Fornacette: Cycling Culture and Medici Heritage

Fornacette can be explored through distinct cultural themes: the Museo della Bicicletta Manolo Baggiani, historic hydraulic works, and a long brickmaking tradition. These are complemented by church history, event connections, and cycling and walking routes, whose current condition should be checked before use. If you are planning a stay, you can decide whether to choose Fornacette mainly for its cycling culture and history or also include routes and local events.

MU.BI: The Bicycle as a Cultural Theme

The Museo della Bicicletta Manolo Baggiani (MU.BI) is located at Via Amendola 7 in Fornacette. Its connection to bicycles is clear from its name. At the same time, MU.BI is a multifunctional center created through collaboration between the Municipality of Calcinaia and Giochi in Circolo. The venue thus combines a clearly defined museum theme with the broader role of a center. For travelers interested in cycling culture, it is a concrete starting point for exploring local cultural history.

Hydraulic Works, Brickmaking, and Local History

The history of hydraulic engineering is reflected in two dates and structures. In 1564, Cosimo I de’ Medici ordered the construction of the Arnaccio overflow channel in the Fornacette area; in 1568, the Trabocco mediceo di Fornacette was built under his direction. The Arnaccio is an overflow channel, while the Trabocco mediceo is a hydraulic structure. This sequence of events offers a useful reference point if you would like to organize the historical traces by theme.

Brickmaking also has a long history: it began in Fornacette between the 10th and 12th centuries. The name of the place may come from Fornacelle, meaning “small kilns.” This places a historical activity alongside a possible interpretation of the name; the name’s origin remains a possibility.

Church and Event Connections

The new parish complex in Fornacette is dedicated to Regina della Pace. The church was consecrated by S. E. Mons. Plotti on March 2, 2002.

In April 2026, the municipality described the traditional Concertone della Liberazione on Piazza della Resistenza, with I Patagarri named as the headline act. In the wider municipal area of Calcinaia, the Regata Storica sull’Arno takes place in May, recreating the former activity of the Navicellai. The two events therefore have different geographical connections: the Concertone is located in Fornacette, while the Regata takes place in the municipal area of Calcinaia.

The Parco dei Pini, near S. Quasimodo secondary school at Via Amendola 34, is another local point of interest: it was the third stop on an event focused on biodiversity. Via Amendola thus connects two different addresses: MU.BI at number 7 and the park at number 34.

Check Cycling and Walking Routes Before Use

A municipal planning document from 2023 lists an existing, unsigned cycling and walking route along Via Tosco-romagnola in Fornacette. Check its current condition and signage before using it. The same planning document lists existing cycling and walking routes along both banks of the Canale Imperiale within the built-up area of Fornacette; their condition should also be checked before use.

Choosing Fornacette for Your Stay

When deciding where to stay, you can group the themes into three areas of interest: cycling culture and architectural history, local events, and cycling and walking routes. Check the routes in advance; the events have different geographical reach, as the Concertone and Parco dei Pini are associated with Fornacette, while the Regata relates to the wider municipal area of Calcinaia.

For the broader travel overview: Calcinaia.