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Scarlino and the Rocca Pisana

58020 Scarlino GR, Italia ★★★★☆ 477 views
Jessica Lyon
Scarlino
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Scarlino and the Rocca Pisana - Scarlino | Secret World Trip Planner

The town of Scarlino is dominated by the medieval fortress...From the archaeological excavations carried out between 1979 and 1983, it emerged that the area was inhabited since the late Bronze Age (XII - X centuries B.C.) but as far as the fortress is concerned, the first mention of the "curtis" of Scarlino dates back to 973 when the possession was of the Aldobrandeschi. Between the 11th and 12th centuries the settlement underwent a notable improvement in construction and a document from 1277, the year in which the castle was ceded by the Counts Alberti to the municipality of Pisa, contains indications of various buildings. With the Pisani the fortress was restructured and enlarged, also the township underwent notable transformations and many buildings were destroyed to be totally rebuilt. In 1399 Scarlino passed to the Appianos who carried out a new restructuring of the fortress with the construction of the second wall.Today you can admire the impressive ruins of the building, consisting of three corner towers of different shapes joined by various curtain walls. The Rocca is well preserved while the walls surrounding the medieval town are only partially preserved. The structure of the Rocca has a pentagonal shape and is formed by two curtain walls, at the corners there are three large towers, one of which is circular.

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  1. 🌅
    Morning
    Scarlino and the Rocca Pisana
    📍 Scarlino
  2. ☀️
    Afternoon
    The Village of Scarlino
    📍 0.2 km da Scarlino
  3. 🌆
    Evening
    Cala Violina, an oasis in the Mediterranean maquis
    📍 6.8 km da Scarlino

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Frequently Asked Questions

The first mention of the fortress dates back to 973 when it was a 'curtis' (estate) owned by the Aldobrandeschi family. However, the settlement was inhabited since the late Bronze Age (XII-X centuries B.C.), and the fortress underwent major construction improvements between the 11th and 12th centuries, particularly after Pisa took control in 1277.
You can admire impressive ruins consisting of three corner towers of different shapes joined by various curtain walls, with the structure having a distinctive pentagonal shape. The Rocca itself is well preserved, while the medieval town walls are only partially preserved, giving visitors a clear view of the fortress's architectural evolution through different periods.
The fortress was controlled by several powers: the Aldobrandeschi family (973), the Counts Alberti, then the Republic of Pisa (from 1277), who restructured and enlarged it significantly, and finally the Appianos family (from 1399) who added a second wall and further restructured the fortress.
The fortress features a pentagonal shape with three large corner towers of different shapes—one notably circular—connected by curtain walls. This architectural design reflects the multiple restructuring phases, particularly the Appianos' modifications in 1399 that added the distinctive second wall.
Archaeological excavations conducted between 1979 and 1983 revealed that the area was inhabited since the late Bronze Age, specifically between the XII and X centuries B.C., long before the fortress was established in 973. This archaeological evidence demonstrates Scarlino's strategic importance across multiple historical periods.