Lanciole

Lanciole is located in the westernmost part of Val di Forfora and it was first mentioned with the foundation of the Municipality of Pistoia when it was arranged as a castle to defend the territory. Its origins, however, are certainly much older and seem to date back to the Etruscans.
Over the centuries, the village has been the scene of numerous battles. In particular, it was involved in the war between Pistoia and Lucca, and later, it was also the only one, among the surrounding villages, to side with the Ghibelline faction. Nonetheless, Lanciole has always been able to resist without losing its nature. In addition to this, legend has it that the bell tower was burned and its castle destroyed but that Cosimo dei Medici himself committed to rebuild it. Unfortunately, there is no certain news in this regard, so the history of the village of Lanciole becomes even more mysterious and fascinating. In 1580, it was established as an independent municipality, an institution abolished by the reforms of Pietro Leopoldo. Today, a lot of useful information and some curiosities about the daily life of the population can still be found in its statute; some examples are the regulations for the use of the community’s mill and the information on silkworm rearing.
Walking among the charming streets of the village, you immediately come across the ancient wash-houses – still used by the women of the village until a few years ago – and the church of San Bartolomeo. The latter has clear medieval origins, whose original charm is still visible despite the numerous renovations it has undergone. In Piazza Giusti there is David Bartolozzi’s birthplace, indicated by a commemorative plaque. Bartolozzi was an illustrious lanciolano who worked as a doctor in Pescia and was author of numerous and valuable publications in 1800. Outside the village you can see the so-called “Ponte Vecchio”, traditionally called in this way by the elders of Lanciole, which is a stone bridge with a single nave and unknown origins. According to many, it dates back to the period when Castruccio Castracani, who built many bridges in its territories, was in command. Anyway, at the present time, this is still just a hypothesis which contributes to make Lanciole even more suggestive.