Massa

Massa (Italian: [ˈmassa] (listen); Emilian: Masa) is a town and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, the administrative centre of the province of Massa and Carrara. It is located in the Frigido River Valley, near the Alpi Apuane, 5 km (3 mi) from the Tyrrhenian Sea.

For other uses, see Massa (disambiguation).
Massa

Masa  (Emilian)
Comune
Coat of arms
Massa within the province of Massa and Carrara
Location of Massa
Massa
Location of Massa in Italy
Massa
Massa (Tuscany)
Coordinates: 44°02′N 10°08′E
CountryItaly
RegionTuscany
ProvinceMassa and Carrara (MS)
Frazionisee list
Government
 • MayorFrancesco Persiani (Centre-right)
Area
 • Total94.1 km2 (36.3 sq mi)
Elevation
65 m (213 ft)
Population
 (30 September 2017)[2]
 • Total68,946
 • Density730/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Massesi
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
54100
Dialing code0585
Patron saintSt. Francis of Assisi
Saint dayOctober 4
WebsiteOfficial website

History

Massa is mentioned for the first time in the Tabula Peutingeriana, a 2nd-4th century AD itinerary, with the name ad Tabernas frigidas, referring perhaps to a stage on the Via Aemilia Scauri consular road from Pisa to Luni.

From the 15th to the 19th century, Massa was the capital of the independent Principate (later Duchy) of Massa and Carrara, ruled by the Malaspina and Cybo-Malaspina families. Massa is the first recorded town in Europe in which the magnetic needle compass was used in mines to map them and determine the extent of various mine owners' properties.

In 1829 the states were inherited by Francis IV, Duke of Modena. In 1859, during the unification of Italy process, it joined the Kingdom of Sardinia.

Geography

Located in south of the province, near the borders with the Province of Lucca, Massa is a coastal town by the Tyrrhenian Sea. The municipality borders with Carrara, Fivizzano, Minucciano (LU), Montignoso, Seravezza (LU), Stazzema (LU) and Vagli Sotto (LU).

Frazioni

Massa counts several hamlets (frazioni): Altagnana, Alteta, Antona, Baita, Bargana, Bergiola, Bondano, Borgo del Ponte, Bozzone, Ca' di Cecco, Caglieglia, Campareccia, Canevara, Capaccola, Casania, Casette, Casone, Castagnara, Castagnetola, Castagnola, Cervara, Cinque Vie, Ciremea, Codupino, Cupido, Forno, La Gioconda, Gotara, Gronda, Grondini, Guadine, Le Iare, Lavacchio, Marina di Massa, Mirteto, Monte Pepe, Ortola, Pariana, Partaccia, Pian della Fioba, Poggi, Poggiolo, Poggioletto, il Ponte, Poveromo, Poveromo Macchie, Pratta, Puliche, Quercioli, Redicesi, Remola, Resceto, Ricortola, Rinchiostra, Rocca, Romagnano, Ronchi, San Carlo Terme, San Cristoforo, San Leonardo, San Lorenzo, Santa Lucia, Il Santo, Sei ponti, Turano, Vergheto, Le Villette, Volpigliano, Zecca.

Government
See also: List of mayors of Massa

Main sights

Massa's sights include:

Economy

The Massa area is of high touristic value and also hosts a concentration of some 600 industrial and craft activities, located within the so-called Apuan Industrial Zone, with a direct employment of more than 7,000 people. Together with the twin town of Carrara, Massa is known for the extraction and production of marble.

Transport

Massa Centro railway station, opened in 1862, forms part of the Pisa–La Spezia–Genoa railway. The city is also served by the A12 motorway, the national highway SS1 "Aurelia", and counts a minor airport (IATA: QMM, ICAO: LILQ) in the neighboring village of Cinquale. From 1890 to 1932 Massa counted a railway line from Marina to Forno and, from 1922 to 1975, a monorail serving a marble quarry named Lizza di Piastreta.[3]

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy

Massa is twinned with:

References
  1. "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Istat. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. Population data from Istat
  3. (in Italian) Article on alpiapuane.com

Sources
  • Menziani, Alberto (2011). "Massa dall'Unità d'Italia alla Prima Guerra Mondiale: mezzo secolo di stori urbanistica o la nascita della città contemporanea". Atti e Memorie della Deputazione di storia patria per le antiche provincie modenesi. pp. 261–300.
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