VIGNALE (LIVORNO)

At the beginning of the 1500 the village of New Vignale, built mostly against
the sea, passed under the Appiani family, Lords of Piombino, and the coastal
defensive tower of 'Torre Mozza' (Truncated Tower) acquired even more importance: it was a defense for the iron ore, arriving from Elba.

The estate of Vignale was the property of the Franceschi family already from XVI
century. Later on, a new harbour was built on this coast, called 'Carbonifera',
in order to embark the extracted lignite from Montebamboli (that arrived to the sea by train); the same way was used for the vegetable coal and wood coming from the forests nearby. 

In the last years of 1800 the name of the Franceschi disappears and its properties are divided between two families, the genovese one of Count Figoli de Geneys that acquires a part of that fortune; the other was inherited by the Pisan family of the Counts Giuli Rosselmini.

The land of Riotorto is characterized from an inner area, where agriculture flourishes with screw and olive trees and from one coastal zone voted to tourism. White banks of the most fine and beautiful sand, with pines that makes the landscape unique
are extend up to Follonica. 

This region is famous for naturalistic zones like the Coastal Park of the Sterpaia, the Natural Park of Montioni and the Reservoir Natural Wwf Bottagone Gardens.

Along the shoreline there are perfectly equipped modern structures for tourists.

RIOTORTO (LIVORNO)

The village of Riotorto lies on the slopes of greens hills, between the forest of Montioni and the sea; in 1840 it counted only 212
inhabitants. 

Its growth until to the current 2300 residents is connected with the development of the mezzadrile system, with the improvements in the quality of the soils, and, later, from the land reform to reduce the presence of great agricultural estates.

Today the only precious testimonies of the
original land, are the humid zones that remind us the conformation of the typical landscape of the Fen toscana.

Behind this country, that is still uncontaminated and full of natural beauties,
there is the forest of Montioni. 

The ancient denomination of Vignale has been used through the years for various places, like the ones that today are named "Castle", the "Old and New Vignale", and current "Small Farm". The first place that has this name is the medieval Castle. 

Until XIV century it was the capital of a territory extended to the Pieve di San Giovanni and San Vito, the Church of Sant' Andrea a Valli, and the Contrada of Follonica. 

Destroyed towards the 1360, the ruins of this site are partially covered by vegetation. It is still possible to recognise the town-walls, the tracing of the defensive ditch and the ruins of the church of Saint Giovanni.