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Sarzana





CityIT Information

  Img Coa Sarzana-Stemmapng
  City Sarzana
  Region Liguria
  Province La Spezia (SP)
  Altitude 21
  Area Cityproper 34
  Population As Of December 31 , 2004
  Populationdensity 20,180
  Populationdensitymetric 593
  Timezone CET , UTC +1
  Coordinates
  Frazioni Marinella di Sarzana, Falcinello, Sarzanello, San Lazzaro
  Telephone 0187
  Postalcode 19038
  Gentilic Sarzanesi
  Saint St Andrew
  Day November 30
  Mayor Massimo Caleo (from April 5 , 2004 )
  Website wwwcomunesarzanaorg


Sarzana is a Town and Episcopal See in the Province Of Genoa , of Liguria , Italy , 15 km east of Spezia , on the Railway to Pisa , at the point where the railway to Parma diverges to the north. In 2004 it had a population of 20,180.

Sarzana has one of the most important Glass -bottle factories in Italy. There are also Brick -works and a Fuel factory.


HISTORY

The position of Sarzana at the entrance to the valley of the Magra (anc. Macra), the boundary between the episcopal see was transferred from the ancient Luni , 5 km southeast, to Sarzana.

A branch of the Cadolingi di Borgonuovo family, lords of Fucecchio in Tuscany from the 10th Century onwards, which had acquired the name of Bonaparte, had settled near Sarzana before 1264 . In 1512 a member of the family took up his residence in Ajaccio , and hence, according to some authorities, was descended the emperor Napoleon I . Sarzana, owing to its position on the frontier, changed masters more than once, belonging first to Pisa, then to Florence , then to the Banco Di S. Giorgio of Genoa and from 1572 to Genoa itself.

In 1814 it was assigned to the Kingdom Of Sardinia , the frontier between Liguria and Tuscany being now made to run between it and Carrara .

Sarzana was the birthplace of Pope Nicholas V .


MAIN SIGHTS


The noteworthy Cathedral of white Marble in the Gothic style, dating from 1355 , was completed in 1474 . It contains two elaborately- Sculpture d Altar s of the latter period.

The former Citadel , built by the Pisans, was demolished and reerected by Lorenzo De Medici .

The Castle of Sarzanello was built by the Condottiero Castruccio Castracani , whose Tomb by the Pisan Giovanni di Balducci is in S. Francesco.

The Palazzo del Capitano was designed by Giuliano da Maiano ( 1472 ), but is now entirely altered.


REFERENCES