Montecatini Terme: World Heritage, spa architecture and art

Montecatini Terme combines important spa architecture, art and historic sites with an unusually diverse local history. If you are looking for accommodation in Tuscany and want to discover more than a single attraction, the town offers several clearly distinct cultural points of interest: it is part of the transnational serial World Heritage Site Great Spa Towns of Europe, preserves buildings from different periods and also places contemporary art at the centre of attention.

Art Nouveau, fountains and World Heritage

The Terme Tamerici complex is one of the places that best preserves the character of Montecatini, shaped by Art Nouveau thermal architecture. The Fontana delle Naiadi is also located in the garden of the Terme Tamerici. Bronze naiads stand on travertine plinths; the installation is a miniature version of the fountain on Piazza Esedra in Rome. Here, therefore, you encounter both decorative architecture and a specifically named example of the connection between sculpture and spa history. The church of Santa Maria Assunta is part of Montecatini’s historical heritage. Pope John Paul II declared it a minor basilica in 1988. Mo.C.A. – Montecatini Terme Contemporary Art provides a different accent; it has existed as an exhibition venue for contemporary art since 2012. The town’s cultural character thus extends from sacred architecture and World Heritage to modern exhibition culture.

Historic collections and distinctive works of art

The Museo di Arte Sacra is located in Montecatini Alto. Its collection includes a permanent nativity scene and liturgical objects. One particularly precisely identified item is a reliquary of Saint Barbara made of repoussé silver. It was created in the first half of the 15th century by a Florentine workshop. The collection thus combines religious art with a clear reference to the craft tradition and the historical classification of the object. On Viale Verdi stands Airone Rosso, a 3.60-metre-high sculpture made of shaped steel by Fabio De Poli. The work creates a distinctly different focal point in the townscape from the historic churches, museums and spa buildings: it makes contemporary art visible in public space.

Palazzina Regia and the Belle Époque

The Palazzina Regia adds a courtly aspect to Montecatini’s architectural history. Paoletti designed the building in 1777; in 1782 it was completed for the summer residence of the grand ducal family. Interiors, furnishings and decorations in the Belle Époque style have been preserved there. For your choice between different cultural focuses, this site is particularly interesting because its period of construction, history of use and surviving furnishings belong together.

Cave and mountain town

The landscape in and around Montecatini Terme is not expressed solely through built heritage. The Grotta Maona is a natural cave with two shafts. It is 20 metres deep and 200 metres long. These precise measurements give the natural attraction its own dimension alongside the museums, churches and spa complexes. A special connection between today’s Montecatini Terme and the original mountain town of Montecatini Alto is created by the funicular railway. Its two red cars are used to travel up and down between Montecatini Terme and Montecatini Alto. In this way, the modern spa town and the historic mountain town are visibly connected in the history of the locality, without their different characters having to be equated. For further exploration, you can also visit the pages on [Nievole](Nievole), [Montevettolini](Montevettolini) and [Montecatini Alto](Montecatini Alto) .

For the overarching travel overview: Pistoia.

More about the destination

Relevant information for planning your trip:

Montecatini Terme: accommodation and attractions – travelling and staying in Tuscany (Italy).

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Pescia, San Marcello Pistoiese, Piteglio, Monsummano Terme.