65-646: Grosseto ( Italian pronunciation: [ɡrosˈseːto] ) is a comune in the central Italian region of Tuscany , the capital of the province of Grosseto and of the Maremma . The city lies 14 kilometres (9 miles) from the Tyrrhenian Sea , at the centre of an alluvial plain on the Ombrone river. It is the most populous city in Maremma, with 82,284 inhabitants. The comune of Grosseto includes
130-470: A Polizia Comunale ( lit. ' Communal Police ' ), which is responsible for public order duties. The comune also deal with the definition and compliance with the piano regolatore generale ( lit. ' general regulator plan ' ), a document that regulates the building activity within the communal area. All communal structures or schools, sports and cultural structures such as communal libraries, theaters, etc. are managed by
195-827: A comune as rione ( Italian: [riˈoːne] ; pl. : rioni ) or contrade . The term originated from the administrative divisions of Rome, and is derived from the Latin word regio ( pl. : regiones ), meaning "region". All currently extant rioni are located in Municipio I of Rome. The term has been adopted as a synonym of quartiere in the Italian comuni . Terzieri , quartieri , sestieri , rioni , and their analogues are usually no longer administrative divisions of these towns, but historical and traditional communities, seen especially in towns' annual Palio . A terziere ( pl. : terzieri )
260-472: A fishing village, it is known for its hilly hinterland, rich in macchia and wide beaches overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea , with a vast pine forest that extends from Punta Ala to Alberese. Montepescali is a small town of medieval origins. The site, from which the scenic panorama of the coastal strip and the Tuscan Archipelago up to Corsica can be seen, is also known as "Terrace or balcony of
325-624: A funfair in the Porta Vecchia suburb. The Grosseto airport, objective of the raid, was hit but slightly damaged; at the same time, however, the suburbs of Grosseto located around the historic centre suffered heavy damage. The raid also hit care buildings such as the Red Cross hospital set up in the diocese's seminary and the House of Mother and Child. The following day, 27 April, King Victor Emmanuel III went to Grosseto to pay homage to
390-580: A minor town, with only 700 inhabitants at the beginning of the 18th century. Under the rule of the House of Lorraine, Grosseto flourished. It was given the title of capital of the new Maremma province. In 1943, the city was heavily bombed by the Allies . On 22 March 1944, the Maiano Lavacchio massacre took place into the countryside between Grosseto and Magliano in Toscana . In 2024, Grosseto
455-435: A modern town, in continuous evolution. Istia d'Ombrone is a town situated about 3 kilometres (2 mi) east of the capital. The center of Istia emerged as a fortified settlement along the valley of the river Ombrone and it was owned by the bishops of Roselle since 862. Marina di Grosseto is a famous tourist destination located 12 kilometres (7 mi) from Grosseto; it is an important seaside resort in Maremma . Once
520-652: A podestà from their city. But Grosseto gained its freedom and in the following year and fought alongside the Florentine forces in the Battle of Montaperti . Over the next 80 years Grosseto was again occupied, ravaged, excommunicated by Pope Clement IV , besieged by emperor Louis IV and by the antipope Nicholas V in 1328, until it finally submitted to its more powerful neighbour, Siena. The pestilence of 1348 struck Grosseto hard and by 1369 its population had been reduced to some hundred families. Its territory, moreover,
585-538: A separate ruler, through the arbitration of Venice, which were known as sestieri . The island of Crete , a Venetian colony (the Kingdom of Candia ) from the Fourth Crusade , was also divided into six parts, named after the sestieri of Venice herself, while the capital Candia retained the status of a comune of Venice. The island of Burano north of Venice is also subdivided into sestieri . A variation of
650-620: A synonymous of neighbourhood, and an Italian town can be now subdivided into a larger number of quartieri . The Swiss town of Lugano (in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino) is also subdivided into quarters. The English word quarter to mean an urban neighbourhood (e.g. the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana) is derived from the cognate old French word quartier . A sestiere ( pl. : sestieri )
715-708: A wondrously carved baptismal font from 1470–1474 and the Madonna delle Grazie by Matteo di Giovanni (1470). The campanile (bell tower) was finished in 1402, and restored in 1911. Within the walls of Grosseto are the following buildings: Outside the walls of Grosseto are the following buildings: Grosseto has enjoyed a long tradition in sports. Baseball and football are perhaps the most popular in Grosseto. However, other sports such as American football , cricket , horse racing and athletics are also widely practised. The premier society of men's baseball in Grosseto
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#1732772164493780-586: Is Predoi , the southernmost one Lampedusa e Linosa , the westernmost Bardonecchia and the easternmost Otranto . The comune with the longest name is San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore , while the comuni with the shortest name are Lu , Ro , Ne , Re and Vo' . The population density of the comuni varies widely by province and region . The province of Barletta-Andria-Trani , for example, has 381,091 inhabitants in 10 comuni , or over 39,000 inhabitants per comune ; whereas
845-522: Is a list of the largest comuni in Italy, in descending order of surface area, according to ISTAT data referring to 9 October 2011. The provincial capitals are highlighted in bold. The following is a list of the smallest comuni in Italy, in ascending order of surface area, according to ISTAT data referring to 9 October 2011. The following is a list of the first comuni by altitude, in descending order. The indicated altitude coincides with
910-454: Is a subdivision of certain Italian towns and cities. The word is from sesto ( lit. ' sixth ' ), so it is thus used only for towns divided into six districts. The best-known example is the sestieri of Venice , but Ascoli Piceno , Genoa , Milan and Rapallo , for example, were also divided into sestieri . The medieval Lordship of Negroponte , on the island of Euboea , was also at times divided into six districts, each with
975-609: Is a subdivision of several towns in Italy . The word derives from terzo ( lit. ' third ' ) and is thus used only for towns divided into three neighborhoods. Terzieri are most commonly found in Umbria , for example in Trevi , Spello , Narni and Città della Pieve ; towns divided into terzieri in other regions include Lucca in Tuscany , and Ancona and Macerata in
1040-409: Is an administrative division of Italy , roughly equivalent to a township or municipality . It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ( regioni ) and provinces ( province ). The comune can also have the title of città ( lit. ' city ' ). Formed praeter legem according to the principles consolidated in medieval municipalities ,
1105-496: Is called Bbc Grosseto Orioles (also referred to by its sponsored name of Montepaschi). Grosseto participates in the highest level of play in Italy, Serie A1 , and it won the national championship in 1986, 1989, 2004 and 2007. The team won the European Cup in 2005. Montedeipaschi Grosseto hosts his home games at Stadio Roberto Jannella . The Unione Sportiva Grosseto Football Club was founded in 1912. It has participated in
1170-413: Is chaired by the mayor, who appoints others members, called assessori , one of whom serves as deputy mayor ( vicesindaco ). The offices of the comune are housed in a building usually called the municipio , or palazzo comunale ( lit. ' town hall ' ). As of January 2021, there were 7,904 comuni in Italy; they vary considerably in size and population. For example,
1235-724: Is granted to comuni that have been awarded it by decree of the King of Italy (until 1946) or of the provisional head of state (from 1946 to 1948) or, subsequently, of the President of the Republic (after 1948), on the proposal of the Ministry of the Interior , to which the comune concerned sends an application for a concession, by virtue of their historical, artistic, civic or demographic importance. The comuni endowed with
1300-465: Is one of the two breeds used in the preparation of the florentine steak . The walls were commissioned by Cosimo I de Medici in 1564, in order to replace those from the 12th-14th centuries, as part of his policy of making Grosseto a stronghold to protect his southern border. The design was by Baldassarre Lanci , and construction began in 1565. Until 1757 the exterior was surrounded by a ditch with an earthen moat. There were two main gates: Porta Nuova on
1365-659: The comune is provided for by article 114 of the Constitution of Italy . It can be divided into frazioni , which in turn may have limited power due to special elective assemblies. In the autonomous region of the Aosta Valley , a comune is officially called a commune in French. The comune provides essential public services: registry of births and deaths, registry of deeds , and maintenance of local roads and public works. Many comuni have
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#17327721644931430-582: The comune of Rome , in Lazio , has an area of 1,287.36 km (497.05 sq mi) and a population of 2,758,454 inhabitants, and is both the largest and the most populated. Atrani in the province of Salerno ( Campania ) was the smallest comune by area, with only 0.1206 km (0.0466 sq mi), and Morterone ( Lombardy ) is the smallest by population. Many present-day comuni trace their roots along timescales spanning centuries and at times millennia. The northernmost comune
1495-434: The comuni . Comuni must have their own communal statute and have a climatic and seismic classification of their territory for the purposes of hazard mitigation and civil protection . Comuni also deal with the waste management . It is headed by a mayor ( sindaco or sindaca ) assisted by a legislative body, the consiglio comunale ( lit. ' communal council ' ), and an executive body,
1560-411: The frazioni , but the comune still retains the name of the capoluogo . In some cases, a comune might not have the same name of capoluogo . In these cases, it is a comune sparso ( lit. ' dispersed comune ' ) and the frazione which hosts the town hall ( municipio ) is a sede municipale (compare county seat ). Some towns refer to neighborhoods within
1625-403: The giunta comunale ( lit. ' communal committee ' ). The mayor and members of the consiglio comunale are elected together by resident citizens: the coalition of the elected mayor (who needs a relative majority or an absolute majority in the first or second round of voting, depending on the population) gains three fifths of the consiglio 's seats. The giunta comunale
1690-617: The frazioni of Marina di Grosseto , the largest one, Roselle , Principina a Mare , Principina Terra , Montepescali , Braccagni , Istia d'Ombrone , Batignano , Alberese and Rispescia . The origins of Grosseto can be traced back to the High Middle Ages . It was first mentioned in 803 as a fief of the Counts Aldobrandeschi, in a document recording the assignment of the church of St. George to Ildebrando degli Aldobrandeschi , whose successors were counts of
1755-831: The Archaeological Museum , the Episcopal Palace , and the Art Museum of the Diocese of Grosseto . The 16th-century Casino delle Palle was completely destroyed. The city's reconstruction began after the proclamation of the Italian Republic, with the Piano parziale di ricostruzione implemented by the Comune in 1948. The massive destruction of an area of the historic centre led to the creation of
1820-485: The Marches . The medieval Lordship of Negroponte , on the island of Euboea , was also divided into three distinct rulerships, which were known as terzieri . A quartiere ( Italian: [kwarˈtjɛːre] ; pl. : quartieri ) is a territorial subdivision, properly used, for towns divided into four neighborhoods ( quarto ; lit. ' fourth ' ) by the two main roads. It has been later used as
1885-651: The USAAF and the Royal Air Force from May 1943 to June 1944. All these raids were aimed at either the airfield, which was destroyed on 20 May killing 1,600 German soldiers, or the railway station , destroyed on 9 September, but caused further damage and casualties to the city as well. Several historical buildings were also hit, such as the Palazzo Mensini , home to the Chelliana Library and
1950-554: The city's air base , it resulted instead in heavy damage to the city itself and at least 134 civilian casualties. The Grosseto Air Base was considered by the Allies to be of strategic importance for operations in North Africa , since the attacks on British ships in the western Mediterranean Sea departed from there. The base was also the site of a torpedo-bomber training school of the Luftwaffe 's Kampfgeschwader 102 unit and
2015-644: The province of Isernia has 81,415 inhabitants in 52 comuni , or 1,640 inhabitants per comune – roughly 24 times more communal units per inhabitant. The coats of arms of the comuni are assigned by decree of the Prime Minister of Italy by the Office of State Ceremonial and Honors, Honors and Heraldry Service (division of the Presidency of the Council born from the transformation of
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2080-471: The 48 military planes dropped 2,000 cluster bombs on the city of Grosseto, instead of on the targeted airport. The raid began at 2 PM, when most of the people were in the streets celebrating the holiday. The air raid sirens didn't sound and the population did not go to the air raid shelters which had been set up in the ramparts of the city's walls . At least 134 inhabitants of Grosseto were killed, mostly children aged between 5 and 14 who were playing at
2145-544: The Grossetana Mark until the end of the 12th century. Grosseto steadily grew in importance, owing to the decline of Rusellae and Vetulonia until it was one of the principal Tuscan cities. In 1137 the city was besieged by German troops, led by Duke Heinrich X of Bavaria , sent by the emperor Lothair III to reinstate his authority over the Aldobrandeschi. In the following year the bishopric of Roselle
2210-492: The Maremma". Principina a Mare is a seaside resort. The center, sparsely populated land in winter, consists primarily of houses of holidaymakers, hotels, high class and a camp category average. However, the location is quite popular due to its proximity to the mouth of the river Ombrone and the Natural Park of Maremma . The village of Principina Terra is located south-west of the capital city, almost halfway between
2275-668: The National Championship of Soccer in Serie B (the second level of the Italian soccer leagues) since the 2007–2008 season . The football club U.S. Grosseto hosts its games at the Stadio Carlo Zecchini . Other important teams are the Maremma Cricket Club (Serie A) and American Football Condor Grosseto (Serie B). Horse racing is of considerable importance, with several races throughout
2340-500: The Royal Consulta Araldica , eliminated pursuant to the provisions final of the Constitution of Italy ). Administrative subdivisions within comuni vary according to their population size. Comuni with at least 250,000 residents are divided into circoscrizioni (roughly equivalent to French arrondissements or London boroughs ) to which the comune delegates administrative functions like
2405-453: The airports of reference are the airports of Florence , Pisa and Rome-Fiumicino . All three airports are located about 150 kilometres (93 mi) from the capital of the Maremma . For a few months in 2018, the airport was served by a flight to Bern , operated by SkyWork Airlines , until it went into liquidation. Comune A comune ( Italian: [koˈmuːne] ; pl. : comuni , Italian: [koˈmuːni] )
2470-658: The arrival of the Messerschmitts Me 323 employed in the defense of Tunisia . This led to several Allied air raids aimed at its destruction. The first raid took place on 26 April 1943, day of Easter Monday , when 48 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress of the Twelfth Air Force of the United States Army took off from airfields in Algeria and reached Grosseto, Tuscany. For unknown reasons, 19 of
2535-531: The bus station serves as an interchange point between these, the intercity routes and extra-urban routes which extend into the rest of the Province of Grosseto . Since 1 November 2021 the public local transport is operated by Autolinee Toscane . The city has a modern tourist dock opened in 2004 in the seaside resort of Marina di Grosseto , at the mouth of the San Rocco Canal. For passenger traffic in
2600-526: The capital of the province of Reggio Emilia , in the Emilia-Romagna region, and Reggio di Calabria , the capital of the homonymous metropolitan city , in the Calabria region. Many other towns or villages are likewise partial homonyms (e.g. Anzola dell'Emilia and Anzola d'Ossola , or Bagnara Calabra and Bagnara di Romagna ). The title of città ( lit. ' city ' ) in Italy
2665-480: The city center and the seaside resorts of Marina di Grosseto and Principina a Mare. The area surrounding the village was washed from the shores of ancient Lake Prile. Rispescia is a modern residential area, located about 10 km (6 mi) south-east of the capital, near the Natural Park of Maremma and the frazione of Alberese. Roselle , in Latin Rusellae , now a municipal frazione of Grosseto,
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2730-677: The city of Grosseto: Local bus service in Grosseto was managed by Tiemme Toscana Mobilità one of the companies of the consortium ONE Scarl to accomplish the contract stipulated with the Regione Toscana for the public transport in the 2018-2019 period. Intercity buses depart from the main bus station in Piazza Marconi . There are also several bus services going from the city to Florence, Siena and other cities in Tuscany. A network of urban bus routes also operates in Grosseto, and
2795-450: The continuing struggles against Siena). The façade of alternate layers of white and black marble is Romanesque in style, but is almost entirely the result of 16th century and 1816–1855 restorations: it retains decorative parts of the originary buildings, including Evangelists' symbols. The layout consists of a Latin cross, with transept and apse. The interior has a nave with two aisles, separated by cruciform pilasters. The main artworks are
2860-455: The dialect. The writer intended to not utilise his own Grossetan dialect, but to use a general "Italian national language". In fact he twice refers to the vernacular which he uses defining it italico (Italic). So Andrea da Grosseto was the first to intend to use vernacular as a national unifying language from the north to the south of the entire Peninsula. Grosseto and Maremma have been settings for numerous works of fiction and movies, including
2925-586: The dominion of Siena, hosting many immigrants from Corsica , and so in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany . In 1738 it was reunited with the comune of Grosseto. Once being simply an appendix of Montepescali, Braccagni is seen today more independently as it is believed to be the nodal point of the economy of the area. The railway station, the Aurelia , many activities which have developed in the last few years, new habitations, these have all created its new identity as
2990-539: The fallen and to visit the wounded in the Misericordia hospital . The raid was condemned by the Italian national press and the Catholic Church for its involvement of civilians, especially children. The newspaper Corriere della Sera published an article on 5 May 1943 entitled No Italian will forget the children tortured by gangsters . After this attack, Grosseto suffered further heavy raids by both
3055-449: The fortunes of Siena. It became an important stronghold, and the fortress ( rocca ), the walls and bastions can still to be seen. In 1266 and in 1355, Grosseto tried in vain to win freedom from the overlordship of Siena. While Guelph and Ghibelline parties struggled for control of that city, Umberto and Aldobrandino Aldobrandeschi tried to regain Grosseto for their family. The Sienese armies were, however, victorious, and in 1259 they named
3120-533: The height above sea level of the town hall. List of the first comuni by population in descending order, according to ISTAT data updated to 28 February 2022. The regional capitals are in bold. The data is updated as of 1 January 2021. The data is updated as of 1 January 2021. Bombing of Grosseto in World War II The bombing of Grosseto took place on 26 April 1943, day of Easter Monday , during World War II . Aimed at disabling
3185-421: The high is at or surpasses 30 °C (86 °F). There are 12 days of fog on an average year. The Municipality of Grosseto was subdivided into eight districts ( circoscrizioni ) from 1977 to 2011. Alberese , located 20 kilometres (12 mi) south-east of the capital, is the heart of the Natural Park of Maremma . The name is also extended to the surrounding rural areas which go from the first foothills of
3250-602: The hinterland hills to the sea through the northern slopes of the Uccellina Mountains. Of uncertain origins, Batignano developed in the Medieval period , around the castle which controlled the outlet of the road towards Siena on the plain of Grosseto and some lead and silver mines. It was a feud of the Aldobrandeschi and in 1213 belonged to Manto da Grosseto. In the 14th century, it then passed under
3315-487: The medium range, the main port is Porto Santo Stefano (40 km), with ferry only for the islands of Giglio and Giannutri . Grosseto and the Maremma are served by Grosseto Baccarini Airport , located midway between the capital and Marina di Grosseto . The airport is a military site which is also used as a commercial airport by civilian charter flights and private aircraft, and has a small terminal to accommodate these. With regard to domestic and international flights,
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#17327721644933380-416: The north and Porta Reale (now Porta Vecchia ) on the south. The walls are now used as a public park and walking area. The Romanesque cathedral, the main monument of the city, is named for its patron St. Lawrence, and was begun at the end of the 13th century, by architect Sozzo Rustichini of Siena. Erected over the earlier church of Santa Maria Assunta, it was only finished in the 15th century (mainly due to
3445-867: The novels and associated films, such as The Easy Life (1962) with Vittorio Gassman ; La vita agra (1964), from the novel of the same name by Luciano Bianciardi , with Ugo Tognazzi ; An Ideal Place To Kill (1969) directed by Umberto Lenzi ; In viaggio con papà (1982), with Alberto Sordi ; Nothing Left to Do But Cry (1984), with Massimo Troisi and Roberto Benigni ; It's Happening Tomorrow (1988); Viola bacia tutti (1997) with Asia Argento ; The Talented Mr. Ripley with Matt Damon and Jude Law ; Emma sono io (2002); Roberto Benigni's Pinocchio ; Manuale d'amore 3 (2011) with Robert De Niro and Monica Bellucci ; Swiss movie Summer Games , and some Leonardo Pieraccioni 's movies. Famous Italian actress Elsa Martinelli and actor Luigi Pistilli were both born in Grosseto. Actress Laura Morante
3510-443: The running of schools, social services and waste collection; the delegated functions vary from comune to comune . These bodies are headed by an elected president and a local council. Smaller comuni usually comprise: Sometimes a frazione might be more populated than the capoluogo ; and rarely, owing to unusual circumstances (like depopulation), the town hall and its administrative functions can be moved to one of
3575-429: The title of città usually carry the golden crown above their coat of arms, except with different provisions in the decree approving the coat of arms or in the presence). "The crown of the city ([...]) is formed by a golden circle opened by eight city gates (five visible) with two cordoned walls on the margins, supporting eight towers (five visible) joined by curtain walls, all in gold and black walled." The following
3640-427: The word is occasionally found: the comune of Leonessa , for example, is divided into sesti or sixths. There are not many perfect homonymous comuni . There are only six cases in 12 comuni : This is mostly due to the fact the name of the province or region was appended to the name of the comune in order to avoid the confusion. Two provincial capitals share the name Reggio : Reggio nell'Emilia ,
3705-517: The year that, in summer, often taking place at night. The sports facility where are played the various races is the hippodrome Casalone , located in the south of the city, at the beginning of the road that leads to Principina a Mare . The city is also a major center for athletics: Stadio Carlo Zecchini has in fact hosted the European Junior Championships in 2001 and World Junior Championships in 2004. Grosseto in 2006
3770-570: Was also the headquarters of the World Military Fencing Championships . The city is served by the Pisa-Livorno-Rome railway line connecting Genoa to the capital and serves as the terminus of trains on the single track branch line from Grosseto via Monte Antico to Siena, where it converges with a line from Chiusi and proceeds north to Empoli and Florence . Here is the list of railway stations in
3835-636: Was born in Santa Fiora , and director Umberto Lenzi in Massa Marittima , both in the province of Grosseto . Schiaccia alla pala ( oven-baked bread with oil) and Schiaccia con cipolle e acciughe (oven-baked bread with onions and anchovies) are typical breads of the city of Grosseto. Acquacotta is typical of Mount Amiata : it is a poor soup, and the main ingredients are artichokes , broccoli , cabbage , beans , borage , pisciacane ( dandelion ) and similar vegetables. The Maremmana cattle
3900-534: Was born in Grosseto in the first half of the 1200's. He is very important in Italian literature , because he is considered the first writer in the Italian language . Andrea da Grosseto translated from Latin the Moral Treaties of Albertano of Brescia , in 1268. His texts were written in the Italian language, without too many redundancies and constructions, words and typical ways of speech of the vernacular and
3965-408: Was frequently ravaged, notably in 1447 by Alfons V of Sicily and in 1455 by Jacopo Piccinino . Sienese rule ended in 1559, when Charles V handed over the whole duchy to Cosimo I de Medici , first grand duke of Tuscany . In 1574 the construction of a line of defensive walls was begun, which are still well preserved today, while the surrounding swampy plain was drained. Grosseto, however, remained
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#17327721644934030-593: Was once the main city in the area. Of Etruscan origin, it was built on a hill that offered protection and commanded all the nearby valley. The extent of its dominion is not clear, but probably at its peak included most of the Vetulonia territory. The city's splendour ended in 294 BCE, when, according to Livy , the Roman Republic conquered it. After the end of the Roman Empire, in the 5th century, Roselle
4095-689: Was selected as the European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism. This accolade, awarded by the European Commission , recognizes small, non-traditional, and emerging sustainable tourism destinations in Europe, with Grosseto being chosen ahead of 40 other cities. Grosseto has a Mediterranean climate with very mild wet winters and very hot dry summers. On average there are 25 nights a year where the low reaches or dips below freezing 0 °C (32 °F) but there are also 41 days where
4160-407: Was still the most important centre of what is now southern Tuscany. Its gradual decline began in 1138, when the diocesan seat was moved to Grosseto. Etruscan ruins had been discovered in Roselle, including cyclopean walls, 6 kilometres (4 mi) in circumference, and sulphur baths, which in the last century were restored for medicinal uses. There was formerly an amphitheatre. Andrea da Grosseto
4225-439: Was transferred to Grosseto. In 1151 the citizens swore loyalty to the Republic of Siena , and in 1222 the Aldobrandeschi gave the Grossetani the right to have their own podestà , together with three councilors and consuls. In 1244 the city was reconquered by the Sienese, and its powers, together with all the Aldobrandeschi's imperial privileges, were transferred to Siena by order of the imperial vicar . Thereafter Grosseto shared
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