Grosseto Attractions
The provincial capital of Grosseto lies in the alluvial plain of the Ombrone in southern Tuscany, 12km/7.5mi from the sea.
History
Grosseto, now chief town of the province of the same name and the principal center in the Maremma, grew up in the Middle Ages around a small fort guarding the Via Aurelia, the old Roman road from Rome to Pisa. When the drainage system of the Maremma fell into decay and the Etruscan town of Rusellae was destroyed by the Saracens the episcopal see was transferred from there to Grosseto in 935. During the Middle Ages the walled town of Grosseto, like other towns in Tuscany, frequently changed hands. Only under the Grand Duchy of Tuscany did the town achieve a modest growth in prosperity; but this was always dependent on the state of the drainage system and subject to the hazards of malaria. The town's development into a thriving agricultural center with some industry made little progress until after 1930, when the Maremma was completely drained. During the Second World War Grosseto suffered severe damage from Allied air raids.
History
Grosseto, now chief town of the province of the same name and the principal center in the Maremma, grew up in the Middle Ages around a small fort guarding the Via Aurelia, the old Roman road from Rome to Pisa. When the drainage system of the Maremma fell into decay and the Etruscan town of Rusellae was destroyed by the Saracens the episcopal see was transferred from there to Grosseto in 935. During the Middle Ages the walled town of Grosseto, like other towns in Tuscany, frequently changed hands. Only under the Grand Duchy of Tuscany did the town achieve a modest growth in prosperity; but this was always dependent on the state of the drainage system and subject to the hazards of malaria. The town's development into a thriving agricultural center with some industry made little progress until after 1930, when the Maremma was completely drained. During the Second World War Grosseto suffered severe damage from Allied air raids.
Church of San Francesco
The Church of San Francesco, a little way north of the museum in the Piazza dell'Indipendenza, was built by Benedictines in the 13th century and later taken over by Franciscans. It contains remains of 14th century frescoes.
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Roselle (Rusellae)
The ruins of the ancient Etruscan city of Rusellae lies outside the village of Rosselle. Once an important city, today visitors can see the remains of a Roman amphitheatre and Etruscan houses.
Fortifications
The Centro Stórico, the historic town center of Grosseto, is surrounded by an irregular hexagon of walls, with six bastions, begun by Grand Duke Francesco I in 1574 and completed by Ferdinand I in 1593. they are reminiscent of the walls of Lucca, and accordingly Grosseto is sometimes referred to as a "little Lucca".
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Monte Argentario
Monte Argentario is an area of changing coastal landscape which has become a prominent tourist attraction and holiday area.
Museum of Archeology and Art
A short distance north of the cathedral in Grosseto, in Piazza Baccarini, is the Museo Archeológico e d'Arte della Maremma (Museum of Archeology and Art), with prehistoric as well as Etruscan and Roman material and collection of religious art.
Hours
February 5 to October 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 13:30 | 13:30 | 13:30 | 13:30 | 13:30 | 13:30 | |
| Open | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | |
| Close | 20:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 |
November 1 to April 30
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 |
| Close | 13:30 | 13:30 | 13:30 | 13:30 | 13:30 | 19:00 | |
| Open | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 15:00 | |
| Close | 20:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 | 20:00 |
Cathedral
The main square of the old town of Grosseto is the Piazza Dante, on the north side of which is the cathedral (San Lorenzo). It was built between 1294 and 1302 on the foundations of an earlier church and several times rebuilt or altered in later centuries (campanile originally 1402, rebuilt 1611; facade rebuilt 1840-45). The interior was restored in the 19th centruy. In the left transept is an "Assumption" by Matteo di Giovanni (known as Matteo da Siena; c. 1433-95).
Piazza De Maria
The flea market, Piazza de Maria, is held weekdays preceding a holiday or Thursday holidays.
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 8:00 | 8:00 | 8:00 | 8:00 | 8:00 | 8:00 | 8:00 |
| Close | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 |
Talamone, Italy
(Near Grosseto)
The little fishing village and seaside resort of Talamone is charmingly situated on a spur of land which forms the west side of a bay. Above the village are the ruins of a castle.
Parco Naturale della Maremma
The reserve shows a variety of landscape forms. The area around the mouth of the Ombrone is flat and marshy; the hills are covered with macchia (scrub) and coniferous woodland, and on bluffs near the coast there are numbers of old watch-towers. Herds of half-wild white Maremma cattle are frequently encountered, and in winter this is the haunt of various migrant birds.
(Grosseto)
To the north of Talamone the Parco Naturale della Maremma, a nature reserve, takes in a strip of land along the coast and the parallel chain of the Monti dell'Uccellina and extends to beyond the mouth of the River Ombrone.The reserve shows a variety of landscape forms. The area around the mouth of the Ombrone is flat and marshy; the hills are covered with macchia (scrub) and coniferous woodland, and on bluffs near the coast there are numbers of old watch-towers. Herds of half-wild white Maremma cattle are frequently encountered, and in winter this is the haunt of various migrant birds.
Attractions in Other Popular Destinations
