Massa

Massa listen  is a toun an comune in Tuscany, central Italy, the admeenistrative centre o the province o Massa an Carrara. It is locatit in the Frigido River Valley, near the Alpi Apuane, some 5 km (3 mi) frae the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Massa
Comune
Città di Massa
Marina di Massa
Coat airms
Massa Location o Massa in Italy
Coordinates: 44°02′N 10°08′E
Kintra	Italy
Region	Tuscany
Province	Massa an Carrara (MS)
Frazioni	see leet
Govrenment
• Mayor	Alessandro Volpi
Area
• Total	94.1 km2 (36.3 sq mi)
Elevation	65 m (213 ft)
Population  (30 November 2012)
• Total	69,004
• Density	730/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Massesi
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	54100
Diallin code	0585
Patron saunt	St. Francis o Assisi
Saunt day	October 4
Website	Offeecial wabsteid

The Massa aurie is o heich touristic value an hosts a concentration o some 600 industrial an craft activities an aw, locatit athin the so-called Apuan Industrial Zone, wi a direct employment o mair nor 7,000 fowk. Thegither wi the twin toun o Carrara, Massa is kent for the extraction an production o marble.

History

Massa is mentioned for the first time in the Tabula Peutingeriana, a 2nt-4t century AD itinerary, wi the name ad Tabernas frigidas, referrin aiblins tae a stage on the Via Aemilia Scauri consular road frae Pisa to Luni.

Frae the 15t tae the 19t century, Massa wis the caipital o the independent Principate (later Duchy) o Massa an Carrara, ruled bi the Malaspina an Cybo-Malaspina faimilies. Massa is the first recordit toun in Europe in which the magnetic needle compass wis uised in mines tae map thaim an determine the extent o various mine awners' properties.

In 1829 the ceety wis haundit ower tae the Austrian branch o the Este faimily. In 1859, durin the unification o Italy process, it joined the Kinrick o Sardinie.

Main sichts

Massa's sichts include:

• The Malaspina Castle (15t century), owerleukin the ceety frae a hill
• The Renaissance Ducal Palace, on the Piazza Aranci
• The Cathedral
• Piazza degli Aranci
• Piazza Mercurio
• Marina di Massa

The Orto Botanico delle Alpi Apuane "Pietro Pellegrini" is a muntain botanical garden maintened bi the ceety.

Frazioni (admeenistrative diveesions)

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.

Transport

Massa Centro railwey station, opened in 1862, forms part of the Pisa–La Spezia–Genoa railway.

Internaitional relations

Relatit page: Leet o twin touns an sister ceeties in Italy

Massa is twinned wi:

• Bad Kissingen, Germany, syne 1960
• Vernon, Fraunce,
• Nowy Sącz, Poland, syne 2007

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.