The Fortress Verruca di Calci

The fortress is located in the Municipality of Calci, in the Province of Pisa, atop a mountain which bears the same name, approximately 540 metres above sea level. It can be reached from the Pisa-Florence dual motorway, via the Navacchio exit; drivers should follow signs to Caprona. Park your car at Caprona and continue to walk along the path that leads up to the walls of the fortress. It can also be reached from the Florence-Pisa dual motorway; take the Cascina exit, by following signs to Vicopisano. From Calci, turn onto the so-called '’Strada della Verruca’ (Verruca Road) from the town’s cemetery. Although unpaved, the road is accessible for cars and drivers can reach the foot of the large rock which hosts the fortress (approximately, a 20-minute drive). Guided tours to the excavation sites are available from Vicopisano in July. Tours can be reserved at the Vicopisano Library.

The fortress stands on the summit of Mount Verruca, on the eastern slopes of the Monti Pisani (537 metres above sea level). From there, it dominates the Pisan plain and follows the course of the River Arno. Thanks to its strategic location, it has always been a key element in Pisa’s strategies for defense during centuries characterized by bloody fights against Florence. The fortress allowed for visual triangulation between Pisa and Vicopisano Castle, which in turn. was connected to the Buti Castle and the entire area located at the foot of the Monti Pisani. According to historical documentation, settlements were present in the area as far back as 780, when the district was defended by a stronghold that was ideally located to control the Arno River and its surrounding plain. At the time this area, which stretched as far as the sea, was still marshland. The fortress has always been virtually impregnable for all the armies and rival powers that attempted to conquer and control the area. Several examples of this trend are noteworthy: in 1288, we can recall the war between the Pisan Guelphs and the Luccan army; we can also mention the German invasion by Ludwig of Bavaria in 1328. We can also note other episodes, like those in 1363, during the Florentine invasion, in 1369 after an invasion by the troops of Charles IV of Bohemia, and in 1375 after the invasion by the English troops led by John Hawkwood.

In 1402, after the conquest of Pisa by the Florentines, the fortress was destroyed to prevent it from becoming a menace in the future. Florentine troops re-conquered Verruca on June 18, that same year, after a series of long and bloody clashes. The defeat represented a coup de grâce when it came to Pisa’s hopes for independence: the city definitively capitulated to Florence six years later. The fortress’s current appearance is the result of a series of reinforcement work carried out after a succession of wars. Verruca is considered an inhomogeneous structure—the result of various construction stages led by different architects. It has a pentagonal plan and includes two circular towers, restored in the 16th century, at the front and two angular bulwarks at the rear. The main gate retains a trilithic structure which bares traces of hinges and latches. The inside shows two construction levels - the upper one has suffered far greater damage than the lower one, which is completely underground. The walls are a rare example of a fortification built with loose stones instead of the bricks that were commonly employed at the time; cut stones were used in limited quantities, only for the corners.

The structure’s oldest nucleus, built of verrucana stone, dates back to the 8th century. The main structure is known for its functional character. It encloses barracks and drill grounds, storehouses, a cistern and a church. Access entry-ways lead from the main fortress to its side bulwarks, which hosted rooms used for watching the surroundings or shooting the enemy. Slits for guns are still visible along the whole perimeter. An important discovery has been made in the fortress regarding an epigraph, preserved today in the National Museum of San Matteo. It is almost certainly the earliest document in ‘vulgar’ Italian, and it’s clearly dated ‘a dì dodici di giugno MCIII’ (12th of June, 1103).

Source:www.pisaturismo.it