ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

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The Rocca di Sala, also known as Rocca Ghibellina, is one of the fortresses of the municipality of Pietrasanta, in the province of Lucca.
Of Lombard origin, the Rocca has a great historical and cultural importance. In this they found historical accommodation characters who passed and stayed in Pietrasanta like Charles VIII and Charles V.

In the 18th century it was disarmed and sold by order of Leopold I, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Since then the Rocca has progressively suffered a state of almost complete abandonment that has led to the loss of part of its walls and the Palazzo Guinigi, the state residence that was located inside it.

In 2012 the FAI organized visits to make the site known and protect it from an artistic and historical point of view.

History

The origins
The Rocca di Sala was probably built by the Longobards in defense of the small village of Sala, located along the ancient Via Francigena, which in the 13th century, at the foundation of Pietrasanta, will be joined together with its fortress to the newborn Versilia town.

In 1324 the Rocca (called Upper Rocca or even Ghibelline Rocca) was strengthened by Castruccio Castracani, Lord of Lucca, to fortify the Lucca capital of Pietrasanta. For the same purpose Castruccio also built the Rocchetta Arrighina downstream.

According to the Narrative of Pietrasanta the Rocca was instead begun by Arrigo Castracani of the Antelminelli, son of Castruccio Castracani:

To confirmation of this there are two plates above the tuff door of the fortress that report the coat of arms of the Castracani and the Imperial Eagle. Work on the spools was completed by 1329.

The fortified complex is square, with angular towers and central four-storey, with a bell and lanterns for the signals placed on its top.
The entire structure of the fortress was surrounded by a moat with drawbridges; its front side facing the sea and in Pietrasanta was fortified by a further fence wall defended by three other towers, which housed the entrance door of the entire defensive complex.

In 1408 Paolo Guinigi, built a palace among the most beautiful in Versilia. Numerous famous characters who will be guests: in addition to Paolo Guinigi (1408), the King of Naples Ladislaus and his wife Ilaria from Cyprus (1409), Charles V (1536), Pope Paul III (1538), while in the central Mastius, in the previous century, they had stayed Emperor Charles IV of Bohemia and his wife.

From the Republic of Lucca to Florence
From 1400 to 1428 Pietrasanta lived quite peaceful years under Paolo Guinigi, lord of Lucca.

In 1430 Lucca was at war against Florence and was forced to ask for help to Genoa: the pact predicted that, if within three years the Lucca had not returned the sum of 15,000 golden florins, Pietrasanta and the Port of Motrone would enter into possession of in Genoa.
At the end of the three years there was an uprising