In the heart of Massa, among its streets, palaces and squares, it is possible to retrace its ancient history. A walk through the village of ancient Massa Picta gives history-loving visitors an immersive cultural experience.
The walk begins at the imposing summit of the Malaspina Castle, once the home of the town’s lords and now divided into three main parts. From here, one heads along the Piastronata, a pedestrian street that leads directly to the heart of the city and to Palazzo Maggesi. The latter represents one of the most famsi examples of Renaissance architecture in the Massa Picta, characterized by its façade decorated with figurative motifs that tell stories of past Renaissance times.
At the foot of the Piastronata, the path leads toward Piazza Mercurio, a place that holds not only its visible beauty, but also a hidden archaeological heritage. In fact, during the renovation of the area, the remains of an ancient furnace emerged, evidence of a past Roman era. The furnace discovered in 2012, was dedicated to the production of building materials, which confirms the economic and commercial importance of the area already in ancient times. Originally known as the Piazza del Pozzo, from 1556 the square became a central point for the town’s mercantile activities while in 1771, a column was erected that still culminates in the statue of Mercury, the Roman deity of trade and commerce, a symbol of prosperity in the village.
Continuing along Via Alberica, one arrives at Piazza Martana. Located at the foot of the hill on which the Malaspina Castle stands, the square is surrounded by palaces and historic buildings such as Porta Martana, also known as Porta Toscana, a structure that marks the entrance to the city. In Renaissance Massa, the area around Porta Martana occupied a strategic position due to its connection with the main communication routes throughout Tuscany. Its origins would seem to date back to 1564: at this time the portal replaced the ancient Porta di Santa Maria, which already existed in the Middle Ages. Over the centuries, part of the original construction of the gate was lost due to later constructions that modified the side entrances.
From Piazza Martana, returning toward Piazza Mercurio and proceeding along Via Gerolamo Guidoni, we finally arrive at Piazza Aranci, one of the oldest and most historic places in Massa. The name of the square derives from the double rows of orange trees that surround it, also mentioned by some poets of Italian literature, such as Leopardi.
In the center of the square is an obelisk surrounded by four majestic marble lions that decorate the fountains at their feet. The work, created by sculptors Giovanni and Lodovico Isola between 1886 and 1887, have become a historical icon for the city. A curiosity? The sculptures are known to have been taken up by the six Piccirilli brothers, natives of Massa, who several years after designing the Massa lions would create the two famous lions of the New York Public Library, becoming American symbols. Indeed, the history of the Piccirilli sculptors is deeply linked to Massa: their father Giuseppe, born in Rome, settled in the city as a young man, where he married Barbara Giorgi and together they enlarged their family in the Martana neighborhood. The Piccirilli brothers’ connection to Massa left an important mark on the town through an artistic heritage that continues to influence the atmosphere of the locality to this day.
On one of the sides of Piazza Aranci is the Palazzo Ducale, Massa’s historic and famous building with the characteristic cybeo-red color of its facade. In the 16th century, the palace was the residence of Prince Alberico I. Its present appearance is due to the interventions of Charles I and Alberic II, who enlarged its structure and embellished it with a garden surrounded by a double marble loggia, white marble staircases and the Salone degli Svizzeri. Later in the 18th century, Teresa Pamphili, wife of Charles II, transformed the architecture of the palace according to the Baroque taste of the time.
From Piazza Aranci and walking down Via Dante, we then reach the Duomo, which stands on the former structure of a Franciscan convent. Also known as the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Francis, the cathedral owes its current appearance to work that began in the early 19th century, after the demolition of the old Cathedral of Massa that stood in Aranci Square. Inside, the cathedral holds artistic works including a Madonna and Child and marble altars made by the Bergamini. Also in its basement is the Cybo Malaspina burial ground, which testifies to the link between the city’s history and the noble family that ruled it.
Going down Via Dante again to return to Piazza Aranci, it is possible to move toward the Ducal Palace and walk toward Via Alberica. Along the street is the Palazzo dei Cadetti, built between 1570 and the end of the 16th century, at the same time as the construction to the renovation of the Church of San Pietro and the Ducal Palace itself. Via Alberica, once known as Via Etrusca, was the main street of the Renaissance project of the new Massa Cybea desired by Alberic I, connecting Piazza Bagnara with Piazza Mercurio and Porta Martana.
Here the Palazzo dei Cadetti, initially intended for the cadet sons and perhaps also the natural sons of the Cybo Malaspina family, underwent several transformations over time and during the Napoleonic era was abandoned, falling into decay. In later centuries, the structure was renovated and expanded, becoming the Bishop’s Palace in the 19th century and the seat of the Diocesan Curia. Recently renovated, it now houses the Diocesan Museum, which preserves the Cathedral Treasury and sections devoted to works from the churches of the diocese. Continuing the route and returning to Via Ghirlanda in the direction of Piazza Aranci, one can finally descend to Piazza del Teatro to reach the famous Teatro Guglielmi. Opened in 1886, the theater is known for its remarkable acoustics and is dedicated to one of Massa’s most distinguished citizens: composer Pietro Alessandro Guglielmi. The theater, with its much sought-after architecture and its history rich in cultural events, today represents a landmark for the social and artistic life of Massa.
Descending further towards Marina di Massa and skirting the right side of Viale Eugenio Chiesa, one arrives at Piazza della Liberazione: designed by architect Cesario Fellini, the square develops around a large central fountain, a central point and convergence for the city’s traffic. Inaugurated in the 1920s as Piazza del Littorio or Pelù, the square underwent several name changes, becoming Piazza Puccini and finally Piazza della Liberazione, a name it still retains today. The fountain, made of white marble, was a major component of the urban redevelopment program of the Fascist period. Originally, its appeal was provided by several sculptural elements, such as four lion heads spraying water and a fascio littorio supported by four dolphins. The fountain’s evolution, however, continued beyond the end of World War II. With the desire to erase the traces of the fascist past that had dramatically marked the city’s history, the fasces lictors were removed and replaced with marble spheres, supported by dolphins. This configuration remains to this day, and has become a symbol of a square that has been able to adapt to the city’s historical and cultural changes.
The walk through these emblematic places of Massa, from the Piazza Aranci to the Piazza della Liberazione, thus gives an overview of the different eras; medieval, renaissance and modern that have marked the city. Each stage reflects on Massa’s artistic, cultural and historical heritage and how history unfolds among the city’s streets.