History of Calci

Calci is situated on the slopes of the “Pisan Mountains” (Monte Pisano), in front of the coastal plains of Pisa and is characterized by small villages (borghi) that extend along the two valleys, that of Calci and that of Montemagno. Both valleys follow the course respectively of two large mountain streams- the Zambra of Castelmaggiore, and the Zambra of Montemagno.

From medieval times, water from the mountain streams was piped to a walled canal called “Aldio” that allowed for the development of mills and oil mills, worked by large water wheels.

The cultivation of wool and olives developed, plus the gathering of myrto or “mortella” which once soaked, was used for tanning leather.

The first mention of a mill in Calci dates back to 1057. Medieval Calci, followed the destiny of the “Repubblica Pisana” by furnishing wood for construction of its ships. Other than churches and monasteries, there were castles and towers that made Calci a strategical point. Notwithstanding, Calci fell with Pisa under the domination of Florence in 1406.

Independence was regained in 1431, 1494-1509. At the end of the Florentine Republic in 1530, Calci and the Pisan Republic were included together with Florence in the “Granducato di Toscana”.

In 1776 Calci was again joined to Pisa, from which it had been separated and united to Vicopisano.

In the mid-XIX century in the valley there were 124 mills and 34 oil mills. In 1867 Calci became an independent municipal, and in 1884 Montemagno became part of it. The first sign of a decline in the activity of the mills was felt with the introduction of taxes. The concurrent forces of other mills that operated with methods more industrial, and the arrival of electrical energy in 1914, added to the decline. In 1887 a railway connected Calci to Pisa and Navacchio, but even so, the economic crisis was not halted and increased with the two world wars. In time, the majority of the mills were dismantled and converted to civil habitations. Only the leather business prospered and it was here that the well known leather coin purse was invented in the form of a horseshoe.

(Text by Ferruccio Bertolini - Translation by Ottavia Pizzo)