Massa

History

Starting from the early 1200s, Massa was often the subject of fierce disputes for the dominance of the city between the Pisans, Florentines, and Lucchesi. In 1442, Alberico I Malaspina, Marquis of Fosdinovo, began the family dynasty that ruled the Marquisate for about a century. He was succeeded by Giacomo Malaspina, who is credited with the reconstruction of the church of S. Francesco, which later became a cathedral.
In 1519, Alberico was succeeded by his daughter Ricciarda, who, by marrying the Genoese nobleman Lorenzo Cybo, united the Malaspina house with that of the illustrious Ligurian family – very well known at the Roman Curia – which, among other things, had given birth to Pope Innocent VIII (the protector of Christopher Columbus).
Thanks to his creative talent and excellent political skills, Alberico Cybo significantly boosted the city, both administratively and economically, making numerous interventions in Massa Cybea for urban decor, from the Renaissance walls to the development of the Ducal Palace, using primarily the precious marble from the nearby quarries.

In 1568, Emperor Maximilian II (1527-1576) conferred the title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire on Alberico Cybo, and after about half a century, Emperor Ferdinand II elevated Massa to the rank of a City.

The great Alberico died in 1623 at the age of 94, leaving the throne to his grandson Carlo I, a lover of science and literature, who ruled until 1662, after which the principality passed to his son Alberico II, and then, in 1690, to Carlo II.
His son Alberico III, who ruled for a short period and died at only 43 years old without leaving heirs, was succeeded by his brother Alderano Cybo and, following him, his daughter Maria Teresa, who was much loved by the subjects. Maria Teresa married Prince Ercole Rinaldo D’Este in 1741, bringing the innovative wave of the Enlightenment into the State of Cybo Malaspina.
Upon her death in 1790, she was succeeded by her daughter Maria Beatrice, wife of the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand, who was also well-liked by the people. However, in 1799, with the French Revolution, she was forced to abandon the State of Massa and Carrara, initially aggregated to the Cisalpine Republic before passing under the Italian Kingdom.

In 1806, the district of Massa and Carrara was annexed to the Principality of Lucca, where Napoleon installed his sister Elisa Baciocchi, who designated the Ducal Palace as her holiday residence and significantly transformed the urban layout by creating the current Piazza Aranci, achieved through the demolition of the ancient pieve of S. Pietro.
The birth and development of seaside tourism at the end of the 19th century drew a new urban layout for the city, which saw a new urban core rapidly grow along the coast, in what is now Marina di Massa, where the elegant traces of upper-middle-class settlements in the Liberty-style villas that adorn the coastal avenue are still visible, and later the massive establishment of marine colonies that arose during the Fascist period, some of which (the Torre Fiat and the Colonia Torino) are also noted for their interesting architectural design.