Seravezza is part of historic Versilia, together with the municipalities of: Forte dei Marmi, Stazzema and Pietrasanta. Its territory has a rather varied morphology: to the east there are the reliefs of the Apuan Alps; further west is the foothills area including the hamlets of Basati and Azzano. The capital Seravezza is wedged in a small valley crossed by two streams, the Serra and the Vezza, descending from the Apuan Alps: by uniting, they give life to the Versilia river.
There are some marble quarries in the municipality, harshly criticized by the No Cav movement.
History
The origin of the name Seravezza does not derive, as one might think, from the name of the two rivers that cross it (Serra and Vezza). The exact opposite is true: it is the town that gives its name to the two streams.
The name Seravezza instead derives from the Lombard toponym Sala Vetitia, which indicated a center of commercial exchanges. Despite this historical evidence, the error often remains, to the point that numerous times – especially on printed paper – we find “Serravezza” written instead of “Seravezza”.
In the Middle Ages the history of the municipality of Seravezza was characterized by the vicissitudes of the Corvaia and Vallecchia families and by the wars against the Lucca nobility. In the territory there were the two municipalities of Cappella and Pietrasanta, while it was only in 1515 that Seravezza became a free municipality.
In those years the mining activity developed, which continued until the eighteenth century, entering a crisis from the middle of the century until 1820-1840.
During the Second World War Seravezza was crossed in the years (1943-1944) by the Gothic Line and suffered heavy destruction. The country was then occupied by Allied troops on April 5, 1945.
Other damages were caused by the flood of the Versilia river on 19 June 1996.
Honours
The municipality boasts the title of city by virtue of the decree issued by the President of the Republic on 31 December 1975.
On 21 April 2011, the municipality of Seravezza was awarded the Silver Medal for Civil Valor by the President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, with the following motivation: “During the Second World War, the small town close to the line ” Gothic” suffered continuous raids, bombings and atrocious reprisals which caused numerous civilian victims and the destruction of public and private buildings. The population, although affected by ruthless massacres, was able to face the war events with generous solidarity and courage, setting an example of spirit of sacrifice and patriotic love. 1943-1945 Seravezza (LU)”
Civil architectures
The city is home to the Medici Villa of Seravezza (built in 1560), the summer residence of the Medici family, which after the unification of Italy became the municipal seat until 1966 and today houses the Museum of Work and Popular Traditions of Historical Versilia, the municipal library, the historical archive and exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, as well as the adjoining Grand Ducal Stables, recently renovated after years of neglect, and also home to exhibitions and conferences.
On 23 June 2013, the XXXVII Session of the Committee for World Heritage in Phnom Penh registered the Medici Villa of Seravezza, together with the other Medici villas and gardens in Tuscany, in the list of UNESCO sites as the 49th property in Italy.
Tradition and folklore
The Palio dei Micci has been held in Pozzi since 1956: on the first Sunday of May, eight districts (Pozzo, Madonnina, Cervia, Quercia, Ranocchio, Leon D’Oro, Lucertola and Ponte) challenge each other in a donkey race (micci nel local dialect) led by jockeys. On the third Sunday of April the Stramicciata takes place in the lower part of the municipality, a race to be done on foot or by any non-motorized vehicle through the streets of the municipality.
Another important event in the capital, which takes place every three years on the evening of the Friday before Easter, is the “Procession of the dead Jesus” where the simulacrum, made up of seventeenth-century statues, moves through the streets of the town illuminated by wax candles as follows like the two rivers that cross the country which are dotted with thousands of lights that are reflected on the water.
Events
In the municipal capital, the feast of the patron saint, San Lorenzo, takes place on 9 and 10 August, with the traditional bonfire at the confluence of the Serra and Vezza rivers. The San Giuseppe fair takes place in Querceta on 19 March; that of San Rocco on 16 August in Pozzi and that of San Luigi on 21 June in Ripa; that of San Giovanni on 24 June in Riomagno.
