Fort of Pietracassia
In the Orciatico district, a medieval defence and surveillance fort
The Fort of Pietracassia is in the municipality of Lajatico. A fine example of the Early Medieval style, it’s one of the first barbaric forts built in Tuscany.
The position says a lot about the fort’s strategic role: at more than 530 metres of altitude, it boasts a panorama over all of the Valdera, a large part of the Val di Cecina, with the possibility to see almost all the way to Volterra. A steep cliff protected it from the north, while a thick belt of surrounding wall defended it against other ambushes. To get there today you have to follow a challenging hiking trail, but the view is undoubtedly worth the climb.
The site is made up of the fort itself and a castle, built during two different time periods. Recorded for the first time in a document from 1028, the fort lived through many ups and downs as it saw invasions and military contests, initially falling into the hands of the bishop of Volterra in 1115, then to the Pisans in 1202 and to the Florentines in 1405, before ceasing its defence role and starting solely agricultural activities.