The little town of Villa Basilica stands on the slopes of the Pizzorne highlands, halfway between Lucca and Pistoia and near Collodi, the birthplace of Pinocchio. The town consists of a small bunch of houses, alleyways and piazzas, unique in style.
Rivers and streams are constantly tumbling down over these hills, where the ironworking industry has always flourished as a result. Gunsmithing was a particularly dominant activity here, making Villa Basilica a reference point for armies and private aristocratic bodyguards, who would come here for swords and other bladed weapons. Another craft, equally old and equally connected to the abundance of water here, is paper making.