How to reach
Lastra a Signa is in the outskirts of Florence, in the lower Arno valley. Can be reached from the city passing through Scandicci or following the Motorway FI-PI-LI.
History
Lastra a Signa, a toponym derived from the presence in this area of numerous stone caves, was until 1200 known as Lastra dei Gangalandi, from the name of the family that had its lordship. The origin of the settlement dates back to the year 1000, the fief of the Cadolingi di Fucecchio. Lastra soon became a strategic point in the rapid spread of Florence due to its position at the center of the valley of the Arno towards Pisa, useful to have access to the sea (at that time the river was navigable). The first fortifications of Lastra were two castles, the first on Mount Cascioli and the second on Mount Orlando. Later, a powerful fortification was erected where today is the city center. Lastra a Signa withstands Florence at least until 1365. In this year, the historical notices tell us of a Pisane siege on Lastra, and this makes us suppose that the city was under Florentine control. A few years later, in 1377, Lastra was encircled by a new walled, crenellated, and towered enclosure.
This wall has an irregular semi-trapezoidal shape, with the two greatest streets crossing inside it forming a 'T' with, at each extremity, the three gates: 'Fiorentina' at the southeast, 'Pisana' at the northwest, and 'Portone di Baccio' at the southwest. The walls were completed between 1400 and 1403, and their construction transformed Lastra into the strongest Florentine outpost against Pisa. Currently, three sides (northwest, northeast, and southeast) are practically intact and endowed with eight square towers, while the southeast one has almost disappeared. All the walled enclosure is gifted with non-homogenous gifts of machicoulis (a projection from the wall made of stone but here without openings to enable the defenders to fire upon an enemy directly below), and also the great Florentine architect Filippo Brunelleschi, in 1426, took part in its construction. Lastra a Signa is considered the first example of Tuscan tardo-gothic city walls endowed with machicolation on the whole perimeter.
Starting from where the Fiorentina Gate stands, which was destroyed during the last world war, we can analyze the southeast side of the walls. It was realized using irregular stones with the classic external profile constituted by scarped wall-redondone (a frame in stone)-main wall-machicolation-parapet. The merlons of the tower in the middle of the curtain are reconstructions. On the southwest side, we find the 'Portone di Baccio', a recently restored enormous fortified structure and main city gate without the inner front. The northwest side has the same characteristics as the southeast side, with three towers and the Pisana Gate. On the northeast side, many houses are leaned against the inner side of the walls, but externally it is the best conserved, with four towers and complete machicolations.
In recent years, the city walls of Lastra a Signa have been the subject of an extensive restoration programme, organised in several phases and funded through municipal, regional and NRRP (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) resources. The first phase covered a stretch of the curtain wall to the west of the historic centre and the adjoining inner garden; the second, awarded in 2022, focused on the southern stretch of the western curtain, with the restoration of the South Tower and the surrounding outdoor spaces; the third, funded with approximately €630,000 from NRRP resources, was dedicated to the recovery of the tower known as Cascina Pinucci and of the wall circuit enclosing it. The programme continues with a new phase under the "Pietre nel Tempo" initiative, devoted to further stretches of the walls and the adjacent outdoor areas, while in April 2025 works began on the restoration of the Ancient Hospital of Sant'Antonio, due to be completed by 30 June 2026. Overall, the Municipality has secured approximately €970,000 in NRRP funding for the completion of the works on the walls and for the requalification of the historic centre's monumental spaces.
More info & notes
Photos: Sailko / CC BY-SA Vignaccia76 / CC BY-SA Sailko / CC BY-SA - Sailko - Opera propria, CC BY-SA 3.0, Collegamento - Sailko - Opera propria, CC BY-SA 3.0, Collegamento - Sailko - Opera propria, CC BY-SA 3.0, Collegamento - Sailko - Opera propria, CC BY-SA 3.0, Collegamento - Sailko - Opera propria, CC BY-SA 3.0, Collegamento
