Pistoia

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Pistoia has ancient Roman origins, where, in 62 BC the battle between the Roman Senator Catiline and the Roman army took place.

Dominated first by the Goths, then by the Byzantines and Lombards, Pistoia finally gained independence in 1105 and in 1117 they drafted the Statute of the Consuls of the City of Pistoia, the oldest written collection of laws from the era when Italy was covered by powerful city states. This was the most prosperous time for the Pistoiese, which eventually ended in 1306, when the city was conquered by Florence and fell under the control of its stronger neighbor.

Florence installed a leader of their choice to govern the city, giving rise to the conflict between the Black and White Guelphs, which initiated in Pistoia and then spread throughout Tuscany.

It wasn’t until the Grand Duchy of Tuscany under the Medici rule that Pistoia had their own Renaissance. When the Lorraine branch of the Medici came into power, Pistoia, along with a large part of the rest of Tuscany, experienced a notable social and economic boost, helped by the railroads constructed in the 19th century.

On April 27, 1977 the city of Pistoia was awarded the Silver Medal of Military Bravery for sacrifices of its citizens and their participation in the partisan effort.

The main monuments of the city are mostly Romanesque or Renaissance style. These beautiful, well preserved monuments would receive much more recognition if they did not fall under the Florentine shadow. They include the Piazza del Duomo, one of the most evocative of Italy, the Cathedral of San Zeno, the Baptistery of San Giovanni, the palace of the bishops, and the Tower of Catiline.

Even lesser known is the Brazilian Military Cemetery erected in honor of the fallen Brazilian soldiers who lost their lives in Italy during the second world war. Brazil entered the war in 1944, sending 25,000 soldiers to Italy to fight with the allies. 465 soldiers and officers of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force (FEB) lost their lives and, at the end of the conflict, were buried in Pistoia.

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