you can follow “Via del Forte” leading to the Fortress, which is the highest point of the village and from which you can enjoy a vast and (magnificent) wonderful view.
The name “Rocca” comes from a very large and high tower built in ancient times.
It already existed in the 10th century, as a public document of 98o witnesses.
In the past, the citadel stood in that area and it consisted of a square tower with large bells, a “cassero” (the highest and fortified part of a fortress) and crenellated walls.
From a document of 1077, we learn that the Fortress had been surrounded with ditches and charcoal pits (blind, deep holes dug along the ditches in order to prevent access to the castle).
Florence ordered the last restoration and partial reconstruction of it in 1509.

Itinerary outside the village

The surrounding territory is rich in characteristic and beautiful little villages, at a short distance from Palaia and easy to reach.