Pontedera

Pontedera's name has been linked to that of Piaggio since 1924, when the Genoan engineer Rinaldo Piaggio moved part of his aeronautical construction industry there. Following World War II the plant was converted into a motorcycle factory, taking advantage of the economic boom of the 1960s and changing the face of the town.

Today Pontedera is home to the the Piaggio Museum, preserving the many models produced by the company in addition to a large historical archive. The Sant’Anna Valdera Centre, a robotics and information technology powerhouse, is housed in a large hangar facing the Piaggio plant.

Pontedera has recently become a centre of contemporary art thanks to the Otello Cirri Exhibition Centre, the spaces of the Public Library and the permanent sculptures set in the parks and squares of the town (notable are the Designer benches in the Piazza Garibaldi). This original open-air museum features works such as the Wall by Baj, Oleandra by Carmassi, the Bull by Cascella, Origine Vespa by Trafeli, the Young woman by Vangi and works by Canuti.

2009 saw the addition of the Centrum Sete Sóis Sete Luas, a cultural centre originating from the Festival bearing the same name, which has become an event of reference in popular music and plastic arts. The centre promotes the arts and culture of the Mediterranean countries and the Portuguese-speaking world using the synergy between contemporary art, cultural tourism, and the promotion of the crafts and the foods and wines par excellence of the 10 participating countries.

The theatrical activity is also one of the town's attractions: the new Teatro Era is home to the Fondazione Pontedera Teatro, which has gained international renown for its avant-garde productions. There are a great number of cultural, theatrical and musical events throughout the year, in town and in the nearby villages of Treggiaia and Montecastello.

Treggiaia is of ancient, probably Etruscan origins. In the Middle Ages it was a Lombard fortress; later on it was involved in the constant fighting between Pisa, Lucca and Florence. Montecastello features a round castle structure dating from the 12th century. Destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries, in the 16th and 17th centuries it became an independent rural commune where noble Pisan and Florentine families owned large estates.

Pontedera has always been a bustling business and shopping centre thanks to its position at the junction of Valdera, Valdarno, Valdinievole and the plain of Lucca. The San Luca Fair, celebrated in October, dates back to 1471. Each Friday the shops' business is boosted by one of the largest weekly markets in Tuscany.

Every summer, in celebration of the town’s shopping and business trade, the municipal council organises a series of evenings dedicated to shopping by starlight, reaching a climax in the Festa del Commercio and the Notte Bianca (White Night).

Tourism site of the Municipality of Pontedera
Piaggio Museum website
Tourist map
Events in Pontedera
Where to sleep

Photo gallery