Pistoia Holidays @ Pistoia @ The Town of daggers and garden centers
Pistoia
was founded in the 2nd century B.C. and served as a base for the Roman troops in the war against the Ligurians. In 62 B.C., Consul Petreio defeated Catilina and his followers in the neighbouhood of a town called Pistorae or Pistorium.
Under the Longobards,
Pistoia became an important administrative and military center. In 1105
Pistoia was declared free commune. The most ancient Italian document of the communal era was issued in
Pistoia in 1117: it was the "Statute of the Consuls". In 1158, the Podestà substituted the five Consuls that had ruled the city so far. In the 12th and 13th century
Pistoia experienced a period of socio-economic boom.
Pistoia was the theater of harsh struggles between the Whites and the Blacks - the two factions into which the Guelphs, who supported the Pope, splitted after having defeated the Ghibellines, who supported the Emperor. Castruccio Castracani ruled
Pistoia for a short period (1332-1328), before
Florence definitely absorbed it in 1329.
Under the Medici family
Pistoia experienced a period of crisis and it was only with the Lorena family that its economy recovered.
At present,
Pistoia is an important industrial center - especially as far the metallurgical and mechanical sectors are concerned.
In the past,
Pistoia was renowned for the production of blades and knives, especially of the
pistorini, which were thin and extremely sharp knives. "Pistorino" became "bisturino" (small bistoury). In the 15th century the term was exported to France, were it became "bisturì", from where the Italian "bisturi" derives.
