Pescaglia

Pescaglia is 23,6 kilometers far from Lucca, that is the Chief Town of the homonymous province to whom the municipality belongs.

Pescaglia has a population of 3.718 inhabitants (Pescaglini) and a surface of 70,42 square kilometers thus showing a population density of 52,80 inhabitants per square kilometer. It rises 504 metres above the sea level.

Pescaglia is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Lucca in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 70 km northwest of Florence and about 15 km northwest of Lucca. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,762 and an area of 70.4 km².

Pescaglia borders the following municipalities: Borgo a Mozzano, Camaiore, Fabbriche di Vallico, Lucca, Stazzema, Vergemoli.

The name Pescaglia is thought by some to derive from the Latin word ‘Pascualia’ meaning pastureland, and by others from the verb ‘pescare’ meaning to fish. Both relate to the abundant natural resources of the territory.

While mention of Piscalia or Pascualia exist from Roman times the first specific record of the town is thought to be in documents relative to the ownership of property by the church of San Pietro in Rome dated around the 9th Century.

After this documents reveal that large parts of the comune were owned by the feudalist Rolandinghi of German origin. These were succeeded by the Antelminellis during the period when Pisa dominated Lucca.

Recorded control of the town and territory was achieved by Lucca in 1272 to protect their boundaries from the . Instruction to flatten the original castle was recorded in the Statute of 1308 in order to destroy any remaining feudalists. It is questionable if this order was carried out but is recorded that in 1584 the architect Vincenzo Civitali was given instructions to rebuild the castle. Pescaglia remained within control of Lucca from that period to today growing in size and importance.

Pescaglia, the town, is found in the geographical centre of the comune and valley of the Pedogna. It is broken into three distinct urban units, Castello del Poggio or simply il Poggio, Piazzanello and Villabuona.