|
Lorraine dynasty itineraries |
|
Tuscany’s contribution to the shaping of a common European identity dates to the age of the Lorraine dynasty
The objective of the Tuscany/Europe project is to highlight the role Tuscany has played in shaping a common European identity. The roots of the model were established in the period between 1737 and 1859, when the Grand Duchy of Tuscany was ruled by the Lorraine family. At the time Tuscany was a kind of workshop for the generation of a European sensibility.
Some of the aspects that currently characterize Tuscany date to this period, for instance the centrality of the Chianti, thanks to the 'viticultural revolution', and the relaunching of agriculture as a major source of income.
Observing his domains with an expert eye, Pietro Leopoldo grasped the possibilities for exploiting the Arno as a trade route. He also saw that the plain between Florence, Pistoia and the sea offered easy access to the commercial port of Livorno, also connecting it to the Po Plain via the Apennine mountain passes of Abetone and Porretta. He also did a great deal to promote the region’s spa resources, especially in Montecatini. All in all, he was a man with a modern and global vision.
Of the many existing regional-level itineraries, the following relate in particular to Florence and its province:
Florence/Siena, via Chiantigiana: Itinerario 1
Florence/Siena, via Romana: Itinerario 2
Florence/Siena, via Aretina and via Valdarno, Chianti Senese to Coltibuono: Itinerario 3 Florence/Prato/Pistoia/Lucca: Itinerario 4 |
