Castel di Pietra

The Castel di Pietra (Stone Castle) was built during the Late Middle Ages on top of a cliff, to dominate the plain of Grosseto and the Metalliferous Hills. It is located in Gavorrano and was always strategically important for all the noble families who lived inside it.

Thanks to archaeological excavations carried out between 1997 and 2007, several characteristic elements such as walls and the remains of a small tower, the main core of the entire structure, have been unearthed. Other remains include large squared calcareous stones and a tower facing east, overlooking a cliff, which had the function of monitoring the territory for defensive purposes.

An interesting fact about the Castel di Pietra is that it was probably the place where Pia de Tolomei died, the same Pia mentioned by Dante in the Divine Comedy. In fact, Pia was the wife of Nello d'Inghiramo dei Pannocchieschi, owner of the castle and a prominent politician of the time. Nello, who was famous for his violent temper, fell in love with Margherita Aldobrandeschi and around 1300, in Castel di Pietra, he ordered the murder of his wife Pia, so that he could marry the other woman.

The memory of Pia de Tolomei's tragic death is celebrated every year, on the first Saturday in August in Gavorrano, with a costume re-enactment called the "Salto della Contessa” (Leap of the Countess), based on the fact that Pia is said to have died falling from the highest tower of the castle.
To date, the Castel di Pietra falls under the jurisdiction of the Metalliferous Hills National Park of Grosseto.