Pitigliano: The “Little Jerusalem” in the Tuscan Maremma Region

City view of Pitigliano

 

Pitigliano is for sure one of the highlights in Southern Tuscany’s Maremma rugged region with its jaw-dropping sightseeing and fascinating history. Pitigliano is perched at the top of a high cliff of tuff rock right at the edge of a deep gorge. Coming from the road on the other side of the gorge is a truly memorable sight!      

  

The houses seem to grow directly out of yellowish red volcanic tuff, which has been dug since Etruscan time for use as wine cellars, food storage and as hiding places during wars. Today in Pitigliano there’s not much evidence left of its Etruscan origins, apart from the small, but nicely organized “Archeological Museum” in Palazzo Orsini, a palace embedded in the fortress. I visited the courtyard, the first two halls, and the museum where many artifacts are on display, both of artistic value as well as showing daily life throughout the centuries in the Palace and the village.  

 

As mentioned in the title, Pitigliano is still called “The little Jerusalem”, a clear indication not only of the presence throughout the centuries of a Jewish community, but also how it was integrated in the local community, so much so that in 1799 the local Christian population took up arms to defend the Jews against the Pope’s soldiers fighting Napoleon’s troops who wanted to raid the Jewish ghetto of Pitigliano.  

Main fountain in Pitigliano
 

I went on to visit the Jewish heritage sights located in the charming old ghetto. Here I saw the old mikveh, the slaughterhouse and the oven where the Pesach matzos were baked. From here I moved on to visit the Synagogue which was built in 1598. The Synagogue was originally extremely rich in its decor and embellishments. However, and unfortunately, when the little remaining Jewish population left in the early 1960s, all its decor was lost with the exception of its XVII century Ahron Hakodesh which was donated to the Synagogue of Carmiel in Israel. 

 

Leaving the synagogue, I stopped right next to Via Zuccarelli by the pastry shop and I treated my palate with their traditional “Sfratti”, a local Jewish biscuit with walnuts and orange peel. Inside the pastry shop you will find other kosher products, including kosher wines from a local winery. At this point I will give away another little secret: if you happen to be in the area around the 10th of August make sure not to miss the opportunity to enjoy Pitigliano’s kosher wines during the event “Calici di Stelle” (Wine glasses and stars), a tasty and spectacular outdoor evening event of wine tasting that takes place throughout the streets, alleys and squares of Pitigliano. 

 

I completed my visit inside Pitigliano’s walls by walking through its narrow and picturesque alleys until Piazza della Libertà, a balcony overlooking the wild and unspoiled Tuscan Maremma countryside. From here I also imagined how Pitigliano’s unmistakable iconic skyline would look from kilometers away in its surreal charm as if suspended in midair in such beautiful natural surroundings.

City view of Pitigliano - Little Jerusalem

However, my tour was not over yet: in fact, on my list there were still other places I definitively wanted to visit (and taste).

 

First of all, I wanted to complete my tour of Jewish Pitigliano by visiting the Jewish cemetery located in a quite spectacular position on a terraced cliff outside the town’s walls right at the feet of the Orsini fortress. This plot of land was given to the Jewish doctor David De Pomis in 1556 by Count Nicolò IV Orsini  as a burial place for his young wife. Since then, it has become the burial place for almost 300 Jews from Pitigliano whose different grave styles are a testimony of the different time periods during which the local Jewish community lived here.

 

Then, since like many other people, I am intrigued by the mysterious and fascinating Etruscan history, I decided to complete my tour of Etruscan Pitigliano with a small adventure by visiting the open air “Alberto Manzi” museum, which is only a few kms from Pitigliano. Here you can walk through Etruscan times surrounded by nature and by artifacts carved out in the tuff rocks and on an Etruscan path called “Via delle Cave” (Road of the Caves) also carved in the rock. This was used as a form of defense and to connect the first villages built in the area to the wonderful Necropolis at its end. Be sure to bring along a pair of hiking boots or at least sturdy shoes.

  

Then, to end an already spectacular day on an even happier note, I could not miss a stop by the wine cellar producing Pitigliano’s kosher wine for a wine tasting which I thoroughly enjoyed, though I had to remind myself that the road on the way out is quite windy and narrow.  

Extra tip: if you enjoyed Pitigliano and would like to spend another day or two in the area you should not miss the other “Tufa towns” of Sovana and Sorano, both delightful examples of Medieval architecture with a unique atmosphere that will make you step back in time.

 

Explore the secrets of the “Bel Paese” and of its hidden gems like Pitigliano (Sovana and Sorano) that only locals seem to know and are waiting to be discovered by you. 

Andrea Alcalay from La Tour I-Talya. LaTour I-Talya is a project established and managed by a team of Italian Jews working together with one of the largest and most prestigious Italian Tour Operators. LaTour I-Talya specializes in tour packages which  focus on the amazingly rich Jewish historical and cultural heritage found throughout Italy.

Read more articles from our Hidden Gems of Italy series:
Echoes of the Past: Unraveling Trieste's Jewish Legacy
A Walk Through History: Exploring Ferrara's Jewish Heritage
Beyond Rome: The Enchanting Villages of Anagni and Alatri
Explore the Charm of Casate Monferrato
Get in Touch with the oldest Jewish community in Tuscany
The Jewish beauty of Florence
Mantua: First stop in the Renaissance cities of Northern Italy
Cividale del Friuli: Jewish Tours of Italy off the Beaten Path
The Charming Padova (Padua)
The Marche Region: Undiscovered area of Central Italy