Fivizzano

Fivizzano is a comune located in the Province of Massa and Carrara in the Tuscany region of central Italy. The town, situated at an elevation of 326 meters, has a population of approximately 7,787 residents. It covers an area of 180 square kilometers and serves as the patron saint feast day of St. Anthony the Abbot. The town became an important strategic location when it joined the Republic of Florence in the 15th century, providing Florence with a significant foothold in Lunigiana, a region that had been contested by major powers including Genoa, Lucca, Pisa, and Milan since the early Middle Ages.

Fivizzano possesses considerable historical and cultural significance. The town features the 12th-century Fortress of Verrucola and city walls that were rebuilt under Cosimo I de' Medici in the 16th century after being destroyed during Charles VIII of France's invasion. Notable landmarks include a Baroque fountain donated by Cosimo III de' Medici in 1683 and the Museum of Printing, which honors Jacopo da Fivizzano, credited with printing the first books using typed characters around 1470. An Augustinian monastery founded in 1391 stands as the second such monastery constructed in Tuscany.

The region experienced tragedy during World War II when it became the site of massacres carried out by Nazi forces in August 1944. Today, Fivizzano maintains its cultural vitality through annual events including a historical archery contest held in July at the Piazza Medicea and the Tangoworld festival in September, one of Italy's largest celebrations of Argentine tango culture.